Keith B. Payne - Laser Weapons in Space: Policy and Doctrine

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Laser Weapons in Space

Westview Replica Editions

The concept of Westview Replica Editions is a response to the continuing crisis in academic and informational publishing. Library budgets for books have been severely curtailed. Ever larger portions of general library budgets are being diverted from the purchase of books and used for data banks, computers, micromedia, and other methods of information retrieval. Interlibrary loan structures further reduce the edition sizes required to satisfy the needs of the scholarly community. Economic pressures on the university presses and the few private scholarly publishing companies have severely limited the capacity of the industry to properly serve the academic and research communities. As a result, many manuscripts dealing with important subjects, often representing the highest level of scholarship, are no longer economically viable publishing projects--or, if accepted for publication, are typically subject to lead times ranging from one to three years.

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About the Book and Editor

Laser Weapons in Space: Policy and Doctrine

edited by Keith B. Payne

This is the first comprehensive examination of the issues surrounding the potential development by the United States of a space-based laser weapons program. The authors assess the implications of arms control agreements for a satellite-based laser program, including discussions of recent Soviet space-related arms control initiatives and the forthcoming ABM treaty review. They outline likely Soviet responses to a U.S. space-based laser system, address criticisms of the proposed program, and consider its future in light of developments in U.S. defense strategy and doctrine.

Keith B. Payne is vice-president and director of national security studies at the National Institute for Public Policy and author of Nuclear Deterrence in U.S. -Soviet Relations (Westview, 1982) .

Laser Weapons in Space

Policy and Doctrine

edited by Keith B. Payne

First published 1983 by Westview Press

Published 2018 by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

Copyright 1983 by Taylor & Francis

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,without permission in writing from the publishers.

Notice:
Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Main entry under title:
Laser weapons in space.
(A Westview replica edition)
Includes bibliographical references.
1. Space warfare--Addresses, essays, lectures.
2. Lasers--Military applications--Addresses, essays,
lectures. 3. Arms control--Addresses, essays,
lectures. I. Payne, Keith B.
UG1530.L37 1983 358'.8 82-20045

ISBN 13; 978-0-367-02019-4(hbk)

Contents

1. ii
2. iii

Guide

Tables

Figures

I would like to thank Dan Strode of the National Institute for Public Policy for his contributions to this book. In addition, I would like to thank Candace Smoot, Beth Miller and Sue Munn for their invaluable and patient assistance in the preparation of the manuscript.

Keith B. Payne

1
Introduction and Overview of Policy Issues

Keith B. Payne

This book addresses the policy issues associated with space-based lasers as a means of ballistic missile defense (BMD). It is not a technical feasibility study, and no attempt has been made to calculate either the absolute or the opportunity costs of space-based lasers. However, the following chapter by Dr. Patrick Priel, does provide a technical overview of space-based BMD. The focus of the book is on a different order of question: how well or poorly would such a system (assuming it could be built and built effectively) serve the national interest? More specifically, the implications of space-based lasers for arms control, U.S.-Soviet relations, deterrence, and nuclear strategy, are examined in detail.

In this chapter it is argued that space-based lasers would enhance, not undermine, crisis stability. Space-based lasers could be used to improve the survivability of U.S. strategic forces, promoting deterrence. It is the assured survivability of a retaliatory force, not the vulnerability of our own society, which is the key to deterrence stability. It is argued that by promoting deterrence, space-based lasers would accomplish one of the primary objectives of arms control -- reduce the probability of war. While deployment of a space-based BMD system would involve either renegotiation or withdrawal from the ABM Treaty, the strategic rationale for continued U.S. support of that agreement is not unassailable. The failure to achieve an adequate arms control agreement on offensive arms which would ensure the survival of land-based ICBMs, has removed much of the rationale for continued acceptance of the Treaty.

In the third chapter, "Implications of Arms Control Agreements for Space-Based Laser BMD," Alan Jones analyzes those provisions of the 1972 ABM Treaty and other international agreements which impinge on the development, testing, and deployment of space-based lasers. Dr. Jones argues that the ABM Treaty is the only extant agreement that would affect a decision to pursue this type of technology. However, the Treaty permits "substantial partial testing of components for space-based BMD lasers while prohibiting full-system testing and deployment of such systems."

In , "Space-Based Lasers ror Ballistic Missile Defense: Soviet Policy Options," Rebecca Strode examines possible Soviet military responses to U.S. space-based laser BMD, the role of missile defense in Soviet strategy, and the manner in which the U.S.S.R. has responded to technological challenges in the past. Ms. Strode concludes that there is little chance that the Soviet Union would respond to deployment of a U.S. space-based laser with a direct attack. Instead, the Soviets would use political means to drive a wedge between Western Europe and the United States, arguing that American actions were responsible for "the death of arms control." Ms. Strode also analyzes a number of technical responses, including comparable BMD deployments and possible increases in offensive systems. While the Soviets would probably wish to combine a number of potential responses, economic constraints may force greater reliance on one option in the long run. Ms. Strode speculates that this option would probably be BMD.

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