February 18, 1986 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 2221 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS AIPAC LOOKS AT ATBM the record of the Committee's proceedings replaced. These new weapons, the Soviet DEFENSES FOR ISRAEL on this subject. SS-21, SS-22, and SS-23 family of missiles, are extremely accurate and can be armed THE THREAT TO ISRAEL FROM TACTICAL with cluster munitions. Thus, unlike the HON. JIM COURTER BALLISTIC MISSILES SCUD-Band FROG-7 systems, they pose a OF NEW JERSEY (By W. Seth Carus)l considerable threat to all but the most IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Circumstances have made Israel particu­ mobile or best protected military targets. Normally, the SS-21 is considered a tacti­ Tuesday, February 18, 1986 larly sensitive to the dangers posed by tacti­ cal ballistic missiles. For more than two dec­ cal weapon, because of its relatively short Mr. COURTER. Mr. Speaker, we are so ac­ ades, Israel's leaders have recognized that range, but because of Israel's small size, customed in this country to thinking of the their country could be attacked by hostile strategically important targets are within Soviet ballistic missile threat to ourselves and states using short range surface-to-surface close proximity to enemy ground forces. to NATO that we often ignore the threats to missiles. In the early 1960s, Egypt launched This lack of strategic depth transforms our non-European allies. Soviet SLBM's have a massive effort to design and build its own short-range surface-to-surface missiles, like force of short and medium range ballistic the SS-21, into strategic weapons able to complete worldwide coverage, while their missiles. Although this program failed, the strike targets throughout Israel, including ICBM's threaten 50 percent of the globe. In Soviet Union stepped into the breach and air bases, command posts, equipment stor­ addition, the SS-20 IRBM, with its 5,000-kilo­ supplied Arab armies with FROG and age depots, surface-to-air missile batteries, meter range, threatens our Pacific Ocean SCUD missiles. At least thirty of these mis­ radars, and other vital facilities. allies from its eastern deployment areas, and siles were fired at Israeli targets during the Syria now has as many as 24 SS-21 mis­ our Middle Eastern ally, Israel, from its current 1973 Arab-Israeli War. The Syrians fired siles, and additional numbers are reported deployment areas in European Russia. Israel, about twenty-five FROG-7 missiles at sites to have gone to Iraq. The 120 kilometer in Israel, mainly against Ramat David and in particular, also lives with the threat of range of the SS-21 allows it to be used other Israeli air bases. The Egyptians re­ against targets that the FROG-7 cannot Soviet nuclear-capable tactical-range ballistic portedly fired a small number of FROGs reach. When fired from Syria, the SS-21 missiles deployed in Syria. and at least three SCUD-B missiles at Israe­ can reach targets throughout northern Thus, it is not surprising that many Israelis li targets. Israel, including one of Israel's main air and their friends in this country have been Arab armies currently possess more than bases, Ramat David. If deployed in Jordan, thinking about the value of Israeli participation 200 Soviet-supplied SCUD-B. FROG-7, and however, all of Israel would be brought in the SOl program and/or Israeli deployment SS-21 launchers, probably supported by an within range. inventory of at least 1,000 surface-to-surface Currently, there are only a few SS-21 mis­ of an antitactical ballistic missile [ATBM] missiles. These missiles are now treated as system. The American Israel Public Affairs siles in the Middle East, but even this small conventional weapons and are routinely quantity is of concern to Israeli military Committee [AIPAC] recently submitted an ex­ used in conflicts with other countries. Iraq planners. Past experience indicates that the cellent paper on this subject, entitled "The has fired a substantial number of FROG Soviet Union will provide more of these Threat to Israel From Tactical Ballistic Mis­ and SCUD missiles against Iran, and Iran weapons as time passes and Arab armies siles," to the Senate Armed Services Subcom­ has recently reciprocated using missiles pro­ want to replace their existing FROG-7s. mittee on Strategic and Theater Nuclear vided by Libya. Similarly, it is highly probable that SS-23 Forces. I urge my colleagues to give careful THE THREAT OF SURFACE-TO-SURFACE MISSILES missiles will begin to appear in the region consideration to the points made in this paper. Based on their experience in 1973, Israeli before the end of the decade. Thus, by 1990 military planners came to believe that the Israel will be faced by Arab arsenals con­ TESTIMONY OF THOMAS DINE, EXECUTIVE DI- taining large numbers of highly accurate RECTOR, AND DOUGLAS BLOOMFIELD, LEGISLA· FROG and SCUD missiles did not endanger the security of their country. Although it surface-to-surface missiles armed with so­ TIVE DIRECTOR, AMERICAN ISRAEL PuBLIC phisticated warheads. AFFAIRS COMMITTEE [AIPACl was recognized that cities were vulnerable to attacks by such weapons, it was believed It is likely that in the 1990s Arab armies Mr. Chairman, the American Israel Public that the threat of retaliatory strikes would will acquire tactical ballistic missiles from Affairs Committee appreciates the opportu­ deter attacks on civilian targets and that other sources. Brazil is looking into building nity to submit testimony to the Armed Serv­ the missile launchers could be destroyed a medium range ballistic missile, with the ices Subcommittee on Strategic and Theater before serious damage was inflicted. Also, development funded by foreign countries. Nuclear Forces. The subject of this hearing, with the warheads then available to the Past experience indicates that Arab coun­ the threat of tactical ballistic missiles and Arabs, damage to civilian targets would be tries, Iraq or Libya, would be the likely the need to examine possible defenses limited. At the same time, it was recognized sponsors and beneficiaries of such a project. against them, is of particular interest to that the FROG and SCUD missiles could Similarly, European countries are develop­ those concerned about the supply of tactical not destroy hardened military targets. ing sophisticated weapons payloads that missiles by the Soviet Union to its ~lient­ Thus, the missiles could temporarily pre­ could be added to a tactical ballistic missile, states in the Middle East. These missiles vent Israeli aircraft from landing at an air providing further improvements in accuracy threaten American security interests and strip, but could not destroy an air base. and lethality. the security of our only reliable, consistent The threat from tactical ballistic missiles The increasing emphasis given to chemi­ and democratic ally in that part of the is far greater today. The decision of the cal weapons by Arab countries makes even world, Israel. Soviet Union in 1983 to supply Syria with older missiles more of a problem for Israel. Israel's enemies are now being armed by the new SS-21 surface-to-surface missile is Iraq has used chemical weapons in battle, the Soviet Union with a new generation of largely responsible for the heightened and Syria is known to have an extensive and highly lethal surface-to-surface missiles, awareness in Israel of the potential threat sophisticated chemical warfare capability. more accurate and more deadly than any posed by such weapons. Unlike the FROG Ballistic missiles armed with chemical war­ previously available weapons. Unfortunate­ and the SCUD, the SS-21 has the range, ac­ heads pose an obvious threat to Israeli pop­ ly, there are no comparable defensive sys­ curacy, and lethality to destroy hardened ulation centers, but they also could effec­ tems available today that Israel could targets deep inside Israel. tively suppress Israeli air bases and other obtain to protect its vulnerable cities from The SS-21 is part of a new generation of military installations and significantly bombardment. reduce Israel's retaliatory capabilities. To further examine the increasing prob­ Soviet-built surface-to-surface missiles that have appeared in the past few years that THE LACK OF AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO THE lems that these missiles pose for the securi­ correct the weakness of the weapons they ty of Israel, we have prepared a detailed SS-21 paper for submission to the committee on Israel can defend against surface-to-sur­ "The Threat to Israel and Tactical Ballistic 1 The author is the senior military analyst for the face missiles only by destroying their Missiles." I request that it be included in American Israel Public Affairs Committee. launchers before surface-to-surface missiles e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. 2222 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS February 18, 1986 are fired. This was not a serious weakness challenge to be handled by one small coun­ CONDEMNING AID TO BANDIT when the missiles were inaccurate. If inac­ try. Clearly, any progress made in the SAVIMBI curate missiles were used against civilian United States to develop answers to the targets, Israel's air force could launch dangers posed by tactical ballistic missiles counter strikes in retaliation, and the mis­ could have a fundamental affect on Israel's HON. MAJOR R. OWENS siles would probably inflict only minimal future security. And, it should be stressed, OF NEW YORK damage if targeted against Israeli military the benefits resulting from the development installations. of such a system would be shared by other IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The arrival of the SS-21 has made it im­ possible to ignore the threat of surface-to­ American allies who also find that they Tuesday, February 18, 1986 must deal with the growing threat of tacti­ surface missiles.