Posted: 6/20/2006 4:58:21 AM EDT
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In response to North Korea's ongoing missile rattling and posturing, the US STRATCOM announced today that the BMD system has been "activated" in preparation for a potential Teipo-Dong (Isn't that a STUPID name?)-2 missile launch. Two Aegis Cruisers have moved into positions in launch boxes awaiting further developments and the BMD systems at Fort Greely Alaska are alerted. Sources in Washington are saying that either ship-based or the ground based interceptros could be used to intercept the North Korean missile, should it be launched. More to follow soon...that is all. Missile System Alert |
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I say shoot the sucker down the second Aegis can detect it. We have a dozen interceptors in alaska already right?(oh i read it 9) Just keep the press corps away and launch a pair surely we can get a hit. We can exponetially increase that if we use sea launched as well as land launched. What would one shot from .50 cal incendiary do from a nearby ridge? Of course who could make it to within range with 1000 men guarding it? Chuck Norris anyone? |
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This in of itself should prompt us to leave the space treaty. The land based mid course interceptors are a good start but if we are going to get serious about strategic defense then we are going to have to go space based. Space based assets are the only way to reliable attack and ICBM while it is in the boost phase where it is easy to spot through its thermal bloom and it's relative velocity is lowest. Also space based lasers and KE weapons will likely have multiple uses such as air defense against cruise missiles and conventional air craft as well as ground attack. Rail guns will be technically doable within 3-5 years and both solid state and free electron lasers are making huge steps forward and the trick to beating their scaling problem finally seems to be have found. Who needs the F-22 when you can swat down fleets of PRC/Hadji/NK aircraft from orbit with SBLs or from 100miles away at 50k feet agl with the ABL.  Oh and back on the subject of deployed missile defense I'd say that the SM-3 upgrade on the Aegis is the most competent portion of the national missile defense system right now, so as long as we keep one or two Aegis boats around the Korean peninsula that ups are chances of intercept by quite a bit. |
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The Bush administration is seeking to develop a powerful ground-based laser weapon that would use beams of concentrated light to destroy enemy satellites in orbit. The largely secret project, parts of which have been made public through Air Force budget documents submitted to Congress in February, is part of a wide-ranging effort to develop space weapons, both defensive and offensive. No treaty or law forbids such work. The laser research was described by federal officials who would speak only on the condition of anonymity because of the topic's political sensitivity. The White House has recently sought to play down the issue of space arms, fearing it could become an election-year liability.   http://www.de.afrl.af.mil/SOR/ 
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We have TWO threads on this? Guess I'll have to repeat myself. 1. If the PRNK fueled when the media said it did, its probably has ruined its engine by now and is going to blow up. 2. I guess that the AEGIS crusers are being used to target for the ABMs because I do beleve that the ABMs own radar network is not complete... 3. [Eggon Spangler] You know, its just occured to me we have never had a completely successful test of this equipment[/Eggon Spangler] sorry I just had to put that in. What I seriously hope for is that the NKs shoot it far enough west that we CAN shoot it with a ABM even if it doesnt come near any US territory- and I dont think Pyongyang is so stupid as to deliberately let the missile come anywhere near US airspace. |
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I can't believe this topic hasn't received more attention. To me at least, this seems like a pretty significant world event, bordering on the potential for a major attack or airstrike in North Korea. If GWB has been on the phone personally with several other major players, and the ABM defense system is up, running and activated... I'm led to believe this is pretty serious shit going on right now. 
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Well, maybe some believe that even the NK leadership is not suicidal, because an attack on the US would probably result in a nuclear response. This is just more bluffing. In a couple of weeks, Bush will send them 500k tons of wheat and several billion dollars in loan guarantees, and they will stay quiet for the rest of his administration. |
I doubt the ABL is up to it, but we still have several missles deployed in the area that can hit it in the boost phase. They'll have to act quick because they have a small timeframe to launch them. Hopefully they'll be able to cut out the bureaucracy and just shoot as soon as they see it. |
Add to that I believe it to be rather unlikely that the US would strike NK as the logical next step would be NK's only option on the table, the invasion of South Korea. And while the 2ID and the rest of USFK would put up a fight, the sheer number of NK soldiers would prevail in the short term. |
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You can be sure that we(USN) have many of those close enough that Kim would be vaporized before he knew what happened. I am betting things in WestPac are going to get busy and op tempo will increase across the board. I could use a nice mission out to Kadena stopping at Wake and Hickham on the way will be nice also. |
Count on it.
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that was good, that we didn't help them after their gov't collapsed was very bad, we had a huge opportunity to become allies like we are with England..... 
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___ I would hope that this ends in a successful test for KN and the US. The KN's are able to demonstrate they're able to launch; we demonstrate that at some point in mid-trajectory we can shoot it down. The political fall-out would be interesting. KN protesting despite our Sec. State warning, and our concern over KN's development and fielding of nukes. I believe this would be a great chance for us to severely deliver a clever message to their ambitions and threats. 
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Who is KN? Korea Norte'? 
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Well its not fantastic- 13 missiles is probably only good for at most 5 incoming missiles. Its only running a little over 1 in 3 in trials. Real protection can only come from a space based laser. And really, the AL-1 series airborne laser system is actually a stepping stone to such a system. Right now its chemical laser is the most powerful in existence, however the liquid fuel is to heavy and volitile and also doesnt STORE well- so it cant just be PARKED somewhere where it cannot be serviced. However the optics and the aiming system still can be tested and proven, and that is really what the AL is trying to achieve, and why no one really cares if only 4 or even just two are ever built. It would be NICE if we could use it as a working theater ABM system, but the projects success or failure wont be determined by it. Once one of the Solid State lasers can be made small enough- even if it requires a nuclear reactor to power it, cause we have satellite sized ones of those already- it will be combined with the optics and FCS work done on the AL-1s and orbited. And then we will have a capability to destroy missiles in their dozens per satellite. |
We are shooting at Targets the size of what our warheads would be, Do you not think any NK warhead would be built on a rather bulky scale as compare to ours. One would think it might be an easier target. Of course it might be so unstable it that it could be harder to engage? 
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Aegis is part of the system, but the primary radar until SBX is up is Cobra Dane on Shemya. I called up the missile defense node yesterday to say, "Hi" to everybody and Ft. Greely is certainly ready for anything as far as the personnel are concerned. Intersting the timing on this. couple possibilities. 1. Pissed off their hard currency got cut off from the Chinese bankers on Macoa. 2. Trying to sell a delivery system to Iran. 3. Wanting to do something before SBX comes online. |