The Biden administration is launching a review of U.S. missile defense policies, strategies and capabilities set to continue for the next few months.
In a press release Friday, the Defense Department said the Missile Defense Review, or MDR, will address growing threats from countries such as Iran, North Korea, Russia and China who are all maturing their missile technology.
It quoted Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Leonor Tomero as saying Wednesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee that the review will look at the threat in the changing security environment and how the U.S. can improve and have effective and affordable missile defense.
Tomero also said in the Senate hearing that the review is part of the National Defense Strategy that should be completed by January 2022.
She said the review will focus on ensuring the U.S. has an affordable defense against rogue states' intercontinental ballistic missiles, and that defense must protect against limited attacks by ICBMs and also limit their use as a threat.
Tomero said this protection will also contribute to diminishing the coercive potential of rogue states who may seek to constrain U.S. ability to provide credible security assurance to allies and partners during a crisis or conflict.
A Missile Defense Review conducted under President Trump in 2019 had called for a space-based defense system reminiscent of Reagan’s “Star Wars” program.