The computers, sensors and networks of the missile system are the main targets of the "launch left" defense. The purpose of this type of defense is to act before the missile is launched (on the left side of the timeline) to prevent the launch of enemy missiles. The concept was first proposed in 2014 by the US Secretary of the Navy and the former Chief of Army Staff in a memorandum to the Secretary of Defense. They believe that the cost of missile defense with entities is too high to be a long-term solution due to the significant reduction in the defense budget, and therefore recommends a more cost-effective "launch left" defense strategy. It is understood that this strategy is different from physical interception, which mainly uses cyber attacks and other electronic warfare means to interfere with or destroy the electronic equipment and command and control system of enemy missiles, so that they cannot be launched normally, or cause them to be on the launch frame or booster stage**.
The commander of the US Northern Command and the head of the Pentagon's missile defense agency also support the "launch left" defense. "We need the means to neutralize the threat of ballistic missiles on the 'left side of the launch'......," they saidWe believe that this technology will reduce the overall cost of missile defense"; "New operational concepts like booster interception and 'launch left' defense will change the whole situation and affect whether we need to rely on expensive interceptor missiles. ”
The effect of firing the "left" defense also seems to have been verified. The New York Times reported that after the United States launched cyber warfare and electronic warfare, "very soon," the missile test-fired by North Korea appeared to be **, yawed, disintegrated, and crashed into the sea. The test success rate of the "Maisuiduan" medium-range missile was only 12 percent. By comparison, its prototype, the Soviet SS-N-6 submarine-launched missile, had an 87 percent success rate. Of course, some experts suspect that the missile launch failure may be due to quality problems, operational errors, or immature technology, and not necessarily due to US cyber and electronic attacks. In fact, after the United States stopped cyber warfare and electronic warfare, the Polaris long-range ballistic missile launched by the DPRK was successfully tested four times with a range of more than 1,000 kilometres.
However, not everyone is in favor of "firing left" defenses. Some strategic experts believe that nuclear systems should be off-limits for cyberattacks. Because if it is possible to secretly destroy the enemy's nuclear ** and command and control systems, then the enemy may risk a preemptive nuclear strike.