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Article seems to make assumption it was one of our missiles. Kind of probable given distance off of coast. But, still an assumption reporters/news orgs should not make.
I don't think any country is stupid enough to 'show off' missiles that near to the USA. Well, there's North Korea but the rocket didn't explode.
I think Asia already knows we can launch missiles from submarines.
I think Asia already knows we can launch missiles from submarines.
Yeah, that comment didn't make a lot of sense to me. If we have to launch a missile to prove to the PLA that our deterrent is still in place, um, we have bigger problems than I thought. EDIT: To say nothing of the Taiwanese.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
But this is for tonight , not last night when the phenomena occurred.
Wonder who didn't adjust a calendar for a leap year in some government code. Surely today could be Nov. 10, right? It's not like someone's hacked together version of a date/time system hasn't made it's way across my desk, I don't know, fifty million times... "Why don't use you a DateTime object for that?" "They have those?" ...
(Military alerts like these are almost daily on the Pacific coast)
Article seems to make assumption it was one of our missiles. Kind of probable given distance off of coast. But, still an assumption reporters/news orgs should not make.
Suppose China were the launcher. Why might it do such a thing?
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Earlier quoted context omitted.
This still amazes me. Being able to detect, aim at and strike something flying at the speed of a rocket - with another rocket - in outer freaking space. Even the patriot missiles back in the early 90's always awed me. I have trouble hitting a target in a consistent spot with a bullet from 100 yards.
If you had trouble consistently hitting targets, you would probably fit right in with Patriot missiles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIM-104_Patriot#Success_rate_vs...
Think about the margins of error involved - how precisely do you have to know the Patriot rocket's position, vector and speed to intercept something falling from space? How do you take into account the fragmentation issues of a device like a MIRV? How do you account for any differences in the target projectile's path?
It's just an astounding problem to me. I very much dig the thought that I'm the same species as those that figured it out.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Suppose China were the launcher. Why might it do such a thing?
Unless China has eclipsed us in naval warfare, specifically submersible stealth naval warfare, then it is extremely unlikely that they could get a sub within spitting distance of our coast without us knowing about it. And even if they could get a sub that close they wouldn't even think of launching a missile. Last I checked, America still has complete military domination when matched against any other sovereign. Nati…
It could also be a test of the missile shield. Like this one http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Japan_says_succeeds_in_mis...
This still amazes me. Being able to detect, aim at and strike something flying at the speed of a rocket - with another rocket - in outer freaking space. Even the patriot missiles back in the early 90's always awed me. I have trouble hitting a target in a consistent spot with a bullet from 100 yards.