Journal of Defense Management
Open Access

Abstract

Towards Building a Missile Proliferation Theory: The Moment of BallisticConsciousness and the Tactical Rationale

Ali Dizboni*

Ballistic missile proliferation in the Middle East can stem from a need to overcome specific military vulnerabilities that correlate with ineffective armed forces. This ineffectiveness could be both intentional and unintentional. Intentional, in the sense that the political leadership can deliberately decrease the effectiveness of the national military institutions when it perceives that the main threat to the regime security is domestic rather than foreign. Accordingly, the procurement of unmanned systems of delivery such as ballistic missiles resembles a golden ticket to compensate for the inherent military vulnerability associated with coup-proofing practices. Military ineffectiveness could also be unintentional if the state has no sustainable access to efficient and effective air force crafts, spare parts, ammunition and training, and in this case, relying on ballistic missiles as the main means of delivery would be intended to compensate for the unreliability of the air force.

Published Date: 2021-11-05;