Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:02:05-1:02:53

Aegis Ashore is not equivalent to a ship at sea

A fixed Aegis Ashore site can add defensive capability, but it is not equivalent to a mobile Aegis warship and other systems may be preferable.

Aegis AshoreBallistic Missile DefenceNaval DeterrenceType 45 Destroyer
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Question

Is Aegis Ashore an effective deterrent equivalent to an Aegis ship at sea?

Short answer

It can add useful defence, but a fixed site is not equivalent to a mobile Aegis warship and other options may be better.

Notes

A viewer asks whether Aegis Ashore provides modern deterrence comparable to an Aegis ship at sea. The fixed system is not equivalent to the ship, although it may be useful when better choices are unavailable. Other alternatives could offer a stronger solution. As a British example, a shore installation derived from Type 45 technology could provide some ballistic-missile defence for southern England and London.