[Robert A Cook PE]

Your Vietnam (actually ALL the expensive missile and MOST of the expensive ship systems “experiments” and “new ideas” from 1951 through 1972!) is essentially correct. Your caution is justified based on your memories - the Sparrow, for example, could have shot down 115 MORE MIG’s over Vietnam than it did, but in those 115 shots the missile never ignited: it dropped from the plane like a dumb rock.

Since Reagan’s build-up in the mid-80’s, the newer weapon systems generally do work, do work well, and are rapidly implemented sometimes directly from civilian ideas right to the troops in only a few months.

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By the way, when I worked on the THAAD missile radar and THEL lasers in 3D CAD systems, it was the Theater High Altitude Air Defense. Not sure where the “Terminal” abbreviation came from in this article.

[patton]

Engagements were redifined as “boost”, “mid-course”, or “terminal”.

[GrandEagle]

LOL! I do understand that I'm getting to be an old fart and that technology is getting MUCH better!
This is exciting news for sure and I can't wait for it to in active service!