Archie to SAM: A Short Operational History of Ground-Based Air ...

BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE IN THE 1990S
the system would cost almost 60 percent more than prior
estimates and $20.2 billion to develop, deploy, and support
the 100-missile system in Alaska through 2025. The estimate
increased from $26–$30 billion in July reports and to $40.3 billion
in August. But, the number the press insisted on using was
$60 billion, the same figure the Congressional Budget Office released
in April for a much-expanded system. 61 Regardless of the
specifics, clearly the costs were large and seemingly rising.
The Clinton administration proposed a plan for a midcourse
BMD. America would build tracking radar on remote Shemya
Island, a westerly island in the western Aleutians; upgrade five
early-warning radars; and replace the current early-warning
satellite system (Defense Support Program) with the spacebased
infrared satellite (SBIRS-High) system. Later, the United
States would add ground-based radars and the space-based
infrared satellite (SBIRS-Low) system. To protect western Alaska
and Hawaii (along with the other 48 states)—politically important
areas, although relatively few Americans live there—missiles
initially would be sited in Alaska. Later, the United States
would build a second interceptor missile site in the northern
section of the United States to better protect the heavily populated
eastern section of the country. 62 The plan’s first phase
called for new radar on Shemya by 2005, 20 missiles based in
Alaska by 2005, and 100 missiles by 2007. The United States
desired changes in the 1972 ABM treaty to permit upgrades of
other radars in Alaska, Massachusetts, and California. The
second phase would expand the radar system. In the third
phase, the United States would add a second missile site in
North Dakota with 150 missiles. 63
Ballistic Missile Defense continued its oscillating course
during the last half of 2000 and early 2001. The system suffered
setbacks brought on by technical problems and diplomatic
developments. The threat of a North Korean ICBM abated in
2000 as that country held encouraging talks with the South
Koreans, including a meeting of the leaders of the two Koreas.
In addition, and more to the point for the Americans, in late
1999, the North Koreans announced a moratorium on their
missile tests. Then in late July 2000, Russian president
Vladimir Putin announced that the North Koreans were willing
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