UPDATED:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/29/aloha-star-wars/
“EDITORIAL: Aloha, ‘star wars’
Obama bluffs on defending Hawaii”
Monday, June 29, 2009
SNIPPET: “Missile-defense expert Taylor Dinerman told us that the sea-based SM-3 missiles now deployed to “protect” Hawaii are not equipped with adequate software and communications to intercept a missile traveling from North Korea to Hawaii, which would reach a terminal velocity of Mach 23 to 25. The SM-3s are effective only against targets traveling at up to half that speed. It would take about $50 million to upgrade the software to enable a Mach 25 intercept. The Army’s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile, which also has been activated after successful tests at Barking Sands on Kauai, “doesn’t come close” to being effective against this type of threat, Mr. Dinerman said.”