Sen. Cruz Pens Letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis Urging the Department of Defense to Recommend the Development and Deployment of Space-Based Missile Defense
‘We must recognize the inextricable link between our evolving conception of space and bolstering our layered missile defense architecture’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today penned the following letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis, urging the Department of Defense to recommend the development and deployment of a space-based missile defense in the 2018 Missile Defense Review (MDR).
“Due to our investments in ground- and sea-based systems, the United States currently possesses the capability to intercept ballistic missiles in the midcourse and terminal phases of flight,” Sen. Cruz wrote. “The progress DOD and the Missile Defense Agency have made since President Reagan’s visionary leadership in 1983 is a source of pride and security to all Americans. Even so, I remain concerned that we have not developed or fielded the requisite capabilities to intercept ballistic missiles in their most vulnerable stage of flight.”
Sen. Cruz continued, highlighting his efforts to advocate for space-based missile defense, "We must recognize the inextricable link between our evolving conception of space and bolstering our layered missile defense architecture. Last year I authored language that was adopted into the Senate’s FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), stating that it is a matter of U.S. policy to utilize an integrated system of assets in space for defense of the homeland. The best way to operationalize this policy is developing and deploying a space-based interceptor layer.”
Read the full letter here.
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