It's officially called the Sea Based X-Band radar...It's being deployed by order of the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
"We do have some concerns if they were to launch a missile to the west in the direction of Hawaii. I have directed the deployment again of THAAD missiles to Hawaii, and the SBX radar has deployed away from Hawaii to provide support," Gates.
"I think they feel that it's safer to deploy the THAAD to Hawaii and be safe rather than sorry," says Carl Baker of the Center for Strategic & International Studies' Pacific Forum.
THAAD is a missile interceptor system. It's important to note that many analysts doubt North Korea could launch a missile that would cover the 4,500 or so miles between there and here.
Baker says, "We know that in April the missile launch was unsuccessful in that it didn't actually get to the altitude that it was supposed to get to. So that is one factor, is we haven't seen them successfully launch a long range missile yet."
And then there is the political fallout if North Korea were to commit such an offensive act. The regime's nuclear aspirations have already earned it a U.N. resolution, backed by the likes of China and Russia. The recent sentencing of two American journalists to twelve years hard labor for illegally entering into the country has lead to even greater scrutiny.
Baker says, "It is political suicide. And that it would be something that would not be consistent with how North korea has acted to this point. They've acted very belligerent but they've always acted very rational."
Baker suggests this latest posturing is the result of a power struggle that may be going on inside North Korea.
"I like to call it, sort of the conflict right now is between the isolationists and the internationalists in North Korea. And that certainly is a dynamic that is playing itself out on the world stage."
Gates says, "Without telegraphing what we will do I would just say I think we are in a good position should it become necessary to protect the American territory."
