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Missile Defense

Technology has always found its greatest consumer in a nation's war and defense efforts. Since the last attempts at a "Star Wars" defense system, has technology changed considerably enough to make the latest Missile Defense initiatives more successful? Can such an application of science be successful? Is a militarized space inevitable, necessary or impossible?

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gisterme - 12:46am Jan 30, 2003 EST (# 8345 of 8352)

bbbuck - 11:58pm Jan 29, 2003 EST (# 8343...)

"...Just trying to follow the rules. (With my standard 'missile defense' on topic post)..."

It seems that the principals who once argued against ballistic missile defense have gone silent on the topic. I think all the arguements against have been overcome by events.

I'm game to get this forum back on topic.

The national missile defense test program has launched eight flight tests to date. Five have been completely successful.

Showalter used to argue that knocking down a ballistic missile was impossible. Of course it only took one success to prove that position wrong.

Then he modified his point of view a bit by saying well, you might be able to use a smart rock to destroy a ballistic missile warhead.

Then he got off on this big ramble about how inexpensive decoys would surely make even smart rocks unviable and also that the flight tests now ongoing were somehow not realistic.

Then we got going on the airborne laser system for knocking down ballistic missiles in their boost phases. Robert seemed to think all you need to do to defeat that system (once he gave up argueing that it couldn't possibly work) was to place a cheap reflective coating on the outside of the missile. He could never quite identify a "cheap" method for reflecting broadband megawatt-scale energy focused into an area the size of a quarter. He eventually gave up on that tack.

There were some interesting posts (I thought since they were mine) that showed that existing known technology could be integrated to make the airborne laser into a workable system. I did quite a few hours of web research on known existing lasers, pointing systems (Hubble space telescope technology), active optics etc. The result showed that no huge leaps of technology were necessary to make the ABL a workable system.

Of course, we used to have a sort of standard list of "for and against" BMD arguements, compiled by me, that can probably still be found near the top of this current piece of the thread. The "against" arguements all pretty much crumbled away, one by one, until now you don't hear any of them any more.

Much of the stuff I'm talking about here was included in the first part of this thread that was deleted (not even archived so far as I know). That segment contained well over 10,000 posts.

wrcooper - 01:38am Jan 30, 2003 EST (# 8346 of 8352)

gisterme:

Yes, there have been successful tests, but not tests that have simulated credible decoys and other realistic wartime threats. The decoys used were apparently markedly different than the target, making them easily distinguishable.

Have you read Postol's criticisms?

wanderero85us - 07:05am Jan 30, 2003 EST (# 8347 of 8352)
Bush - the poster boy for the Peter Principle

Bush's insane star wars system will not work, and is an incredible waste of money in a time when it is needed for more basic needs of our society.

lchic - 07:32am Jan 30, 2003 EST (# 8348 of 8352)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

"" Mr Butler today suggested similar action to that under way against former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic, who is on trial for crimes against humanity before the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague.

"In a more ideal world Saddam should be on trial in The Hague next to Slobodan Milosevic for crimes against humanity," Mr Butler told the ABC.

"It's an established fact that his actions have led to the death of a million people.

"Why isn't the world community saying you have to yield this man for trial?"

Mr Butler praised the efforts of UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix, who today told the UN Security Council Iraq had not accepted international demands to disarm.

From post 8196 and highlighted in 8197 - not my words - Butler's words!

lchic - 07:58am Jan 30, 2003 EST (# 8349 of 8352)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Decal

Noted that Kleenex are selling paper tissues in decal boxes

Wondering whether to collect the boxes - stick them together

add a rocket engine .... etc

.... but there is a query re radar!

~~~~~

"" It is quite difficult to find decal film in stores, but Walthers manufacturers it and this can be ordered by you or a dealer. They have two sizes: 4X6 (#934-706820) and 8.5X11 (#934-706821) I recommend the larger size since this fits comfortable into copy machines. According to Walthers web page www.walthers.com available as a link from TTTrains, these are both currently in stock. http://www.trainweb.org/tylick/decals.htm

lchic - 02:04pm Jan 30, 2003 EST (# 8350 of 8352)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

http://news.bbc.co.uk/

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