Topic: Ballistic Missile defense Lasers, Missiles, Sensors, layered strategy...

[Stormbringer]

Um... if the M-THEL is doing so well... is it being used in Iraq for live tests?

The MTHEL is not going to be fielded. it is because of it's huge footprint suited only for defense of critical fixed assets. it's follow ons like HELLADS are more suited for the sort of thing you mentioned but it is just being built. However, the Israelis who cooperated in the M-THEL project are planning on using the M-THEL along with the simlar but missile based Arrow II in their homeland.

It takes 4 semi trucks to cart it and it's ancilliary equipment around and of course that means a large crew and a lot of time is needed to emplace and man as well as displace the equipment. the military does not like that in a tactical battle field system.

[Capt_Bearslayer_XC]

LOL...isn't a sign of insanity when you start to quote yourself?

Anyways, I was under the impression that the M-THEL was supposed to fit on a hmmwv?

I have an powerpoint file with this pic in it... that is where I got the idea...

[Stormbringer]

LOL...isn't a sign of insanity when you start to quote yourself?

Anyways, I was under the impression that the M-THEL was supposed to fit on a hmmwv?

I have an powerpoint file with this pic in it... that is where I got the idea...

Don't know where that came from but it is overly optimistic for the miniaturizability of the M-THEL. it may even be overly optimistic for the HELLADs though i think the HELLADs might be able to fit in a LMTV or a HEMMET. Which would make it tactically viable. if you look at a diagram of the equipment for the M-THEL you'll see it could not possibly fit in a Hummer.

[Stormbringer]

LOL...isn't a sign of insanity when you start to quote yourself?

Anyways, I was under the impression that the M-THEL was supposed to fit on a hmmwv?

I have an powerpoint file with this pic in it... that is where I got the idea...

You and I are both wrong the M-THEL follow on will fit in a 20 by 20 container. a little bigger than a humvee but smaller than i thought. also they are considering sending it to Iraq for RAM defense.

[prometheus]

I've got to be honest, after reading through this stuff, I still wouldn't like to bet my life on this technology...  I've got this horrible feeling we're gonna be hoisted with our own petard one of these days...

[Stormbringer]

I've got to be honest, after reading through this stuff, I still wouldn't like to bet my life on this technology...  I've got this horrible feeling we're gonna be hoisted with our own petard one of these days...

Rationally you have to say if lasers are shooting down missiles at 12 kilometers. the SM-3 is shooting down full blown tactical missiles, the GBI has had sucessful intercepts and it's failures are understood, if you have all that then you must conclude that it is working.

[Stormbringer]

Further the consequences of a rogue state blasitng a city or ten or an accidental launch destroying millions of people would certainly be a petard of another color. so would doing nothing to protect our people when we know now that we can. then we'd really be hoist on our own petard.

[Tus-XC]

which is why the whole thing is based on a layered scheme from the ABL to the ABM missle system, the idea is that we don't rely on one, as that gives us one chance to get it right.  Over the summer i got a really really long classified briefing on this, got lots of interesting info out of it.

[Stormbringer]

The MIRACL laser first shot down a ballistic missile in 1996 at White Sands Missile Range in NM.

http://www.sgr.org.uk/ArmsControl/StarWarsNG_NL23.htm

[Stormbringer]

BTW these lasers can knock out satellites too.

[Stormbringer]

which is why the whole thing is based on a layered scheme from the ABL to the ABM missle system, the idea is that we don't rely on one, as that gives us one chance to get it right.  Over the summer i got a really really long classified briefing on this, got lots of interesting info out of it.

Cool! I bet the slide and or briefing board contained in the upper left corner a depiction of a SBL shooting down a missile. Do not answer. What i saw was not a classifed briefing but an accident. I put that together with the dems out infront of the capital griping about a secret and dangerous satellite that could trigger an arms race in space and that it had been in the budget at least three times in the past but they could say no more because it was supposed to be a secret. together all of that suggests the SBL is at least partly deployed.

[Stormbringer]

Now for my next trick I am going to mount lasers on shark's heads.

[Javora]

Now for my next trick I am going to mount lasers on shark's heads.

Can I watch??!?   

 

[prometheus]

I've got to be honest, after reading through this stuff, I still wouldn't like to bet my life on this technology...  I've got this horrible feeling we're gonna be hoisted with our own petard one of these days...

Rationally you have to say if lasers are shooting down missiles at 12 kilometers. the SM-3 is shooting down full blown tactical missiles, the GBI has had sucessful intercepts and it's failures are understood, if you have all that then you must conclude that it is working.

To be honest, after reading through this, and reading through the Russian boasts about their next generation of ballistic missiles, it all sounds like international posturing and progaganda to me, and the usual human inclination to make the end of the world nigher and nigher... 

Now, if we'd all put our collective efforts into cooperative space exploration, or providing everyone on the planet with fresh water instead of devices to limit collatoral damage to "acceptable losses" in a nuclear war, aye and what then?

[Stormbringer]

You are being rather unrealisitic about the nature of humanity especially in large numbers. the only way to protect ourselves is not merely talking and passivity. Only the good die young. the only safe thing is to assume that our enemies will do us in if given time and opportunity and prevent them all opportunity. leading with our chins is not an option the punch will come and it is not one we can shrug off. there is no second chance.  prudent defense is only sane.

The opposite course: assuming our enemies are just misguided and we can talk them into good behavior and that they'd never launch an unprovoked  sneak attack on us as long as we're nice to everybody and sing camp fire songs together is both disproved by history and suicidally stupid. worse its tantamount to a 4 year old singing Barney the purple dinosaur theme songs deciding we'll all commit suicide together rather than do prudent due dilligence.

[prometheus]

I know it's not going to happen anytime soon, but if it ever did, it would be the making of mankind... 

[Stormbringer]

I know it's not going to happen anytime soon, but if it ever did, it would be the making of mankind... 

No argument. But in the meantime we must compensate. prudent defense is emminently logical.

[NJAntman]

Keep in mind the historical precedent of resources spent on military ventures. The components that form a layered missile shield here on earth today most likely in a decade or so will form a layered shield protecting vessels and commerce in space from space hazards.

[prometheus]

Possibly...  I sure hope so...