Star Wars Missile Defense is Probably Not Feasible In Our Lifetime

Thus spake the learned group of physicists assembled to evaluate the technical and operational possibilities. Their summary conclusions:

"Here are the principal findings of the APS study group on boost-phase intercept systems for national missile defense:

Defending the 50 states against liquid-propellant ICBMs from North Korea may be feasible, but would push the limits of what is possible physically, technically, and operationally.

Defending the 50 states against liquid-propellant ICBMs from Iran would be much more challenging. *

Defending the 50 states against solid-propellant ICBMs from North Korea or Iran is unlikely to be practical when all factors are considered.

Defending only the West Coast against ICBMs from North Korea would be easier than defending all 50 states.

Defending only part of the US against ICBMs from Iran would not be easier than defending all 50 states.

A boost-phase defense could contribute to a layered defense, provided the second layer can handle the unpredictable debris generated by the boost-phase layer.

Effective countermeasures against boost-phase- intercept missile defense are possible, and they should be taken into account.

Defending against shorter-range missiles launched from hostile ships off US coasts would be feasible with interceptors similar to current Navy missiles, provided that the missile-carrying ships are able to stay within about 40 km of threatening ships.