2007-03-10 14:19:56 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
We have a rudimentary capability to shoot down inbound ICBMs. The system is being built as we type.
As with any effective defense system, it is multilayered, aiming to get the system in either the Boost, Coast, or Terminal phases.
We make use of a number of weapons systems, including the SM-2 on Aegis equipped naval vessels, airborne laser systems (this is an interesting gadget and a chemical hazmat hell - it's not really an operational part of the system yet, and is more of a test-bed, though an effective one) and HTK (hit-to-kill) kinetic interceptors.
The tests you've been reading about most recently are for the kinetic HTK interceptors.
We do NOT need to know when and where an ICBM is being launched. The US has a very highly advanced network of survelliance sattelites and radars designed to detect and track these weapons.
If someone were to launch an ICBM at us today, I'd think we'd have about a 15% chance of actually getting everything going in time to hit it. In 5 years, we'll be doing a LOT better, as more components of the system are brought on-line and emplaced.
The big risk right now isn't from ICBMs (we'd exterminate the coutnry that launched it 30 minutes after it left it's silo), but cruise-missiles launched from fishing vessels or a nuclear weapon in a container ship.
We've already proven that we can shoot down IRBMs with Patriot PAC-3 and Israel's Green Pine/Arrow system.
Orion
PS: Note - the above poster is referring to a MIRV - Multiple Independantly-targetable Re-entry Vehicle. Almost all ICBMs these days use MIRV warheads. The Terminal defense HTK system is designed to deal with these...
Star Wars was far from a failure, resulting in current direct-energy weapons already being fielded as well as the HTK interceptors that are out there.
2007-03-10 14:41:01 · answer #1 · answered by Orion 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
thats a hard 1 we do have the patriot missle defense but i have heard that its very ineffective also when an ICBM is incoming i believe that it splits into multiple warheads guaranteeing at least 1 will be near the target, the whole star wars thing that reagan would boast about during the 80s' was a propaganda tool used to bluff & bankrupt the soviet military, it worked well but there was never any functional particle beams or anything like that actually employed in the US arsenal, the good news is china is the only country that could possibly deliver an ICBM but they wont because we are the #1 importer of that country
2007-03-10 14:32:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If its exact location is known, yes. But since this is rarely the case, ICBMs generally reach their target, as they move far too fast to be tracked with most missile defense systems, and are generally launched from a surprise location with little or no warning. This doesn't mean that there's just no way to do it, but again, it's a matter of speed, launch point, target, and whether you know where it's coming from or going to.
2007-03-10 14:30:40 · answer #3 · answered by Griever 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The U.S. has the THAAD for high arc missles and the Patriot missle system for low or no arc (called cruise) missles.
2007-03-10 19:00:21 · answer #4 · answered by gregory_dittman 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Patriot missile.... That's what I learned in Command and Conquer Generals!!!!
2007-03-11 01:34:54 · answer #5 · answered by Tropango 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the air force has got this laser that they hook up to a plane that pretty much incinartes the missle. its pretty cool.
2007-03-10 14:27:56 · answer #6 · answered by _ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yeh we have 3 sheils for those just keep paying you taxes and the military will protect you.
2007-03-10 17:12:20 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
While the idea is great I doubt it
2007-03-10 14:30:29 · answer #8 · answered by persiandiva77 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Lets hope so!
2007-03-10 14:25:57 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
not at all!
2007-03-10 14:36:06 · answer #10 · answered by wise 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋