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back to article Seagoing Missile Defence tests this week

The US Missile Defence Agency (MDA) claims further success with test interceptions by its mobile land-based protective system, and plans a more complex trial of its seagoing component. At the end of last month, the Theatre High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system successfully shot down (pdf) a non-separating target described …

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  1. Luther Blissett

    US Navy vs. Cheney

    Just so no one comes away thinking that a successful test somehow makes WWIII that little bit more palatable, because it might be a bit more winnable, it should be added that recent Russian upgrades to their MIRV'd ICBMs are being boasted off as unstoppable for at least 50 years. Presumably this implies the delivery vehicles take evasive manoeuvres which prevent a firing solution being computed in a reasonable time, and IT is not expected to be capable of that for some time.

    But sign up below if you would really like to know out if the US Navy can or cannot shoot better than Dick Cheney.

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  2. Anonymous Coward
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    Patriot Passed Its Tests Too

    I wouldn't be too sure that "It seems that a protection against SCUDs is now, finally, in existence." I seem to remember hearing a few years ago that the Patriot missile system used in the '91 Gulf War (which at the time was played up in the media as the answer to all ills) passed every single one of it's (I seem to remember 21) tests only to prove around 10% effective in real-world use. The exact figures may be wrong (I'm working from memory of a talk I attended some years ago) but the point remains: this is *one* test!

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  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Patriot.

    http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/patriot-ac-2.htm

    Claims a 40% success for gulf war 1 patriot, not what you'd call ideal, but it was designed for aircraft really..

    It also appears form that site that there have been quite a few improvements to patriot since, I wonder how effective it would be these days.. Need an enemy with ballistic missiles but no nuclear capability so we can find out... Hmmm... Wonder what Iran has got on next year?

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