NMD is the focus of this paper. Although missile defense efforts include theater systems designed to counter short-to-medium range missiles overseas, this paper will center on NMD. NMD systems are designed to protect the continental United States from ballistic missiles. This paper will briefly cover the history of ballistic missiles and past plans to defend against them. The paper will also address current and potential future threats from a ballistic missile attack on the United States. Ballistic missile threats to the homeland include an attack from nations termed rogue states as well as possible accidental launches, primarily from Russia. The paper will also explore the likelihood of other types of threats from hostile states as well as non-state actors. These threats include cruise missile, biological, chemical, and radiological attack within the United States, as well as cyber attack on information systems. Next the paper will describe potential solutions other than NMD to the ballistic missile threat as well as to other types of threats. Some of these solutions include traditional deterrence, consequence management, nonproliferation programs, shared early warning, counter proliferation, and identification and protection of critical information systems. Finally, this study will cover the costs and characteristics of various systems suggested for NMD and also present financial estimates for other programs designed to counter the various threats. The expenses for other high-profile military programs will also be presented. After comparing the likelihood of other threats and the financial estimates of other programs to the costs and benefits of NMD, this paper will explore whether or not current plans for NMD are fiscally sound, or whether finite defense dollars need to be directed towards countering other threats.


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