STAR, WARS nik out, that decoys decade.
weapon tested re-enter provide cannot be effectively tracked space after their booster rocket burns system wollo rave lo capable of detecting, tracking, and firing at multiple targets within 100 seconds of an ICBM's launch.
• Mid-course defence. Those missiles survived the boost-phase defence could pack a surprise — such as hundreds of lightweight aluminium-coated balloons • that would be released as indistinguishable warheads.
Unless the first line of space defence successfully destroyed mosl boosters, mid-course defence systems would have to track thousands of flying objects in what are known as 'threat clouds' - a task beyond the capabilities of even supercomputers expected within une nex!
The interceptor weapon tested at Kwajalein last year was a mid-course that was able to hit single warhead in flight, but its effectiveness against a 'threat cloud' has never been be Other proposed systems for boostaiming phase defence are plagued by similar problems of technology, readily available countermeasures Perhaps recognising these profound problems, some administration away from the initial claims that Star Wars weapons would provide blanket real protection. Secret Senate armed services committee by undersecretary of defence Fred Ikle last year was revealed in the New of the Times late last December:
It stands to reason that as destroy move toward deployment of the full systallly steps which have intermediate utility, Ikle testified. In a subsequent written specific: "Such intermediate versions of a ballistic missile defence, while unable provide the from a completed multi-tiered system, nevertheless capabilities?
What are the intermediate versions available? The Pentagon itself admits, in an April 1984 pamphlet, that the onthe technology that before the year 2000 is the 'third tier' or terminal-phase defence words systems for missiles installations.
Even a study done for Congress by former Defence Department Ashton Carter, Star Wars systems as 'remote'. It did, however, describe a silo defence system as 'within reach of present technology.' If a full, multi-tiered missile defence program may be incapable of ever providing blanket protection to the Duvulallull. tion continue to insist that the full programme space-based technology holds answer may be that the system is intended for offensive, rather than defensive purposes, as a component of a US first-strike capability launch, call COSL coupled early-warning members of the have backed York circumstances, defend there are some intermediate Ever , Ikle was more attack. available tack, protechion offer useful tion. terceptors silos!
will be available Soviet other missile defence analyst characterised exotic US come of even why does the administradefence › promise? A possible Wing a reality. with the goal of Soviet ground-based missiles were to b devastated by a surprise, first-strike L'S attack from submarine — and Euro based missiles minutes away their target, and if this were with destruction of Soviet communications satellites. The US would then be faced with a far smaller ballistic missile threat from relatively few Soviet submarines and whatever remained of the USSR's land-based missiles.
Washington would seek to preserve its ground-based missiles as a 'second strike' force for future use. Under such 'Star Wars' wepons to against a Soviet retaliatory strike would require smaller costs and fewer technological breakthroughs al ABM silo defence is more plausibly viewed as a part of a first-strike strategy rather than as defence against a Soviet For in the event of a Soviet atthe would likely use vulnerable ground-based missile force before it could be hit, reserving its massive submarine force tor retalia What would be the use of in. protect empty missile It may be perversely fortunate that in the two vears since Star Wars war first proposed by President Reagan, the spectre of a naturally assured destruc tion' has been raised by both Soviet and scientists. It replace the 'mutually assured destruction' scenario Reagan is so eager to discard.
Now we know that the likely outLa smal or one-sided nuclear exchange will be a devastating climate disruption. The world will be waiting to see whether Reagan's col war posturing can be overcome to pre vent this nuclear winter from becom (From The Guardian New York)