From: James Rogers (jamesr@best.com)
Date: Mon Jan 13 1997 - 17:44:14 MST
At 03:06 PM 1/13/97 -0800, The Low Willow wrote:
>On Jan 13, 2:08am, James Rogers wrote:
>
>} This is all good and well, ASSUMING, that you are using radar sensing
>} technology. However, current state-of-the-art ballistic missile defense
>} sensors for coast, reentry, and terminal phases *do not* use radar
>} technology. The current technology is also extremely capable of
>
>What do they use?
Broad spectrum passive sensors. Similar in concept to traditional IR
sensing equipment, but with much extended capabilities, both in sensitivity
and in spectral range. A lot of new and advanced materials are used in the
design by requirement.
Additionally, the signal processing has been improved dramatically. Of
primary significance is the discovery of two new processing
techniques/algorithms that provide vast improvements over previous
techniques, as well as discrimination capabilities not found in the
traditional algorithms. The new algorithms are classified/proprietary and
therefore unavailable for discussion :-(
That's okay though. I never really understood them since it wasn't part of
my job, so I couldn't explain them anyway.
In one implementation, the sensor data is fed through a multi-processor
MIPS-based computer which processes the data using five different
algorithms, including the two classified ones mentioned above. The
resulting datasets are re-integrated using another algorithm to produce the
final picture. The results are very impressive.
>} fact, structures specifically hardened against nuclear blasts could survive
>} quite near ground zero, since non-airslap induced ground shock is attenuated
>} extremely rapidly.
>
>Suddenly both sides have wimpy weapons...
I was kind of surprised myself. It took me about two hours of research to
write that part of the post. Nonetheless, you would still get more bang for
the buck using nuclear weapons in the lunar environment. For the same
incapacitating reasons, conventional explosives would have limited
destructive capability as well. An atmosphere is immensely useful for
transmitting hydrostatic shock and transporting heat energy. But as long as
the lunar settlement was not spread too widely across the moon, nuclear
weapons would still be pretty effective.
-James Rogers
jamesr@best.com
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