As head of the U.S. Strategic Command under President George W. Bush from 2004 to 2007, he oversaw the nuclear targeting plan and thousands of warheads atop missiles and inside long-range bombers.
Since the civil war in Syria began in March 2011, Israel has carefully avoided taking sides, but has struck shipments of missiles inside Syria at least twice this year.
Israeli warplanes have attacked a shipment of Russian missiles inside a Syrian government stronghold, officials say, a development that threatened to add another volatile layer to regional tensions from the Syrian civil war.
The defences, which have the capability to shoot down missiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, will be ready within weeks, the Pentagon says.
Ohio-class submarines carry their missiles inside of their hulls, despite STRAT-X's recommendation.
Two Israeli soldiers were killed when a military vehicle was hit by an anti-tank missile fired from inside Lebanon amid rapidly mounting tensions on the country's northern border with Lebanon and Syria.
The force would include drone operators, so that the United States can keep patrolling the skies and, on occasion, launch missile attacks inside Pakistan or in Afghan territory.
