October 10, 2004
IF THEY SHOULD BAR WARS, PLEASE LEAVE US THESE:
Missile shield research to enter development stage (Japan Times, 10/11/04)
Japan has decided to develop components for interceptor missiles with the U.S. amid pressure from Washington to move forward from joint technological research on a missile defense system to the development stage, government sources said Sunday. [...]Posted by Orrin Judd at October 10, 2004 8:34 PMJapan and the U.S. agreed in a so-called two-plus-two meeting of defense and foreign ministers in September 1998 to begin joint technological research on a missile defense system.
The two nations began the research program in 1999 for a system to launch interceptors from Aegis-equipped warships. Japan has spent 15.6 billion yen up to fiscal 2003.
Meanwhile, the government decided last December to purchase from the U.S. and deploy a missile defense system due mainly to threats from North Korea.
The joint research covers four areas -- infrared sensors for identifying and tracking missiles, high-performance shields to protect interceptor warheads from air-attrition heat, second-rocket propulsion units, and kinetic warheads for destroying warheads of incoming ballistic missiles.
Not if the NYTimes has anything to say about it.
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at October 10, 2004 10:12 PMWhile worthwhile, missile defense shields aren't going to be the last word in warfare for long.
"Thor's Hammer", a concept for space-based kinetic energy weapons, couldn't be defended against by missile-based missile defense shields.
One would need very quick and quite powerful energy beam weapons, such as a laser or maser.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at October 10, 2004 11:55 PMAnd just who is going to have the ability to put "smart crowbars" into high orbit? North Korea? Iran?
Hint: Probably the same folks who invented and deploy self-forging tank-killer projectiles.
Posted by: ray at October 11, 2004 1:53 AMIn terms of ability: The US, China, Japan, Russia, Israel, Canada, the EU.
In terms of desire, combined with an ability to pay for it: The US, China, possibly Japan.
Orrin:
You believe that missile defense systems are possible and practical now, but not that the future will bring us affordable "helper" 'bots ?
There's a big disconnect between those two positions.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at October 11, 2004 4:38 AMMichael:
robots are undesirable, not undoable. And, no, I don't think any defense ever works in technological terms. They're psychological impediments.
Posted by: at October 11, 2004 8:37 AMNo defenses are ever perfect. It makes a difference though, whether the incoming is a spear or an H-bomb
Posted by: Harry Eagar at October 12, 2004 1:04 PMI have no idea what that means
Posted by: Harry Eagar at October 13, 2004 4:43 PM