Posted on 01/06/2007 7:24:56 AM PST by MARKUSPRIME
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is a long-range, land-based theater defense weapon that acts as the upper tier of a basic 2-tiered defense against ballistic missiles. It's designed to intercept missiles during late mid-course or final stage flight, flying at high altitudes within and even outside the atmosphere. This allows it to provide broad area coverage against threats to critical assets such as population centers and industrial resources as well as military forces, hence its previous "theater (of operations) high altitude area defense" designation.
This capability makes THAAD different from a Patriot PAC-3 or the future MEADS system, which are point defense options with limited range that are designed to hit a missile or warhead just before impact. The SM-3 Standard missile is a far better comparison, but the SM-3 is a naval counterpart and could offer positioning advantages or disadvantages depending on the area to be defended. A multi-layered anti-ballistic missile system should ideally have both land and naval options, as well as theater-level and point defenses backed by a 3rd tier of longer ranged midcourse-defense missiles (q.v. GBI) and/or space-based weapons that can hit the missile during its boost phase.
This is DID's FOCUS article covering the THAAD system, which recently received a major contract from the US government. It's also reportedly under consideration by Israel to replace their Boeing/IAI Arrow theater defense system...
"Good new all in all."
BULL!
What do all these weapons have to do with pacifying Iraq? What high tech gizmos do we have that exert overwhelming superiority over insurgency warriors?
The one item missing in the U S arsenal is stones. You gotta have them to use our superior weaponry. Makes no difference what we have, if the nation doesn't have the will to use what is necessary to win - big deal.
Do the expressions "Taepodong 2" or "SS-25 Sickle" mean anyting to you?
Are we at war with the Chinese? I missed that bulletin.
If we don't have the will to use what we have against the islamofacist vermin now, what makes you think this nation is willing to pull the string if a threat from China becomes evident.
Do you really think the Chinese and N. Koreans are just going to launch assured mutual destruction on this earth? Why would they do that when there is so much to be gained by using the left of this country, the globalists, the multi-nationalists, the pacifists, the MSM, and every other limp noodled faction to erode the will and purpose of the U S?
Spend your time and energy getting this country to "cowboy-up" against the enemy that we have now and with that credibility deal with other nations from a position of strength and resolve.
We are not at war with them.
They are at war with us...
I take it you think we should concentrate solely on the counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism mission at hand. However, I believe that it is prudent to continue improving our strategic arsenal as well, so as to counter future strategic threats and prevent nuclear blackmail from emerging or resurgent super powers, or rogue states that are going nuclear.
There is still a lack of intercontinental defence against ballistic missiles in the BOOST phase...which probably means space-based weapons of some sort - until someone has the political will to stand up for that the way Reagan did with SDI there remains a dangerous vulnerability.
I suggest at least a couple of ORION-type battleships for global defensiove coverage- VERY big, HEAVILY armoured and actively defended, with large crews and sensor arrays and packing LOTS of serious firepower like THORs that can knock down from orbit anything hostile trying to launch in early boost phase.
That would not only close the boost phase gap but a couple Orions in orbit could make pretty much anything else a mere redundancy.
Build Orion NOW!
Our culture has dumbed down the definition of words to the point that you have made the word WAR meaningless.
I am sure that you believe everthing you know. What you know is just wrong.
The soulution to rogue states going nuclear is not to let them develop systems so sophisticated taht a THADD system is necessary. Have the stones to turned so much sand into green glass. Our nation has been virtually brought to its knees by fifth rate emenies this generation does not have what its fathers had.
The answer is not weapons, and I like the gadgets as well as the next guy; its the courage and commitment to defeat a foe wishing to bring us harm.
Guys, burroak has a valid point when you get right down to it. Even in the old west, it was often the punk kid with the biggest, baddest six-shooter that got shot by the dusty old cowpoke using an old,single-hot pistol. Even David slew Goliath using a simple rock and sling. If you don't have the guts to use what you have,your enemy will know this and not be even the slightest impressed by your big, bad missiles,guns, ships, planes, et al. We don't even put our Nat'l Guard on the border with permission to shoot, for crying out loud! What makes you think someone will push the button, when the time comes, on the THAAD???? They will waste the time discussing options and not blink an eye when some big city is destroyed, and our enemies all, ALL, know it!
Remember, until little David came along with a simple stone sling and the b**ls to use it, the mighty Isreali army was beaten.
Pretty much. Our conflict with the PRC isn't a shootin' war at this point. Remember, in 1939 Germany's #1 trading partner was france.
I am sure that you believe everthing you know.
Oddly enough, I don't.
What you know is just wrong.
I sincerely hope much of it is!
*sigh* Yeah. We are not filled with a terrible resolve.
If there aint no shootin there aint no war.
At least state the case fairly. You do surely have a point. You just aren't going to convince anyone with all that hyperbole.
You sound like a nut job; and I know you are not.
You sound like a nut job; and I know you are not.
That's one of us...
Nice thread hijack, but you make absolutely no sense.
You talk about MAD, but the point of the original post is that weapons of this sort are eventually going to make us free from MAD scenarios. This thread has absolutely nothing to do with Iraq.
"Our nation has been virtually brought to its knees by fifth rate emenies"
I don't recall recent gas rationing, victory gardens, war bond drives, industries being converted to war materials or other sudden changes in our daily lives. Besides 9/11 have I missed anything?
Denydenydeny, how fitting.
To be precisely to the point, what difference does it make how many weapons are developed when we live in a country that can not make a clean defense of itself, THAAD or no THAAD? This or no other system will free us from MAD scenerios (what ever they are).
To keep developing newer and newer gadgets are of no consequence if the country is not united and determined to defend itself by winning a war and no appeasement.
So, yes, it is spot on the topic because money spent on these systems are at best a waste and at worst disallusioning. I'll be the first to THAAD-up if we can just whip some tin-cup insurgents. Otherwise, it's just so much gas being vented.
Oh, by the way, what do you have to add to the conversation besides being the nabber of hijackers. Does that require a badge? Are you elected or appointed, or just assume the position?
Do you really think victory garderns, gas rationing, war bond drives, and industries being converted to war materials was emblematic of a nation on its knees. Just the opposite. That was a nation standing tall, making the sacrifice to defeat an enemy that threatened the freedom of the world.
9/11 was or should have been the opening shot of another such effort. What you, I, this nation, and the world have missed is the cohesiveness and unity of purpose as displayed by the last gereration with their V/G's, etc. This country has the opportunity to defend itself and defeat a force no less virulent than Nazisim and fascism.
Do you see yourself as that vigilant defender standing on the wall protecting this country? If so, you have missed alot.
Show me how as a nation we are "on our knees". 1942 had us on our knees fighting for our lives, affecting every person in the nation. Compare that to pop culture, MTV, the real estate bubble, Viagra, and the most fearsome military on the planet.
Communist China and russia are not friends of the US and will probably be the greatest threat to nuclear war this century. We need these systems. Sorry we wont always be in iraq fighting achmed.
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