ICBMs against terrorists
Popular Mechanics has the low-down on how the U.S. military is building weapons systems that can strike targets on the other side of the planet, when intelligence tells us we have a target of opportunity we just can’t pass up and time is of the essence.
The first is a modified, sub-launched, Trident intercontinental ballitstic missile that, instead of nuclear weapons, would have a four “conventional” GPS-guided projectiles that would explode above the target, raining steel rods at extreme velocity onto the intended target.
When the order comes, the sub shoots a 65-ton Trident II ballistic missile into the sky. Within 2 minutes, the missile is traveling at more than 20,000 ft. per second. Up and over the oceans and out of the atmosphere it soars for thousands of miles. At the top of its parabola, hanging in space, the Trident’s four warheads separate and begin their screaming descent down toward the planet. Traveling as fast as 13,000 mph, the warheads are filled with scored tungsten rods with twice the strength of steel. Just above the target, the warheads detonate, showering the area with thousands of rods-each one up to 12 times as destructive as a .50-caliber bullet. Anything within 3000 sq. ft. of this whirling, metallic storm is obliterated.
Can you dig it? Of course, there is a pesky little problem…
The question is whether such an attack can be deployed without triggering World War III: Those tungsten-armed Tridents look, and fly, exactly like the deadliest weapons in the American nuclear arsenal.
Yep, that could be bad - especially if China and Russia were anywhere near the flight path. Next up, a hypersonic, air-launched, ground attack missile:
…the X-51 hypersonic cruise missile, which is designed to hit Mach 5 — roughly 3600 mph. The goal, according to the U.S. Strategic Command’s deputy commander Lt. Gen. C. Robert Kehler, is “to strike virtually anywhere on the face of the Earth within 60 minutes.” With an angled nose, flaps in the middle and an inlet on the underbelly, the device looks like a cross between a spaceship and a futuristic cruise missile. It’s designed to go nearly seven times faster than a Tomahawk — a flight from the Arabian Sea to eastern Afghanistan would take 20 minutes — and destroy targets with its own kinetic energy.
The X-51 sounds great - as long as you happen to have a B-52 armed with one of those bad boys nearby when the time comes.
Listen, I’m all for better ways to take out bad guys. It’s been proven in the past that armed UAVs, when the intelligence has come in a timely manner, can take out terrorists. Although some have nearly-global range, they fly slowly and make take way too long to get to their target location. If we can make these new systems work, and find away to avoid getting Russia and China from thinking they are under attack, then we may have found a way to take out many more bad men.
(H/T Ace)
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