US Upgrading Missile Defense Systems After NKorean Threats

The United States is increasing the strength of the nation’s missile defense systems in light of threats from North Korea — including plans to deploy 14 more ground-based interceptors in Alaska and California, according to congressional and U.S. officials.

The additional interceptors would bring their total to 44, which had been proposed by the Bush White House, Fox News reports. The interceptors are designed to counter attacks from an intercontinental ballistic missile.

In 2009, President Barack Obama ordered the Pentagon to stop deploying the additional interceptors on the West Coast, keeping their total number to 30, Fox reports.

Congressional sources told Fox that by stalling the original plan and forcing the Pentagon to bring back on line silos that otherwise would have been operational, the Obama administration has effectively wasted millions in taxpayer dollars.

“North Korea’s shrill public pronouncements underscore the need for the U.S. to continue to take prudent steps to defeat any future North Korean ICBM,” James Miller, undersecretary of defense for policy, told a meeting of the Atlantic Council, Fox reports.

The speech in Washington same just days after Pyongyang threatened a “pre-emptive” nuclear strike on the United States, Fox reports.