ABSTRACT
The purpose of Global Protection Against Limited Strikes (GPALS) would be to provide a unique capability to protect the entire United States, its allies, and forces abroad against "limited ballistic missile strikes." Such limited strikes could result from deliberate or accidental/unauthorized attack by a Third Country or the Soviet Union. GPALS represents a significant redirection of the SDI away from a phased-program with an emphasis on the deterrence of a massive Soviet strike. The redirection of the SDI program toward GPALS has a considerable effect on the likely character and cost of US missile defense deployment. GPALS would rely on both space- and surface-based defensive systems to protect against longer range missiles and additional surface-based interceptor assets to provide a defensive capability against shorter range tactical ballistic missiles. There are several technical aspects of the GPALS concept that hold particular promise for contributing to the system's operational effectiveness and strategic significance.
