Posted on 11/09/2010 8:05:31 AM PST by Gennie
(CBS) A mysterious missile launch off the southern California coast was caught by CBS affiliate KCBS's cameras Monday night, and officials are staying tight-lipped over the nature of the projectile.
CBS station KFMB put in calls to the Navy and Air Force Monday night about the striking launch off the coast of Los Angeles, which was easily visible from the coast, but the military has said nothing about the launch.
KFMB showed video of the apparent missile to former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Robert Ellsworth, who is also a former Deputy Secretary of Defense, to get his thoughts.
Scroll down for KFMB video showing the launch.
Video here
"It's spectacular… It takes people's breath away," said Ellsworth, calling the projectile, "a big missile".
Magnificent images were captured by the KCBS news helicopter in L.A. around sunset Monday evening. The location of the missile was about 35 miles out to sea, west of L.A. and north of Catalina Island.
A Navy spokesperson told KFMB it wasn't their missile. He said there was no Navy activity reported in the area Monday evening.
On Friday night, Vandenberg Air Force Base, in California, launched a Delta II rocket, carrying an Italian satellite into orbit, but a sergeant at the base told KFMB there had been no launches since then.
Ellsworth urged American to wait for definitive answers to come from the military.
When asked, however, what he thought it might be, the former ambassador said it could possibly have been a missile test timed as a demonstration of American military might as President Obama tours Asia.
"It could be a test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile from a submarine … to demonstrate, mainly to Asia, that we can do that," speculated Ellsworth.
Ellsworth said such tests were carried out in the Atlantic to demonstrate America's power to the Soviets, when there was a Soviet Union, but he doesn't believe an ICBM has previously been tested by the U.S. over the Pacific.
Officially, at least, the projectile remains a mystery missile.
I agree because the response was not choreographed between agencies. It took them 14 hours to get the lies coordinated. Time to test the gear and pick up ammo.
You say that like it would be a BAD thing....
If this was an errant test launch from a submarine, and we all know that several people are involved in any launch, then somehow they got the DAY of the test wrong.... thats the big *facepalm* for the Pentagon!
.....
If it really wasn’t ours, then we are in big trouble.
We should have dual threads on this type of thing - one for black humor, and another for real information. Course that would never do. Besides, every once in a while you get a “I have to get in the shower!” moment.
I hope he reconsiders as well.
They don't have sub launching capabilities.
“Yes, and it came from the Navy’s backyard. Most likely explanation...and the DoD denies this stuff all the time.”
Ok, but why no NOTAMs??? Isn’t it SOP to issue NOTAMs in the event of a test like this??
Had it been a US missile, there would have been very public NOTAMs, Notices To Airmen posted all over the place on the aviation web sites so pilots would be aware of it. Also, FAA would have ensured there were no a/c in area.
The airspace is in W-289, a Warning Area for military activity, but there was apparently to NOTAM to “turn the warning on.”
Shep is freaking saying how strange it is...
Missle and sub is all’s the caller into Shep said.
We need a third for conspiratorial nuttery and uninformed speculation.
Belated ping — heavily confirmed by FoxNews radio. Rush suspects China [so do I, or possibly N Korea.]
In case nobody has already posted it, here is the link from AOL news:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69K3RZ20101021
“Fox reporting again on this. Confirmed missle from sub and location classified...”
Did they happen to mention whose flag that sub was flying?
That was an excellent book. “Invasion” by Eric L. Harry.
And a fourth for “I’d hit it” commentary.
Later I learned from a teacher I worked with that her brother was flying a single engine into Gabreski in S'hampton and had seen the rising trail impact the 747, but later my neighbor, a former NYPD Lt on the anti terrorist TF and then working for the FAA told me he had been in the reconstructed 747 and had seen no evidence of missile strike. So who are we to believe?
I have not heard yet - where did it land?
Would the navy test missiles this close to the coast of the US?
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.