Seminarium: The Challenge of Defending against Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles

Nuclear weapons have enormous destructive power, and when combined with long range delivery capabilities of an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) they create a security threat to civilians anywhere on the globe. The United States has engaged in a multi-decade effort to find ways to defend against ICBMs, but severe challenges remain, which will be described. Furthermore, it is argued that the existence of a substantial program of missile defense has significant arms control implications even among States whose arsenals are not intended to be covered by the program.

The speaker James Wells is a Professor of Physics and affiliate faculty of the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. His research is primarily in high energy physics and also the science of global security. He has served as member and Chair of the American Physical Society's Panel on Public Affairs, where he led the writing of several policy statements and reports on global security issues.