[h=3]And JULIAN E. BARNES By ADAM ENTOUS[/h]
Associated PressIn a March 11 photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Eun, third left, looks at South's western border island of Baengnyeong during his visit to the Wolnae Islet Defense Detachment, North Korea.
WASHINGTON—The U.S. is preparing to deploy an advanced missile-defense system to Asia to defend American military bases in the Pacific, a signal that the Pentagon doesn't believe the threat of a possible North Korean attack is likely to fade quickly.
A senior administration official said the U.S. will deploy the system, known as a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery, or THAAD, to Guam to protect against short- and medium-range missiles from North Korea.
Top defense officials approved the deployment, and the Pentagon was to announce it Wednesday afternoon.
[h=3]Pyongyang's Nuclear Program[/h]Milestones in North Korean nuclear-weapons development.
The Pentagon originally had planned to deploy the first of the batteries in 2015, but escalating threats from both North Korea and Iran have forced the Defense Department to rethink those plans, officials said.
The battery will be deployed shortly, but officials didn't say when it would be operational.
The prime contractor for the THAAD system is Lockheed Martin Corp. Defense officials said a high-profile deployment of the system might help push other American allies to speed the purchase of their own THAAD systems.
A senior administration official said that when the THAAD system is deployed in Guam, its protection won't reach South Korea. The deployment is aimed at protecting American interests in the region.
With a major U.S. airfield and an incoming contingent of U.S. Marines, Guam has become the most important U.S. military base in Asia.
Some officials had advocated deploying the first THAAD system to the Middle East to defend Israel and other American allies from Iranian missiles. But tensions on the Korean peninsula gave a boost to proposals for deploying the first battery to Asia, officials said.
The decision also signals that the Pentagon views North Korea as the larger immediate—and potentially more long-lasting—threat to the U.S. and its allies.
The U.S. has two THAAD missile–defense systems in Fort Bliss, Texas, that are ready to deploy. But a senior military official said it is crucial to hold one of the systems in reserve for "emerging contingences."
The THAAD system is expensive, costing upwards of $800 million for each battery, according to advocates. Each missile shot costs about $1 million, defense officials said. But a missile interception can save lives and prevent potentially millions of dollars in damage.
Because the Army hadn't budgeted for the deployment of the THAAD until 2015, sending it to Asia early will force the Defense Department to make offsetting cuts. But the senior military official said the Army had signaled that it would be "very adaptable" in order to meet the needs of the combatant commanders.
Associated PressIn a March 11 photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Eun, third left, looks at South's western border island of Baengnyeong during his visit to the Wolnae Islet Defense Detachment, North Korea.
WASHINGTON—The U.S. is preparing to deploy an advanced missile-defense system to Asia to defend American military bases in the Pacific, a signal that the Pentagon doesn't believe the threat of a possible North Korean attack is likely to fade quickly.
A senior administration official said the U.S. will deploy the system, known as a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery, or THAAD, to Guam to protect against short- and medium-range missiles from North Korea.
Top defense officials approved the deployment, and the Pentagon was to announce it Wednesday afternoon.
[h=3]Pyongyang's Nuclear Program[/h]Milestones in North Korean nuclear-weapons development.
The Pentagon originally had planned to deploy the first of the batteries in 2015, but escalating threats from both North Korea and Iran have forced the Defense Department to rethink those plans, officials said.
The battery will be deployed shortly, but officials didn't say when it would be operational.
The prime contractor for the THAAD system is Lockheed Martin Corp. Defense officials said a high-profile deployment of the system might help push other American allies to speed the purchase of their own THAAD systems.
A senior administration official said that when the THAAD system is deployed in Guam, its protection won't reach South Korea. The deployment is aimed at protecting American interests in the region.
With a major U.S. airfield and an incoming contingent of U.S. Marines, Guam has become the most important U.S. military base in Asia.
Some officials had advocated deploying the first THAAD system to the Middle East to defend Israel and other American allies from Iranian missiles. But tensions on the Korean peninsula gave a boost to proposals for deploying the first battery to Asia, officials said.
The decision also signals that the Pentagon views North Korea as the larger immediate—and potentially more long-lasting—threat to the U.S. and its allies.
The U.S. has two THAAD missile–defense systems in Fort Bliss, Texas, that are ready to deploy. But a senior military official said it is crucial to hold one of the systems in reserve for "emerging contingences."
The THAAD system is expensive, costing upwards of $800 million for each battery, according to advocates. Each missile shot costs about $1 million, defense officials said. But a missile interception can save lives and prevent potentially millions of dollars in damage.
Because the Army hadn't budgeted for the deployment of the THAAD until 2015, sending it to Asia early will force the Defense Department to make offsetting cuts. But the senior military official said the Army had signaled that it would be "very adaptable" in order to meet the needs of the combatant commanders.