02710cam a2200457 i 4500 rnd000000000047458 RAND 920212s1986 caua b 000 0 eng d 86013861 0833007378 (pbk.) RAND/R-3369-AF (Sirsi) a188600 $25.00 CstmoR CstmoR n-us--- e-ur--- UG740 .K46 1986 Kent, Glenn A., 1915- author. Strategic defenses and the transition to assured survival / Glenn A. Kent and Randall J. DeValk. Santa Monica, CA : RAND, 1986. xv, 57 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia unmediated n rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier volume nc rdacarrier "October 1986." "Project Air Force"--Cover. Includes bibliographical references. This report details the anatomy and calculus of the ballistic missile portion of the transition to a robust nationwide strategic defense posture, as proposed by President Reagan on March 23, 1983. To provide insight into the policy issues surrounding the transition, the authors develop an analytic format based on ballistic missile "defense potential." The defense potential format demonstrates that, if highly survivable strategic defenses were deployed as an adjunct to current superpower ballistic missile forces, the United States could make the transition to the President's goal of assured survival from ballistic missile attack without having to pass through a period during which either the United States or the Soviet Union would have great incentive to launch a first strike against the other. However, if the defenses are vulnerable to attack and/or if both superpowers continue to deploy weapons capable of destroying hard targets but fail to adopt corresponding offensive force survivability measures, a stable transition would become less likely. Also available on the internet via WWW in PDF format. Description based on print version record. Arms race History 20th century. Ballistic missile defenses. Strategic Defense Initiative. Soviet Union Military policy. United States Military policy. DeValk, Randall J. (Randall James), 1957- author. Project Air Force (U.S.). National Security Strategies Program. Rand Corporation. United States. Air Force. Online Access http://www.rand.org/pubs/reports/R3369/ 599887 599887