The SM-3 is the Navy's new exo-atmospheric missile developed to counter theater ballistic missile (TBM) threats outside the atmosphere.

LORA (Acronym for LOng Range Attack) is a theater quasiballistic missile produced in Israel.

Twenty-five countries currently have theater ballistic missiles.

"As far as other theater missiles are concerned," he added, "we are prepared to begin talks immediately with a view to reducing and fully eliminating them."

China views such a sale as tantamount to endowing Taiwan with a system to defend against "theater missiles," a move it has consistently opposed.

Under the United States proposal, such defenses, while nominally designed to counter theater missiles, could have significant capabilities against strategic missiles as well.

The mission of the 11th SWS is to provide "assured" theater missile warning to warfighters worldwide.

That system provided continuous surveillance and early warning of theater missiles and other threats in direct support of theater warfighters worldwide.

Whether China decides on a major expansion of forces could depend on the growing push in the United States, Japan and perhaps Taiwan to develop a "theater missile defense."

But the Pentagon, eager to counter longer-range theater missiles that no potential foe could develop for at least a decade, wants to test longer-range defensive systems like the Thaad.