Last Updated: June 09. 2010 6:28PM UAE / June 9. 2010 2:28PM GMT WASHINGTON // The Obama administration on Monday underscored the importance of integrating missile defence systems across the Gulf to counter threats posed by Iran’s nuclear programme and its growing arsenal of ballistic missiles.
Ellen Tauscher, the undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, said Gulf countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, should establish a “regional missile defence architecture” to improve their ability to intercept an offensive missile from Iran.
It comes down to simple physics, she said.
“If you’re going to try to hit a bullet with a bullet, it’s better to do it from the side rather than head on,” she told an audience of defence and aerospace contractors who attended a lunch meeting organised by the US-UAE Business Council. “The speed, range and lethality of modern ballistic missiles underscore the need for a multilateral approach.”
In recent months, as diplomatic outreach to Iran has foundered, the White House has accelerated efforts to strengthen missile defence systems in the region, an initiative that began during the administration of George W Bush.
The UAE, which is building a Patriot-based missile shield, is thought to be nearing a deal to purchase an advanced antimissile system known as Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or Thaad, from the US government.
James Carafano, a defence expert at the Washington-based Heritage Foundation, a policy research institute, said a network of missile defence systems is “infinitely more effective” than relying on a single one.
A Gulf-wide network, he said, would send a clear message to Iran. “This is where it shows if you are really serious or not. If you are networking systems, then it says: I really am serious about defending myself.”
The technology of combining missile defences is relatively simple. The toughest hurdles to overcome are likely to be political ones, Mr Carafano said. “It’s more about political will than anything else.”
In her remarks, Ms Tauscher highlighted the growing US-UAE military partnership, including the UAE’s purchase of C-130 and C-17 transport planes and dozens of F-16 fighter jets. In 2009, the UAE was the United States’ largest foreign military sales customer, she said.
“Our military relationship is very robust,” she said. “Our aim is to strengthen the UAE’s security through the provision of advanced defensive weaponry to help the UAE to bolster its own national defense capabilities.”
sstanek@thenational.ae
