[Jeff Head]

We already have 20 rounds of the SM-3 anti-ballistic missile at sea aboard AEGIS vessels.

If we shot down the TD2, or caused it to malfunction, I doubt it was with a SM-3 because too many other countries would have detected and observed that. Now, depending on where the test-bed 747 HE ABL was, that renmains a possibility because it would have been much more difficult to detect.

If we had a part in it, we probably would not reveal our hand in any case...leave them guessing and wondering.

If it failed on its own...all the better.

[PsyOp]

If it failed on its own...all the better.

I wonder if sitting on the pad fueled for over a week was a factor. That liquid fuel is pretty corrosive. Too bad it didn't blow up on the pad and take out the whole facility.

[Orange1998]

The GMD interceptor system, while not used for any of the launches, is available when needed to defend the United States, its allies, infrastructure and population centers, according to the NORTHCOM statements.

How could we protect our allies with a missle defense if we did not use the interceptor system right away. It takes a while for our missles to get to theirs before its too late.