Cairo: The United States test-fired a
submarine-launched ballistic missile capable of carrying
nuclear warheads during a joint military exercise on Wednesday with
Saudi Arabia, a Western military official said.
The Trident missile launch was carried out in the
kingdom, the official said, but he would not give a precise
location. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the
sensitivity of the issue.
The US has been strengthening missile defences in allied
Arab nations in the Gulf to help counter any potential missile
strike from Iran. Like its nuclear work, Iran`s missile
program is of top concern to Washington and Arab nations wary
of Tehran`s growing influence in the region.
A defence official in Washington confirmed the missile
launch on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised
to speak on the record. He said, however, that it took place
late last week and was part of a demonstration.
The Western military official in the Saudi capital,
Riyadh, said US Lt Gen Patrick O`Reilly, head of the Missile
Defence Agency, attended the test launch.
Earlier this month, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates
visited the kingdom to tell Saudi officials that the Obama
administration`s efforts for diplomatic engagement with Iran
had come to naught, and he asked for the influential kingdom`s
help to win wide backing for biting economic penalties against
Tehran over its nuclear program.
Gates also discussed bolstering Saudi air and missile
defence capabilities as part of the broader US effort to boost
security in the Gulf in the face of Iran`s expanding arsenal
of ballistic missiles.
The United States has promised to speed up weapons sales
to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf allies, which have bought
billions of dollars worth of American weapons, including
missile defence hardware, in recent years.
The US military is trying to reassure Gulf allies by
buttressing its defence systems with upgraded Patriot missiles
on land and more US Navy ships in the Persian Gulf capable of
destroying missiles in flight.
The Patriot missile systems, which originally were
deployed in the region to shoot down aircraft, have now been
upgraded to hit missiles in flight.
Saudi Arabia has long warned of the potential for a
nuclear arms race in the Gulf region if Iran were to gain the
bomb. Iran`s assurances that its nuclear program is only for
peaceful purposes such as power generation have failed to ease
concerns.
PTI
