If you had a missle defense system...

[red-beard]

Why didn't you use it?

Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL) destroys Katyusha rocket in shootdown test

June 6, 2000, White Sands Missile Range, N.M. --
The Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL) demonstrator successfully tracked and destroyed a single rocket for the first time and during the first attempt today at approximately 3:45 p.m. EDT.



The test was the first of a series of shoot-downs before the THEL is handed over to the Government of Israel.

The THEL is a joint Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) program between the United States and Israel designed to negate the threat posed by Katyusha rockets to populated areas in northern Israel.



“We’ve just turned science fiction into reality,” said Lt. Gen. John Costello, Commanding General, U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command. “This compelling demonstration of THEL’s defensive capabilities proves that directed energy weapon systems have the potential to play a significant role in defending U.S. national security interests worldwide. It also gives the Government of Israel an avenue for protecting its citizens actively and effectively against cross-border rocket attacks.”

In July 1996, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMoD) signed a memorandum of agreement which spelled out the development and functional testing of a THEL demonstrator. The THEL consists of subsystems that include a laser, a pointer-tracker, a command, control, communications, and intelligence (C3I) center, and a fire control radar. TRW, Inc., is the prime contractor.

The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) is the Department of Defense’s executive agent for the joint THEL/ACTD program.

[Joeaksa]

Are you sure we did'nt?

[legion]

I'd buy you a fur coat (but not a real fur coat--that's cruel).

[red-beard]

If that is the case, why are they landing on Civilians heads and killing them?

[craigster59]

Originally posted by legion
I'd buy you a fur coat (but not a real fur coat--that's cruel).

How 'bout a green dress?

[Mr_Wizard]

Originally posted by legion
I'd buy you a fur coat (but not a real fur coat--that's cruel).

WOOOHOOOO!!!!! BNL Seen em like 10 times.

[Joeaksa]

Sorry, thought you were talking about Korea.

[Rot 911]

If I had a million dollars. . .

[red-beard]

Originally posted by Kurt V
If I had a million dollars. . .

I'd do two chicks at once...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I'd buy me a monkey (haven't you always wanted a monkey?)

[azasadny]

How about a nice, Reliant automobile?

[fintstone]

The missile/rockets are too close for the systems to react. They do not work against missiles launched from your neighbor's back yard.

[snowman]

I have no idea why this 40 year old system wasn't deployed. Maybe they do not want to give that much away at this time? Don't know? Seems to me that being close in would be a plus. I mean that the thing would have to track and lock in withing fractions of a second anyway, so whats the big deal?

Like ideal conditions. No decoys, no countermeasures, single target, wtf??

[Joe Bob]

Enron supplies the electrical power.....

[MichiganMat]

fricken laser beams!

[air-cool-me]

attached to there heads...

[rouxroux]

"If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning...."

[Rick Lee]

I was reading some rant by Tom Clancy last week in which he explained how the Patriot or any other ABM system was never designed to defeat missiles like this. The Patriot is supposed to take the confidence out of the aggressor by letting him know he cannot bet on his missile reaching their targets. In Cold War terms that would be to punch holes in one side's "first strike capability". For Scuds and Katyushas, which are totally inaccurate and only made for terrorizing people, an anti-missile system is, at best, a morale booster for the folks on the wrong side of the missiles. Since the Scuds and Katyushas can't really be aimed, hitting them with an ABM system is still gonna make them explose and fall to the ground, which is just as dangerous to the people on the ground. The only difference here is that the warhead will have likely been detonated while it's still airborne. Still, that's a lot of debris raining down from the sky, no matter when or where it was intercepted.

[snowman]

The Patriot was NEVER designed for use as an ABM system. Got a lot of good press in Isrial, but actual performance was highly in question. Many upgrades or bandaids since then. Will it work? I wouldn't want to make bets on it. But its far better than nothing. I would place bets on the beam weapon or the direct kill weapons designed for that purpose.

The one I love is supposidly one of the bad guys wet dreams.. Thats a reusable mhd generator, powered by a nuke bomb. The power drives a beam that scans the entire sky, something like the cathode ray beam in a crt, and shoots down everything up there.

THe most effective tactic for Isreal is to send back 50 of the same type rocket sent their way. Low tec and effective.

[aap1966]

Originally posted by snowman
........Isrial,
....................Isreal..... .

I-S-R-A-E-L


Glad I got that off my chest...........