US to Place 20 New Ballistic Missile Defense Ground Interceptors in Alaska

The Pentagon’s budget next month will provide details on the placement of 20new ballistic missile defense ground interceptors, United States President Donald Trump said Thursday.

Trump said the release of the Pentagon’s budget next month will provide the some of the details on the placement of 20 new ballistic missile defense ground interceptors at Fort Greely, Alaska, as well as new sensors and steps proposed for future missile defense, USNI reported Thursday.

His presentation at the Pentagon was the first step in releasing the administration’s long-delayed Missile Defense Review that examines new developments in missile capabilities by China, Russia, and North Korea, as well as Iran.

Reviewing the threats from regional powers, like Iran and North Korea, have been cited as the reasons for the delay in the review’s release.

The US will no longer be “held back by self-imposed limits” of what it can and will do to defend itself and allies and partners. Left unsaid in the president’s remarks were the roles of Aegis Ashore or Aegis guided-missile destroyers and cruisers and the possible use of the F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter in this expanded view of missile defense.

Trump said his expanded, space-based missile defense program’s goal is to detect and destroy any incoming missile fired by “hostile powers or by mistake” at the United States or its allies.

 “We have some very bad players out there,” Trump said specifically mentioning a recent failed Iranian long-range missile test.