Ground-based ABM: Bulls-Eye!

[Dr Mordrid]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/27/missile.test/index.html

KEKAHA, Hawaii (CNN) -- The Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency shot down a dummy target missile over the southern Pacific Ocean during a test of the U.S. missile defense shield early Saturday, according to an agency spokeswoman.

First, a dummy ballistic missile was fired from a U.S. mobile launch platform in the Pacific Ocean in a simulated attack.

Moments later, an interceptor missile was fired from the agency's missile range facility on Hawaii's Kekaha Island and struck the dummy warhead over the Pacific Ocean, military footage showed.

The mobile, ground-based system is designed to protect the United States from short to intermediate-range high altitude ballistic missile attacks in the North American region, agency spokeswoman Pam Rogers said.

The system "intercepts missiles that are shorter range and at the end of their flight trajectory. It is part of the ballistic missile defense system, a layered system that is designed to intercept all types of missiles in all phases of flights," Rogers said.

This particular short to intermediate-range interceptor system has been tested four times a year since 2005.

"This was our first test since we moved equipment in October from the White Sands missile range in New Mexico ... everything went exceedingly well," Rogers said.

In September, the agency successfully tested its long-range ballistic missile interceptor system, which it said was the most realistic test since the tests started in 2001.

That interceptor system was designed to knock out missiles that could, for instance, be launched in a surprise strike from nations as far away as North Korea.

[RedRed]

useful if Mexico or Canada ever launch a strike against the US.....

what it fails to note is the time to scramble. How long is it from having these things parked in a lot somewhere to deployed along the trajectory of the missile and launched?

Longer than the flight time of the incoming, I would imagine.

[Dr Mordrid]

An ICBM's flight to target would be on the order of 20+ minutes from launch. This was the figure for Russia's polar trajectory to North America and NK or China would be about the same.

The satellite & radar nets would see the launch immediately, but the launch prep might be seen too giving an early warning. We have birds watching Asia very closely, and for good reason given recent history.

Authorization to launch the interceptors might take a few minutes and the flight time a few more. No real prep is necessary since the boosters are solid fuel.

Most of the scenarios I've seen place intercept at apogee or slightly after, and tests have shown them to occur at >100 miles up. The whole system is set up for rapid launch.

They're actually meant to intercept a launch from Asia, such as NK, where the flight path would take it within range of our Alaskan bases. They can be placed anywhere though. Negotiations are ongoing with E. European countries to place a battery there as a shield for Europe vs. a Middle Eastern launch.

Even so this land based system is tier 2 as regards Asian launches with tier 1 being the Aegis cruisers SM3's in the western Pacific. They can launch very quickly and get the ICBM in boost phase, well before counter measures could be deployed.

[RedRed]

Ah - from my first reading i took it that the anti-missile system was the mobile one - doh!

it seems from rereading this that it is the teir 1 system - it launched 'moments after takeoff' - which does not suggest that it was a teir 2 defence.....

The Aegis systems cannot currently hit an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) - it can track ICBM - perhaps this is the missile system to replace the SM-3?

the SM-3 is only capable of targetting and hitting short range ballistic missiles (SRBM), currently (but that is being researched for upgrading).

http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/sm3.htm

In October 2004 Raytheon Company began delivering STANDARD Missile-3 (SM-3) initial deployment rounds to the Missile Defense Agency. SM-3 is a key element of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System and builds on the existing fleet of Aegis cruisers and destroyers. This is a critical milestone for Raytheon and for the country. These deployment rounds move the US Navy one step closer to providing a sea-based defense against short- to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats. The delivery of SM-3 supports the administration's commitment to provide a sea-based missile defense capability.

Aegis BMD went to sea on 30 September 2004, able to track an ICBM and to communicate that information to the Ballistic Missile Defense System. The Navy added firepower to Aegis BMD with the SM-3 missile. It is able to participate in the defense of not only the US, but of allies, friends and deployed troops against short-medium range ballistic missiles around the globe. Because naval forces are inherently mobile and capable of multiple missions, Aegis BMD will provide a broad array of options to operational commanders responding to a wide variety of dynamic world situations.

[Dr Mordrid]

SM-3 range = >270km, which is enough for boost phase shots vs. NK or near-coastal launches.

GMD (Ground-Based Midcourse Defense) range = >6,000 km, making it effective against long range threats at altitudes over 2,000km. This is what this thread is about, so its range is bit further than Mexico or Canada

PAC-3 (Patriot Advanced Capability 3) is for terminal defense. It gets an upgrade this year (Missile Segment Enhancement) to improve its capabilities 50%.

[NetSnake]

This thread is both exciting (for the technology that is discussed) and sad at the same time. These babies must worth $billions (research/development + manufacturing + maintenance). Billions wasted just so that we can watch our arses...