Remember way back with Reagan was talking about building “Star Wars”, the missile defense system to protect the US from Soviet nuclear attack? Well, guess what. It lives.
That’s right, we can now take down missiles before they ever get near posing a threat to the continental US. So, it makes me wonder if we could deploy these against a fleet of inbound aircraft as well? I mean, does this mean that the US is now invulnerable against any sort of air attack?
Boeing announced this weekend a successful intercept of a ballistic missile in space of its mission representative exo-atmospheric kill vehicle. In the past, there would have been much made of this successful test, but now, it’s only news if a test fails – the “man bites dog†event.
The test of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system began at 4:01 p.m. Eastern when a long-range ballistic missile target lifted off from the Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska. Seventeen minutes later, military operators launched an interceptor from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. As the interceptor flew toward the target, it received target data updates from the upgraded missile-warning radar at Beale Air Force Base, Calif. After flying into space, the interceptor released its exoatmospheric kill vehicle, which proceeded to track, intercept and destroy the target warhead.
GMD defends the nation against a limited number of long-range ballistic missiles, with interceptors deployed in underground silos at Vandenberg and Ft. Greely, Alaska. An integral element of the global ballistic missile defense system, GMD also consists of radars, other sensors, command-and-control facilities, communications terminals and a 20,000-mile fiber optic communications network. The U.S. government has announced plans to extend this capability to Europe.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
One success does not a program make. Boeing has had a succession of failures with this system for the last at least five years. It’s obviously to counter any ICBM attacks from China or N. Korea. It is a sign however that they are getting closer to operational status.
Not designed to be effective against aircraft, unless they are flying in space, (80,000′) plus or minus.
John…found this recent Rolling Stone article “The Death of High Fidelity” very interesting….
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/17777619/the_death_of_high_fidelity/print
Enjoy!
Mike
Wow that’s pretty amazing, and you’re right that this event didn’t make the news (at least not any news that I read). Personally, I don’t think that this is a bad system at all. However, I’m sure that if we found out how much it cost to develop and build it, we’d have some second thoughts about the worthiness of it all. I suppose, though, that the safety of humans and the comfort of mind that this might provide is rather priceless.
There’s a lot more that we gain from a program like this. Many of the technologies we enjoy today have their roots in military programs like the nuke proof network launched in the late sixties that we now know as the Internet.
And instead of having unemployed engineers we have tax paying engineers….the government will always prime the pump and I much prefer it through engineering and manufacturing than through welfare checks and foodstands.
You have removed my comment, because you did not like mine point of view on this question?
Tommy,
I’ve never removed a comment no matter how much I disagree with it. Comments on this blog only get removed for violations of the rules. I also have several moderators so I don’t even know what comment you are referring to, but you might just review the rules and try again.
Sorry if there was a mistake, but I deal with a large number of daily spam comments.
John
That’s cool man! Do you know how much it cost?
Yes, I remember the days when Reagan was talking about such a program, and how the concept was considered a fairy tale at the time.
Like the current Bush administration, anything Reagan did to try and defend this country was met with the shrill voices of protest from the left wing in the country..
And while history will probably judge GW better then he is being treated right now, Reagan’s proposed Star Wars program is finally receiving the credit it deserves..
I don’t think a “missle to missle” defense initiative is foolproof, and does present limitations.
However, it is worthy of testing and an ongoing testing to perfect the system. I think Airborne Lazer Gunships hold more promise when it comes to knocking down Ballistic and Nuclear tipped war heads.
Laser Gunship Revealed
http://www.defensetech.org/archives/003897.html
Portable lasers to knock out SAMs and other non-nuclear projectiles are also showing promise…
(M-THEL) Technology Demonstration Program
http://www.defense-update.com/directory/THEL.htm
The YouTube video of it is here..
YouTube – MTHEL – Mobile Tactical High Energy Laser
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcmI6UnR4gg
Robert C..
I was doing some research with my son online regarding the SDI project(s), and we thought this might apply… in jest. On a humerous level, it IS related. “Isn’t THIS Star Wars missile defense…?” ^_^
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=80374&l=7424da2538&id=100000154003132
Great article, btw. Very enlightening.