Bill Gertz of The Washington Times notes the deputy director of the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency, Army Brig. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly, said during a speech yesterday Iran is working in concert with North Korea in developing missiles.  This much was known, but O’Reilly also said Iran has “made a claim that they are working towards developing a space launch capability, which also would give them an ICBM capability” by the year 2015, long after even the most conservative estimate of when Iran could obtain a nuclear warhead.

The cooperation between Iran and North Korea over missiles and missile tests is nothing new, however with the context of both nation’s nuclear programs this cooperation puts an entirely complex issue in a new light.  It is then of good news the United States missile defense program has progressed and will continue to do so, barring any legislative maneuvering to cancel the development, and should be fully operational within one year.

The current missile interceptors deployed at Fort Greely in Alaska and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California can protect the United States from North Korean missiles and afford “partial protection” from Middle Eastern missiles. Upgraded defenses will provide full defense from both North Korean and Middle Eastern missiles, Gen. O’Reilly said.

By 2011, the Pentagon plans to have up to 44 interceptors deployed in the United States and the first 10 interceptors in Europe; a large radar in Europe; 18 Aegis missile defense ships; 48 ground-based THAAD interceptors; two new surveillance and tracking satellites; and a battle management and integrated global fire system for the Middle East and Southwest Asian missile threats. (source)

In other missile defense news, the United States Air Force has announced they plan on testing a new airborne laser affixed to a YAL-1A, or a modified Boeing 747-400F, that will be able to intercept missiles in flight.