Missile Contagion: Cruise Missile Proliferation and the Threat to International Security

After first assessing the state of ballistic missile proliferation in the Middle East, South Asia, and Northeast Asia, Dennis Gormley identifies the factors shaping the spread of cruise missiles in these regions. He includes the specialized knowledge needed for missile development, narrative messages about reasons for acquiring cruise missiles, and international norms of state behavior about missile nonproliferation policy and defense doctrine. He argues that cruise missiles are not destined to supplant ballistic missiles, but rather join them, because when employed together, they severely test even the best missile defenses. He then addresses the policy adjustments needed to staunch the spread of cruise missiles, or, barring that, cope militarily with the dual threat of cruise and ballistic missiles. This book explains the systems and their impact on national security.