THEATER MISSILE DEFENSES - LESSONS FROM BRITISH-EXPERIENCES WITH AIR AND MISSILE DEFENSES

British experience with defenses against German air and missile attack s offers a helpful historical perspective on the current debate on def enses against theater ballistic missiles. This article analyzes the po licy debate on air defense in Britain during World War I, the interwar years, and World War II. The British consistently responded to the ch allenge of German air and missile attacks by developing effective acti ve and passive defenses. Although they successfully neutralized the V- 1 cruise missile attacks, the British could mount no active defenses a gainst the V-2 ballistic missile. However, the gulf war experience wit h Patriot intercepts demonstrates that ballistic missile defense is fe asible. Critics of Patriot and missile defense draw on many of the sam e arguments as British opponents of air defense efforts in the interwa r years.