US Considers North Pole Radar Upgrade To intercept Russian Missiles

The US is seeking to upgrade its 50-years-old radar system in the North Pole for intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.

Radars were installed at the Thule military base, the US’ most northern base in Greenland during the 1950s and they need to be modernized if they are to operate as an adequate early warning system, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said during a panel discussion with troops on Tuesday.

“Russians have long range nuclear-armed ballistic missiles,” Carter said.

The United States has to upgrade North Pole radars to cue missile defences so that the missile defense interceptors can intercept them in flight, Sputnik International reported Tuesday.

“That is [North Pole] one of the places that ballistic missiles would overfly if they were en route to the United States,” Carter said. “We have to… make them more sensitive so that they are able to detect threats earlier.” Carter added.

Besides, Russia, the United States needs modern radar systems to defend itself against any possible missile attacks launched by China and North Korea.