Posted on 07/06/2006 5:06:10 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Taepodong-2 pointed at waters near Hawaii: report
(Kyodo) _ The Taepodong-2 long-range missile recently test-fired by North Korea was pointed at waters near Hawaii, the Sankei Shimbun reported Friday in its online edition.
Citing government sources in Japan and the United States, the report said Japan's Defense Agency and the U.S. military reached the conclusion after analyzing the missile's path from data collected by Aegis-equipped destroyers and RC-135S electronic reconnaissance aircraft.
The missile was test-fired from its launching site in Musudanri in northeast North Korea early Wednesday local time before landing into the Sea of Japan about several hundred kilometers away.
The authorities decided that the missile was pointed at Hawaii from the angle of its nose cone immediately after the launch and the altitude it has reached, the report said.
The distance between North Korea and Hawaii is about 7,000 kikometers. While Taepodong-2 was widely believed to have the firing range of 3,500-6,000 km, its actual range can be longer, the report said.
It is not clear why North Korea targeted areas near Hawaii, but the sources believe North either wanted to show that the missile's firing range includes the United States, or because Hawaii is home to the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, or because the missile could mistakenly hit a land area if fired toward Alaska, the report said.
Exactly. And ironically, standing near the launch point is the least safe place to be.
Yes, it's the Israeli "Moil -2" missile, supposedly a cut above other missiles. =^)~
"Yes, It just seems his EGO is in the way,He could put in a Big Food Request and get it,(I assume)spare parts,blah,blah. Whats his Aim?, Puzzling for sure"
Perhaps he wants us to attack somehow so he has the excuse to attack the South. After this missle launch, food and other aid from the West will be completely cut-off and for his regime to continue it will have to attack or lose his military muscle. Just a thought, I know it's a little out there...
you know, I might be crazy, but wouldn't this be considered an ACT OF WAR?!?!?!?!!??
ESPECIALLY at their boost stage. Melt the cone, make a drone.
http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2000/news_release_000408a.html
What kind of Military does Japan have?
My question: is the Airborne Laser (ABL) ahead of schedule? Check this link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11961673/
$200 back in the 50s.
When used to defend against kaiju, not so good.
All new, modern. The old junk including the antiquated navy ships was disposed of courtesy the US no charge.
No nation building this time. Take out the pygmies capital building and his personal residence. I paid good money for my weapons and I expect them used when a country launches a missle at us.
How about the President? His response has been pathetic. Playing it as a game. He is the one that has to make decisions to defend the country. I guess we now have to live with countries lauching missles at us?
But, you are attributing logic to a nut-case. The fool is simply starved for attention. Probably his mommy didn't love him enough.
I propose sending in Hillary as an AmbASSador. She might get through.
If the Aegis Destroyer we had in the neighborhood shot their Type-0 Dong down, would they be able to tell? It would be very funny, and also very useful, if they didn't know.
"How about the President? His response has been pathetic. Playing it as a game. He is the one that has to make decisions to defend the country. I guess we now have to live with countries lauching missles at us?"
Thanks. Ive been watching this all unfold and have the same confusion as well.
I really don't understand the response of the U.S.
The only thing I see Bush doing is waving his finger a lot and crying about it all.
I also don't understand why everyone seems so confidant Kim is doing this all under the direction of China. China has billions (trillions?) at stake with the U.S. to lose. Somehow I think if they had as much control over N.K. as most seem to believe they would not be allowing this to go on as it has.
The response thus far really has me baffled and frustrated however. It really seems to me like the US is going to have to lose a major city to a NK nuke before they decide to take any real action against them. Just can't understand that logic especially after hearing GWB all these years tell us how that isn't how it's going to be played any longer.
Please don't get me wrong, I fully support George Bush. It's just his response over this missile situation that really has me perplexed.
LOL Ping. That Taepdong-3 "launch" didn't even last seven seconds....
Maybe they should try tunneling their way to Alaska, like they do to infiltrate S. Korea.
Japan Self Defense Forces (JSDF) Active - 236,700
Reserve - 49,200
Defence Budget:
1999 - $43.2 billion
2000 - $45.6 billion
Army: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF)
Active - 148,500
12 Combat Divisions
1070 Tanks
some 90 attack helicopters
supporting Artillery/Air Defense Guns and Missiles
Navy: Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF)
Active - 42,600
16 SSK submarines
55 Principal Surface Combatants
3 patrol and coastal combatants
31 mine countermeasures
9 amphibious warfare ships
12,000-strong Air Arm with 80 combat aircraft and some 80 armed helicopters
Air Force: Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF)
Active - 44,200
331 total combat aircraft including 2 fighter/ground attack squadrons with 40 F-I and 20 F-4EJ 10 fighter squadrons with 160 F-15J/DJ and 50 F-4EJ supporting air-defense guns and missiles
Paramilitary Forces
12,000 Maritime Safety Agency ( Coast Guard)
Assessment:
Japan's Self Defense Forces (JSDF) are primarily responsible for external defense and less concerned with internal issues such as domestic insurgencies or ethnic conflicts. Capable of defending home islands against all existing and foreseeable military threats. Capable of limited protection of sea lanes out to 1,000 miles against existing and foreseeable naval threats. JSDF generally maintain a low profile, but with the world's second largest defense budget, they have built an impressive arsenal of state-of-the-art weapons and platforms. These include more than 1,000 main battle tanks, 16 Harpoon equipped SSK submarines, a substantial surface fleet including new improved destroyers,80 P-3C anti-submarine maritime reconnaissance aircraft and some 330 combat aircraft including F-15s and F-4s. Japan also has a sizeable defense industry with sophisticated capabilities in areas such as radar and air-to-air missiles.
Trends:
Tokyo is seeking a more active role in regional and global security. This will be done through closer co-operation with the U.S. as stated in the new U.S.-Japan Defense Guidelines of 1999 as well as greater involvement in UN peacekeeping efforts. Prompted by concerns about growing Chinese naval presence in Japan's territorial waters(a July 2000 report cites a sharp increase from two sightings of Chinese vessels in 1998 to 28 in 1999) and the 1999 North Korean incursion into South Korean waters, Tokyo's new defense plans show a shift in emphasis from equipment procurement towards spending more on training, personnel and maintenance costs, expansion of intelligence capabilities and contingency measures. There are also plans to improve maritime surveillance by setting up a patrol-helicopter unit, the first naval special operations unit or Special Guard Force and expansion of the substantial surface fleet with additional destroyers as well as the development of an amphibious capability.
To enhance interoperability with U.S. forces as stipulated by the new Defense Guidelines, the JSDF will build a 13,000 ton replenishment ship to support U.S. naval operations in addition to acquiring mid-air refueling tanker planes, more airborne warning and control aircraft and upgrading of existing Aegis destroyers. Japan has also allocated $17 million for research on the joint theatre missile defense (TMD) program with the U.S. The Defense Guidelines call for comprehensive bilateral defense planning cooperation in areas such as humanitarian relief activities, search and rescue, noncombatant evacuation operations, enforcement of UN-sponsored economic sanctions and logistic support for U.S. forces in international waters away from actual combat operations. There are no indications of efforts to develop any Japanese force projection capability with air or naval forces.
Shoot! They launched the 3 already? I didn't want to miss that report. Maybe Jong will be the next Dong.
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