From: Michael S. Lorrey (retroman@turbont.net)
Date: Mon Jul 24 2000 - 14:46:59 MDT
John Clark wrote:
>
> Michael S. Lorrey <retroman@turbont.net> Wrote:
>
> >ABM defenses are not just for use against Ballistic Missiles,
> >but any airborn platform, be it ballistic missiles, cruise missiles,
> >jets, piper cubs, or balloons...
>
> For the life of me I don't see how a system optimized to shoot down ICBM's
> could have anything to do with shooting down slow low flying cruise missiles.
> For the record I like cruise missiles much better than ICBM's, they seem
> like a cheap and efficient method of delivering warheads, second only to UPS.
Cruise missiles are cheap and efficient, if you can get your launch platform in
range without being detected. Using a standard commercial cargo ship or tanker
as a launch platform in a surprise attack will work exactly ONE time. However,
it must also be stealthed, otherwise it WILL be intercepted at some point. THe
USAF's air defense radars ARE sweeping the skies all around the US, and are very
good at spotting aircraft that don't respond with current and correct IFF codes
or respond to radio hails. If a cruise missile is going to penetrate the US, it
either needs to be stealthed, or else it needs and AI and a good IFF unit to
deceive military and civilian air traffic controllers that it is a civil
aircraft. IFF technology is being upgraded all the time, and acceptable key
signals change every day.
Frankly, using cessna 172 aircraft is a much better idea, because it looks like
a plane, IS a plane, and is capable of being fitted with GPS autopilots. Set up
a container ship as an aircraft carrier, with the flight deck being quick
deployed like those developed to be set up on bomb damaged runways, on top of
the top layer of containers, storing your 172 aircraft (with custom folding
wings) in the containers. The takeoff assisted by a trebuchet-like sling device
on the foredeck, and controlled by radio control pilots on board ship who fly
the launched planes up to altitude and start the autopilots (you could also have
them in the planes on launch, and parachute back to the ship once the autopilot
has been set.)
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