The missile defense system (ABM) of the United States can be disabled with the help of cyber attacks. The author of 19FortyFive, Daniel Gur, named the main shortcomings of the US missile defense system.
Russia and China are expanding their arsenals of advanced ballistic missiles. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley noted that hypersonic missiles can maneuver at high speed. This allows missiles to bypass the missile defense system.
In the USA, they are considering the possibility of creating a special group of HBTSS (Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor) sensors, which will allow tracking hypersonic targets. This will make it possible to direct existing anti-missiles at hypersonic targets.
Gur notes that cyberattacks can pose a threat to the missile defense system. The report of the Accounting Chamber of the United States indicated the presence of vulnerabilities in most samples of American weapons. Also, security problems were found in the missile defense system. The Inspector General of the US Department of Defense noted the lack of antivirus programs, the presence of vulnerabilities in the software, as well as the lack of multi-factor authentication mechanisms.
According to Gur, the new program of the US Department of Defense Comply-to-Connect (C2C) will help eliminate vulnerabilities. It implies the creation of a set of tools that will ensure the tracking of all actions in the missile defense system.
The author of the material stressed that China's progress in creating hypersonic missiles could signal the accelerated implementation of new measures to protect the missile defense system. "It makes no sense to create new sensor networks and weapons systems to counter modern ballistic missile threats, leaving these defenses vulnerable to cyber Pearl Harbor," Gur stressed.
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the successful launch of a hypersonic missile "Zircon". The ammunition hit the target in the White Sea.
Daniil Irinin
