The latest US missile defense test won’t get nearly as much fanfare as the previous one, as despite being conduct under ideal conditions, today’s US Navy intercept test failed to shoot down a medium-range ballistic missile off the coast of Hawaii.
This was the second test of the SM-3 Block IIA, running on a top-of-the-line Aegis system on the USS John Paul Jones. Officials maintain that the destroyer was able to both detect and track the missile, not much of a feat since they were the ones who fired both missiles in the first place. They were not, however, able to shoot it down.
This is reflective of the high degree of difficulty in successfully shooting down a missile even under the most optimum situation possible, with advanced notice and all of the data in place ahead of time, and even having launched the “target” themselves, the intercept is still a crap shoot.
The missile defense systems are hugely expensive, and scientists have repeatedly warned that figures on success rates are wildly optimistic, with very little chance they’d be able to pull off a successful shoot-down of a hostile missile fired without advanced warning or a per-arranged flight plan.
All those who believe we should take a tough line with Russia need to read this article…. As we seem to be playing chicken with Russia over in Syria… Are we playing into some NWO TRAP… A thermonuclear one…..???????????
Is all the bluff and bluster we have seen & continue to see just RAW stupidity? Is it based on any FACTS, or just a Johnny Feelgood state of mind…… Look at the record:
i think you need to take your meds there white boy and no the difference between what is and isn’t a conspiracy theory.
It’s simple it’s called mutual destruction our enemies knowing a nuclear strike on our nation will bring upon a nuclear strike on there nation hence,the Trident 3stage air,land and sea based nukes capable of ending a nations existence.I know you wish America was a helpless nation with no capability to defend itself but,America is actually very powerful and very rich.Scare yourself and anybody willing to buy what you’re selling.I sleep well at night knowing our enemies know what we’re capable of… USA
MvGuy probably loses sleep over knowing what the USA is capable of, and payback’s a b*tch.
A defensive nuclear arsenal is one thing, but the U.S.A. abuses that security to attack those who can’t defend themselves.
America’s capacity to make enemies where none existed before keeps a lot of people up night, even in America itself.
The program successfully intercepted a ton of $$$ from the U.S. taxpayer and will demand even more because it failed, to ‘fix’ it.
I’d call it a classic MIC success.
The even more fundamental issue is why any nation still has nuclear weapons. Even a limited thermonuclear war will be a disaster if not regionally, then world-wide. Our history needs to be divided into pre-Hiroshima and post-Hiroshima.
The terrible truth is, only the threat of nuclear destruction has held the superpowers at bay from all-out direct war.
Look at the situation now in Syria and the Ukraine, and ask yourself what’s holding the U.S. and Russia back. It would appear to be each-other’s nuclear arsenals, and nothing else.
Even the relatively small size of today’s militaries is a consequence more of nuclear weapons than costly conventional force multipliers. If nuclear war really does break out, more soldiers and machinery don’t really matter anymore so spending is driven more by economics and corruption than actual warfighting needs, except against non-nuclear powers.
The Wiki has an excellent little summary of Fermi’s paradox, the question, why isn’t there any sign of intelligent life in the universe.
Explanation 5.4 developed by Sagon and Shklovskii theorized that intelligent life develops the technological ability to destroy itself, and does so soon after.
…. Er, and again look at the situation in Syria and the Ukraine. Maybe North Korea, but it seems more of a long shot.
Empire builders all, that is our 51% most wealthy and greedy, our destiny being to reach the ultimate conclusion of such power and glory.