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Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Terms of Reference." National Research Council. 2012. Making Sense of Ballistic Missile Defense: An Assessment of Concepts and Systems for U.S. Boost-Phase Missile Defense in Comparison to Other Alternatives. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13189.
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A

Terms of Reference

Section 232 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110-417) directed the Secretary to Defense to enter into agreement with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, in order to conduct an independent study of concepts and systems for boost-phase missile defense. Specific elements of the study should include the following.

1. Content—the study should include: (a) the extent to which boost-phase missile defense is technically feasible and practical; and (b) whether any demonstration efforts by the Department of Defense of boost-phase missile defense technology existing as of the date of the study (including the Airborne Laser and the Kinetic Energy Interceptor) have a high probability of performing a boost-phase missile defense mission in an operationally effective, suitable, and survivable manner.

2. Systems to be examined—the study should include: (a) the Airborne Laser; (b) the Kinetic Energy Interceptor (land-based and sea-based options); and (c) other existing boost-phase technology demonstration programs.

3. Factors to be evaluated—the study should include: (a) technical capability of the system against scenarios identified in paragraph (4) below; (b) operational issues, including operational effectiveness; (c) the results of key milestone tests conducted prior to preparation of the report; (d) survivability; (e) suitability; (f) concept of operations, including basing considerations; (g) operations and maintenance support; (h) command and control considerations, including timelines for detection, decision-making, and engagement; (i) shortfall from intercepts; (j) force structure requirements; (k) effectiveness against countermeasures; (l) estimated cost of sustaining the system in the field; (m) reliability, availability,

Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Terms of Reference." National Research Council. 2012. Making Sense of Ballistic Missile Defense: An Assessment of Concepts and Systems for U.S. Boost-Phase Missile Defense in Comparison to Other Alternatives. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13189.
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and maintainability; (n) geographic considerations, including limitations on the ability to deploy systems within operational range of potential targets; and (o) cost and cost-effectiveness, including total lifecycle cost estimates.

4. Scenarios to be assessed—the study should include an assessment of each system identified in paragraph (2) above regarding the performance and operational capabilities of the system to: (a) counter short-range, medium-range, and intermediate-range ballistic missile threats from rogue states to the deployed forces of the United States and its allies; and (b) defend the territory of the United States against limited ballistic missile attack.

5. Comparison with non-boost systems—the study should include an assessment of the performance and operational capabilities of non-boost missile defense systems to counter the scenarios identified in paragraph (4) above. (The results under this paragraph shall be compared to the results under paragraph (4) above.) For purposes of this paragraph, non-boost missile defense systems include: (a) Patriot PAC-3 System and the Medium Extended Air Defense System follow-on system; (b) Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, with all variants of the Standard Missile-3 interceptor; (c) Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System; and (d) Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Terms of Reference." National Research Council. 2012. Making Sense of Ballistic Missile Defense: An Assessment of Concepts and Systems for U.S. Boost-Phase Missile Defense in Comparison to Other Alternatives. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13189.
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Page 177
Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Terms of Reference." National Research Council. 2012. Making Sense of Ballistic Missile Defense: An Assessment of Concepts and Systems for U.S. Boost-Phase Missile Defense in Comparison to Other Alternatives. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13189.
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Page 178
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The Committee on an Assessment of Concepts and Systems for U.S. Boost-Phase Missile Defense in Comparison to Other Alternatives set forth to provide an assessment of the feasibility, practicality, and affordability of U.S. boost-phase missile defense compared with that of the U.S. non-boost missile defense when countering short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missile threats from rogue states to deployed forces of the United States and its allies and defending the territory of the United States against limited ballistic missile attack.

To provide a context for this analysis of present and proposed U.S. boost-phase and non-boost missile defense concepts and systems, the committee considered the following to be the missions for ballistic missile defense (BMD): protecting of the U.S. homeland against nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction (WMD); or conventional ballistic missile attacks; protection of U.S. forces, including military bases, logistics, command and control facilities, and deployed forces, including military bases, logistics, and command and control facilities. They also considered deployed forces themselves in theaters of operation against ballistic missile attacks armed with WMD or conventional munitions, and protection of U.S. allies, partners, and host nations against ballistic-missile-delivered WMD and conventional weapons.

Consistent with U.S. policy and the congressional tasking, the committee conducted its analysis on the basis that it is not a mission of U.S. BMD systems to defend against large-scale deliberate nuclear attacks by Russia or China. Making Sense of Ballistic Missile Defense: An Assessment of Concepts and Systems for U.S. Boost-Phase Missile Defense in Comparison to Other Alternatives suggests that great care should be taken by the U.S. in ensuring that negotiations on space agreements not adversely impact missile defense effectiveness. This report also explains in further detail the findings of the committee, makes recommendations, and sets guidelines for the future of ballistic missile defense research.

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