Posted on 06/08/2005 6:05:25 PM PDT by rbg81
Missile detection system unveiled
Associated Press
INGLESIDE, Texas — Military officials offered a peak at a new missile-detecting radar system some have labeled “Son of Star Wars.” Army officers and contractors unveiled the Sea-based X-band Radar Tuesday amid doubts of its launch capabilities.
The system, which is mounted on a semi-submersible oil-drilling rig, is designed to protect the country against incoming warheads.
It looks almost space age with its giant white sphere, which protects an advanced radar that can track a missile across the horizon. The radar provides the information needed to remotely launch U.S. missiles at incoming warheads.
At a cost of $815 million, the system has yet to be fully tested.
The radar suffered launch failures of ground-based interceptor missiles in December and February. As a result the Missile Defense Agency has postponed more tests until an independent team can review the system for improvements.
And officials had planned to send the 25-story rig into the Gulf of Mexico before the hurricane season began June 1.
Critics have labeled it “Son of Star Wars,” after the nickname for former President Reagan’s missile defense proposal in 1983.
Despite the criticism, Army Col. Michael Smith, project manager of the X-band radar, said he’s optimistic.
“For those of us in the business, we don’t have any doubts,” Smith said. “I’m positive it will work.”
Workers will test the rig’s mobility in the Gulf before it travels this summer around South America to its home in Adak, Alaska, Smith said. Because the rig reaches more than 280 feet high, it can’t travel through the Panama Canal.
And a missile-tracking test will be conducted while the rig is en route, somewhere near Hawaii.
Ummm...how could the radar "suffer launch failures of ground-based interceptor missiles" in Dec and Feb? That in itself would have been a neat trick, but its even more amazing since it hasn't even left its port in Texas yet. I guess asking the AP to publish coherent articles is asking a bit much.
Is there a way to sell this to the chinese? God knows how we have to maintain the balance of power. I think bill needs a few more bucks, too.
I pull a dry-bulk tanker ... cement.
I've been loading at one site for about three years that a scale master weighs in, drops a nozzle in the open hatch, hits a switch, fills me on a scale, weighs out, hands me my papers and off I go.
Total time ... about ten/fifteen minutes.
Theyve been working on an expensive self loader that electic eyes' your stop point, drops the nozzle, loads, shuts off with a pressure switch dangled inside the tank and automatically prints out the P.O.'s.
... er ... that's three years since I've been going to that site and doesn't include the 6 or 8 months prior ...
It still don't/won't work.
Not much more than sticking your finger in the cup while filling it with hot coffee ... but ... well, at least I can fill a cup with coffee blindfolded, and I won't charge you no 800 something mill., neither.
I do not think this had anything to do with the so called "lauch failures."
Um, just curious - does that mean that you "drive" a tugboat, or is it something else?
I believe you have the wrong picture. Since this system is designed to be used against the missile technology provided by Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, the upgraded US missile looks like this:
LOL! That's a keeper!
I'm sorry ... it's an 
Oh, cool... (but never mind)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.