Such capabilities suggest the posEibllity of greatl,y eroding an opponent I sretaliatory capability through a pre-enptive strlke. Acquisitlon of the abllity Co conduct a slrike that disarned the other Eide of ita intercontinental balliEt.icrnissiles would have serioug consequences for international eecuriCy. 70. of particular concern ls tbe situation tbat ha8 been created in EuroP€ aE aresult of the deploynent of nee nuclear nissiles. This ha6 led to a marked deterioration of the situation on the conEinenE and an increaae in indecurity there. 71. A sPecial danger is posed by potenLial advances ln anti-ballistic mlsslle defence systems. It i6 argued Ehat space-based antl-balli5t.ic nlssile defences could offer scrue degree of protect.ion against baltistic Els8ile aEtack. Combinednith counter-force capabilltles, Buch defences night prov ide a tenptation' in acriais' to st.rlke first., with a reduced fear of effecEive retaliation. It is argued that' if anti-niasile detences were ooupled with strict linlt8 on offenslve capabil,it.ies - thal is, if boEh najor pot,e ra had very capable defences and onlysnall, yet invulnerable, offenEive forcea - a defenBive straEegy could Provide a basi6 for strateglc parity and equal Eecurlty. 72. Hoeever, the advene of defensive nisgile gysEens could, on the contrary, behighly destabllizing. It iE also argued lhrt an arm6 race in outer space eouldinevitably lead to an unabaced arms race in all dlnengiona and irould nakelinitations of and reductlons in strateglc offenslve eeapona virtually inpossible. 73. A serious challenge to stabili[y beteeen the najor Fosera arise6 fromanti-satelllte capabill[ies. Satelllte-baEed ayslenB can provide neans forverification of arna linitation agreenents, qive early rarnirq of aEqack, fionitor events on the battletieLat, provide strategic and tactlcal intelligence to nllitary commanders and facilltate comruunicaiiong b€ lceen connanders in the field anal higher-Ievel authoritiea. The losE of 6uch capabllities could have adverse effects on the abillty of boch sides to respond to attackE, creatlng neu uncertainties wllhA/40 /553 EngL ish
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the potential consequences of the development and deployment of certain military technologies, particularly in the context of international security and the balance of power. The language used is technical and focused on specific military capabilities, suggesting that the text is primarily concerned with the strategic and tactical implications of these technologies.

**Category**
Science and Technology, International Relations