U.S. missile-defense test fails over Pacific

[Casino67]

YourDaddy's Politics (Blog):

WASHINGTON — America has invested billions of dollars to develop, test and deploy a group of missiles called “ground-based interceptors” whose sole purpose is to knock down an incoming ICBM. Dozens of missiles are ready to be fired if the worst should happen.

But another failed test of the system Wednesday raises serious questions about whether the system is making the nation any safer.

The whole program reportedly has a budget of about $10 billion a year. Each test costs about $100 million, including $60 million to $70 million for each of the ground-based interceptors, or GBI missiles.

A target missile was launched from an atoll in the Marshall Islands far out in the Pacific Ocean. A satellite detected the launch, and information was sent to a missile silo at in California. A GBI missile launched with the goal of hitting the target.

At top speeds the two missiles were moving toward each other at more than 20 times the speed of sound.

CNN News Service


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Doesn't START have something that won't allow us 'defensive' missiles? It is going to be debated tomorrow in the Senate, maybe learn more about it then.

[ErnstBlofeld]

They have been having problems with their Sea-Based X Band Radar. The previous model of missiles seem to be working.The active electronically scanned array radar is derived from the radar used in the Aegis combat system, and is a part of the layered ballistic missile defense program of the United States Missile Defense Agency (MDA). One important difference from Aegis is the use of X band in the SBX.