Importance The article reviews the U.S. policy for building the ABM system in the Asia-Pacific Region. Objectives We evaluate what implications the U.S. programs for ABM systems had in the Asia-Pacific Region to ensure regional security and Russia's security in a short and long run. Results We prove that the USA regards the missile and nuclear potential of China and North Korea as the principal threats to its regional security. There are no grounds to assess risks of missile attacks on the USA as high. However, the USA actively involves its regional allies (Japan and the Republic of Korea) into building a regional ballistic missile defense system controlled by the USA. The system may become a sub-system of the single ballistic missile defense system under the U.S. control. However, it is early to speak about the single ballistic missile defense system like the European one due to some regional discrepancies. The U.S. policy induces China and North Korea to actively develop their own missile and nuclear potential. Conclusions and Relevance In the nearest future, the U.S. ABM systems and those of its allies in the Asia-Pacific regions will not threat to the strategic nuclear power of Russia. However, those programs may further destabilize the regional situation. It cannot but affect Russia's security. The U.S. policy actually fuels a new armament race in many areas. Furthermore, if regional ABM systems are subsequently included into the global system of the U.S. ballistic missile defense system, it will become a serious challenge for Russia at the strategic level. In fact, China has similar positions with Russia regarding the development of the U.S. ballistic missile defense system in the Asia-Pacific Region.
Keywords: USA, ballistic missile, defense system, Asia-Pacific Region
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