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U.S. Aegis destroyers leave North Korea watch
Kyodo News (Japan) ^ | July 7, 2006

Posted on 07/07/2006 8:39:17 PM PDT by HAL9000

The U.S. Navy's two Aegis-equipped destroyers temporarily left the waters in the Sea of Japan and the Pacific side of Japan where they had been deployed to detect and track North Korea's missile launches, U.S. administration sources said Friday.

The move stems from North Korea's failed test of a Taepodong-2 long-range ballistic missile and a U.S. assessment that it will take time for the North to prepare to launch another one.

The two destroyers, the Curtis Wilbur and Fitzgerald, had been deployed in those waters since North Korea accelerated its preparation over the past weeks to launch the Taepodong-2, which is believed to be capable of reaching the United States.

The United States has reportedly confirmed that North Korea has another Taepodong-2 missile at the same northeastern launch site. The long-range missile was among the seven missiles fired on Wednesday, and the other ones were short-range Scuds and medium-range Rodongs.

But the United States has assessed that it will take at least a week to place the second Taepodong-2 on the launch pad and fuel it.

The two U.S. destroyers are stationed at a U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, where the Navy is set to move the most advanced Aegis cruiser Shiloh next month from Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

In an interview Thursday, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Mullen said the Shiloh will be the first ship capable of intercepting ballistic missiles and explained that other Aegis-equipped vessels are only able to detect and track missiles.

In a missile defense test off Hawaii last month, the Shiloh fired a Standard Missile-3 interceptor and shot down a warhead separated from a medium-range ballistic missile outside the earth's atmosphere.

Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force has also deployed its Aegis ships, and its Aegis destroyer Kirishima has cut short its itinerary and headed home late last month from U.S.-led international naval exercises off Hawaii.

But the details of their whereabouts are unknown.

The Kirishima also took part in last month's U.S. missile defense test, becoming the first Japanese vessel to join the U.S. tests. It performed long-range surveillance and tracking exercises together with another U.S. Aegis destroyer as the Shiloh shot down the missile.



TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aegis; curtiswilbur; fitzgerald; korea; missiledefense; navy; northkorea; pyongyang; shiloh; taepodong; taepodong2; usn; usnavy; usscurtiswilbur; ussfitzgerald; ussshiloh

1 posted on 07/07/2006 8:39:22 PM PDT by HAL9000
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To: HAL9000

Psych!


2 posted on 07/07/2006 8:39:51 PM PDT by Howlin
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To: Howlin
But the details of their whereabouts are unknown

I know where they are. They backed up a couple of miles so one of those "long range" missles wouldn't fall on em.

Don't tell anyone...it's top secret!
3 posted on 07/07/2006 8:43:13 PM PDT by The Lumster (USA - where the innocent have nothing to fear!)
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To: Howlin; Southack
We just told Kimmy....we are going to park our most advanced Aegis off his coast....this one can and will smoke his little missiles.

Sweet.

4 posted on 07/07/2006 8:44:02 PM PDT by Dog (The Donut Hunter)
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To: HAL9000
I guess they'd rather reload in port than at sea, now that they have a breather.
5 posted on 07/07/2006 8:44:23 PM PDT by NonValueAdded ("I'm all in favor of a dignified retirement: Why not try it on Kerry as a pilot program?" M. Steyn)
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To: The Lumster

So, about, say, ten seconds away?


6 posted on 07/07/2006 8:46:27 PM PDT by Howlin
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To: Howlin

LOL


7 posted on 07/07/2006 8:46:31 PM PDT by angelsonmyside
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To: HAL9000
But the details of their whereabouts are unknown.

I guess we will have to wait until the New York Times blows their cover.

8 posted on 07/07/2006 8:51:38 PM PDT by Jeff Gordon (Is tractus pro pensio.)
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To: Dog

My money says that it was the Kirishima that knocked down the Taepo Dong 2.

9 posted on 07/07/2006 8:52:22 PM PDT by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: Howlin
No psych. During tests two weeks ago, that Aegis cruiser shot down a missile at intercontinental ballistic missile altitude.
Got to admit we're getting better....
10 posted on 07/07/2006 8:53:29 PM PDT by BIGLOOK (Keelhauling is a sensible solution to mutiny.)
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To: HAL9000
The U.S. Navy's two Aegis-equipped destroyers temporarily left the waters in the Sea of Japan and the Pacific side of Japan where they had been deployed to detect and track shoot down North Korea's missile launches, U.S. administration sources said Friday.

Reads a bit better like that, IMHO.
11 posted on 07/07/2006 8:55:38 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (Roll your own cigarettes! You'll save $$$ and smoke less!(Magnetic bumper stickers-click my name)
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To: HAL9000

My guess is that they're pulling back to a tender out in the Pacific somewhere to reload their empty VLS cells.


12 posted on 07/07/2006 9:28:13 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: HAL9000

Hope it was a useful exercise. The time is past when our forces can march around, fly in formation, or pull into some foreign port and expect everyone to go "Wooow". No doubt we have the greatest fighting forces in the world, but the real measure is in how quickly they can get to a conflict and decisively win.


13 posted on 07/07/2006 10:15:57 PM PDT by dr_who_2
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To: HAL9000
But the United States has assessed that it will take at least a week to place the second Taepodong-2 on the launch pad and fuel it.

NK's missiles are obviously an aggressor's offensive weapon. A deterrent would be launch-able in hours.

14 posted on 07/08/2006 12:57:04 AM PDT by coconutt2000 (NO MORE PEACE FOR OIL!!! DOWN WITH TYRANTS, TERRORISTS, AND TIMIDCRATS!!!! (3-T's For World Peace))
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