Adm. Harry Harris, boss of US Pacific Command, told Congress Wednesday the US likely needs an additional missile defense system in Hawaii. “Our ballistic missile architecture is sufficient to protect Hawaii today,” he told the House Armed Services Committee, “but it can be overwhelmed.” An ICBM attack with the proper number of missiles, from an adversary like North Korea, would force the US “to make a decision on which ones to take out or not.” His worry, he said, is that in such a situation, there is a possibility that “at least one [ICBM] … would get through.” As to North Korean capability, Harris said, “Kim Jong Un is clearly in a position to threaten Hawaii today.” While the US already has missile defense interceptors based in Alaska and California, Harris said, “we would be better served with a defense of Hawaii radar and interceptors in Hawaii.”
The Air Force is targeting August 2027 for its new T-7A Red Hawk trainer jet to reach its initial operational capability. To get there, the head of Air and Education Training has three milestones he needs to see the program hit.
