Shield or Sword: Taking War into Space

Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) asserts that the US National Missile Defence (NMD) system is technically non-viable as a shield and possesses clear offensive potential. The statement argues that NMD violates the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty, potentially provoking a new arms race with countries like China. SGR contends that the system's true purpose is to ensure US dominance in space, including the ability to destroy satellites and terrestrial targets, while failing to protect against non-ballistic threats such as smuggled weapons.

• The National Missile Defence (NMD) system is viewed by SGR as an offensive tool rather than a purely protective shield, with the capacity to destroy satellites and terrestrial targets.
• SGR argues that NMD is not a viable defensive system because it cannot protect against nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons delivered via ships or smuggling.
• The deployment of NMD is expected to trigger a new arms race, particularly with China and other 'rogue states', and is seen as a violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty.
• The estimated cost for a comprehensive layered NMD system is cited as 100 billion dollars, while a limited system is estimated at 59.4 billion dollars for the period 1996 to 2015.

APA

Scientists for Global Responsibility (2001). Shield or Sword: Taking War into Space. https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/shield-or-sword-taking-war-space

Chicago

Scientists for Global Responsibility. Shield or Sword: Taking War into Space. 2001. https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/shield-or-sword-taking-war-space.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Scientists for Global Responsibility |title=Shield or Sword: Taking War into Space |date=26 June 2001 |url=https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/shield-or-sword-taking-war-space |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{scientistsforglobalresponsibility2001shield, author = {{Scientists for Global Responsibility}}, title = {{Shield or Sword: Taking War into Space}}, publisher = {Scientists for Global Responsibility}, year = {2001}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/shield-or-sword-taking-war-space}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }