Lt. Gen. Henry A "Trey" Obering III argues the U.S. needs a comprehensive missile defense shield to counter growing threats from China, Russia, and North Korea — and today's technology may finally make it possible.
Issue Brief
May 21, 2026
Henry "Trey" Obering
Bottom lines up front
The United States needs a comprehensive missile defense system to protect the homeland from advanced threats posed by China, Russia, and North Korea. The current defenses were designed decades ago for different threats. Improvements in technology make the idea of a comprehensive shield more achievable than when it was initially floated in the 1980s under the Strategic Defense Initiative.
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