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To: Poohbah; Alpha One; All
You have a point Poohbah ....that the manufacturers of the missile system may engage in some 'puffing' to try and get buyers just a tad bit more interested. That is a fact of virtually any business since they try their best to be viewed in the most positive light possible.

However the fact still remains that both the Yakhont and the SunBurn are extremely potent missiles that are major threats to any ship at sea (including Aegis cruisers). During the later years of the Clinton administration the US navy conducted tests using a drone system (that Clinton later cancelled due to 'cost') that was supposed to mimic the SunBurn, and the Navy was unable to intercept it. Essentially what it took to sink or severely cripple a ship was one and a half SunBurns ....and this were the results of US naval studies into the missile system.

Taiwan also conducted similar tests and the results were that all of their Aegis cruisers were sunk by SunBurns fired by the Chinese.

Basically it may be possible that the makers of the SunBurn and the Yakhont have added some 'frills' on the missile abilities ...but the fact still remains that those 2 missile systems have no analog in the world, no competition whatsoever that is currently deployed. Furthermore current anti-shipping missile defense systems do not have a great deal of efficacy against either missile. Thridly in the case of the Yakhont due to its shape it has such a low radar signature that it is in essence stealthy, and this is why Rumsfeld was concerned about such a missile being launched at US coastal cities from a freighter/cargo ship.

Then there is the fact that they can carry a 200kt nuke warhead, although chances of that are slim ...but it is possible and within the missile's operation envelop.

In essence the SunBurn and Yakhont are extremely potent missile systems,and a major danger. (Personally i believe one reason we are working on anti-missile lasers is because that is probably the only viable means of tackling 7 SunBurns streaming in using a 'ripple' stream attack pattern at different altitude, different speeds ....all supersonic, and with divergent terminal attack angles. With a laser they can be taken care of ....however currently the Phalanx system can do nothing against the missiles).

108 posted on 01/23/2003 12:20:54 PM PST by spetznaz (When i say i am perfect people say i am arrogant .....but i am just being darn honest!)
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To: spetznaz
When i said 'this were the results' i meant 'these were the results.'
109 posted on 01/23/2003 12:22:05 PM PST by spetznaz (When i say i am perfect people say i am arrogant .....but i am just being darn honest!)
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To: spetznaz
However the fact still remains that both the Yakhont and the SunBurn are extremely potent missiles that are major threats to any ship at sea (including Aegis cruisers). During the later years of the Clinton administration the US navy conducted tests using a drone system (that Clinton later cancelled due to 'cost') that was supposed to mimic the SunBurn, and the Navy was unable to intercept it.

That was about 1995 or so. Aegis has since dealt successfully with drones that exceeded Sunburn/Yakhont speed and maneuver parameters.

110 posted on 01/23/2003 12:22:46 PM PST by Poohbah (Four thousand throats may be cut in a single night by a running man -- Kahless the Unforgettable)
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