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Why Didn’t the US Shoot Down That North Korean Missile?
Defense One ^ | August 29, 2017 | Patrick Tucker

Posted on 08/31/2017 8:20:51 AM PDT by EliRoom8

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To: Moonman62

Seems to me it would be a good way to show the Norks they are wasting resources. But I ain’t a big shot War College graduate.


21 posted on 08/31/2017 9:04:20 AM PDT by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
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To: EliRoom8

“it’s just an enlightening “

Anything asking such a dumb questions isn’t “enlightening’.


22 posted on 08/31/2017 9:08:20 AM PDT by CodeToad (Victorious warriors WIN first, then go to war! Go TRUMP!!!)
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To: Red Badger
Don’t want to give away your hand..

Exactly. I don't know how good our capabilities are in connection with shooting down missiles. However, I do not have any doubt that the Chinese are watching with close attention, and may be supporting these NK launches so that they can gain intelligence on our missile defense program. They would learn where the orders come from, how quickly they are executed, how they are executed, and how well the defenses work, among other things. They might even find information that would help them try to hack our controls. Who knows? In any event, unless the shoot down is actually needed to prevent a nuclear tipped missile from reaching its destination, better to not give China (and Russia) that information.

23 posted on 08/31/2017 9:09:17 AM PDT by Defiant (It's not antifa, it's actually antifafa. Antifa Fascists.)
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To: EliRoom8
ealistic testing of interceptors is very expensive and requires a lot of lead time and support.

In other words, it's useless in a real time threat.

24 posted on 08/31/2017 9:10:29 AM PDT by aimhigh (1 John 3:23)
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To: EliRoom8

Phat Boi can now hit the Pacific Ocean with 100% accuracy.


25 posted on 08/31/2017 9:10:45 AM PDT by beethovenfan (I always try to maximize my carbon footprint.)
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To: EliRoom8


26 posted on 08/31/2017 9:20:07 AM PDT by JoeProBono (SOME IMAGES MAY BE DISTURBING VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED;-{)
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To: EliRoom8

That missile was not a threat. IF we fired and missed the implications would be that Fat Boy would be very emboldened

Let em burn fuel


27 posted on 08/31/2017 9:20:43 AM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: Hang'emAll

Within ten seconds of launch


28 posted on 08/31/2017 9:21:15 AM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: raiderboy

Oh shut up. Do you really want to start WE III firing at a nothing burger?


29 posted on 08/31/2017 9:22:03 AM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: Defiant

All that, plus the fact that within minutes (Seconds?) of launch, the missile’s speed and trajectory are known, and the final resting place can be calculated, by Korea, Japan and the US.

If it’s in the sea, fine , do nothing, except make lots of noises.

If it’s on the land, shoot it down and make lots of smoke from whence it came...................


30 posted on 08/31/2017 9:22:13 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
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To: JoeProBono
He's going for the "Kid N Play" look.




31 posted on 08/31/2017 9:23:04 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: aimhigh

Actually, when a system is deployed (like Guam) the radar is on and the system is ready to launch. It takes some time to get to this readiness position, but once there you can stay. The time involved in a test is taken up by the test launch vehicle and the test data capture requirements. That is not going to be used if the launch is a real enemy launch. We can shoot them down if they come into the zone of protection. (I don’t know how big that is, and the last NK missile may not have been in the target zone from Guam.)

However the best explanation is the one that implies we may be recovering the pieces and checking them out for technology upgrades. (This sounds like something we would do.) If we shoot at one of the missiles or warheads Etc, there would not be anything left to analyze.


32 posted on 08/31/2017 9:23:44 AM PDT by KC_for_Freedom (California engineer (ret) and ex-teacher (ret) now part time Professor (what do you know?))
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To: aimhigh

Actually, when a system is deployed (like Guam) the radar is on and the system is ready to launch. It takes some time to get to this readiness position, but once there you can stay. The time involved in a test is taken up by the test launch vehicle and the test data capture requirements. That is not going to be used if the launch is a real enemy launch. We can shoot them down if they come into the zone of protection. (I don’t know how big that is, and the last NK missile may not have been in the target zone from Guam.)

However the best explanation is the one that implies we may be recovering the pieces and checking them out for technology upgrades. (This sounds like something we would do.) If we shoot at one of the missiles or warheads Etc, there would not be anything left to analyze.


33 posted on 08/31/2017 9:23:44 AM PDT by KC_for_Freedom (California engineer (ret) and ex-teacher (ret) now part time Professor (what do you know?))
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To: EliRoom8

Shooting down a Nork missile when it is not necessary to preserve the target gives the Norks telemetric information about the capabilities of the anti-missile and directs their development of countermeasures.


34 posted on 08/31/2017 9:25:35 AM PDT by arthurus
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To: taildragger

The Iron Dome has a phenomenal record. Now that we have a President willing to build and test a defense system and cooperation no doubt from the little nation the size of NJ, I’m sure you’ll be alive to see the result.


35 posted on 08/31/2017 9:28:03 AM PDT by The Westerner (Protect the most vulnerable: get the government out of medicine and education!)
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To: EliRoom8
Why Didn’t the US Shoot Down That North Korean Missile?

Thank you.
Free target practice.

Been asking that for months.

***crickets***

36 posted on 08/31/2017 9:34:57 AM PDT by publius911 (Seriously??)
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To: Moonman62

“Why Didn’t the US Shoot Down That North Korean Missile?”

Gather more data.


37 posted on 08/31/2017 9:43:10 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (“The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive.” - DJT)
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To: EQAndyBuzz

Another angle that I thought of would be not wanting to reveal info about our systems. What if then the Chinese decide to have some ELINT planes in the area.
When the ABM was being tested in the late 60’s early 70’s, the Soviets would have their big “fishing ships” near Kwajelein. Those fishing ships had a lot of antennae.


38 posted on 08/31/2017 10:04:24 AM PDT by Fred Hayek (The Democratic Party is now the operational arm of the CPUSA)
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To: EliRoom8

“You gotta know when to hold’em, Know when to fold’em, Know when to walk away, and know when to run.....”


39 posted on 08/31/2017 10:09:45 AM PDT by FrankR (Don't let the bastards wear you down!)
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To: bmwcyle

The footprint is mapped and projected.

Release doesn’t occur until the coast phase, so the footprint is not infinite.


40 posted on 08/31/2017 10:27:38 AM PDT by G Larry (There is no great virtue in bargaining with the Devil)
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