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Missile Defense Element Successfully Flight Tested
Defense link ^
| July 12, 2006
| Steven Donald Smith
Posted on 07/12/2006 2:21:22 PM PDT by RDTF
WASHINGTON, July 12, 2006 – The Missile Defense Agency successfully completed a developmental flight test of a major element of its ballistic missile defense system today at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., agency officials said.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system mobile-launcher is an element of the Missile Defense Agency's ballistic missile defense system, which is designed to shoot down enemy missiles. Courtesy photo
Initial indications show that the test achieved what it set out to do: test parts of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system to ensure they work together, officials said. The THAAD components include truck-mounted launchers, interceptor missiles, radars, and fire control and communications management.
Today's test aimed to demonstrate that the THAAD system could follow a trajectory required to hit a target -- in this case, a Hera target missile -- just inside the earth's atmosphere. In doing so, it successfully locked onto, intercepted and destroyed the missile, officials reported.
That's an important milestone in developing the THAAD, the first weapon system designed specifically to engage targets both with and outside the earth's atmosphere. This capability makes it a critical part of the layered missile defense system, officials said.
The mobile THAAD system can be airlifted to almost anywhere in the world within hours and is designed to defend against short-, medium- and long-range ballistic missiles during the critical final minute of flight, according to a Missile Defense Agency news release. Its ability to operate at higher altitudes provides more protection of larger areas than lower-tier systems, officials said.
(Excerpt) Read more at defenselink.mil ...
TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: mda; missiledefense; starwars; thaad
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Woo hoo!
1
posted on
07/12/2006 2:21:22 PM PDT
by
RDTF
To: SE Mom; Txsleuth; Cindy; Howlin; Peach
2
posted on
07/12/2006 2:22:48 PM PDT
by
RDTF
("We love death. The US loves life. That is the big difference between us two.” Osama Bin laden)
To: RDTF
Excellent news:)
And by the way...I've not heard of the Missle Defense Agency til now. I must be REALLY out of the loop.
3
posted on
07/12/2006 2:25:37 PM PDT
by
SE Mom
(Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
To: RDTF
4
posted on
07/12/2006 2:28:00 PM PDT
by
gaijin
To: SE Mom
5
posted on
07/12/2006 2:28:58 PM PDT
by
bmwcyle
(Only stupid people would vote for McCain, Warner, Hagle, Snowe, Graham, or any RINO)
To: SE Mom
Missile Defense Agency
Successor to the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI, "Star Wars") program. Develops and tests ballistic...
www.mda.mil/ - 2k - Cached - Similar pages**************************************************  ,/a> Click just above .... |
To: RDTF
This was good news and I've sent it out in an e-mail to friend.
7
posted on
07/12/2006 2:33:04 PM PDT
by
Peach
(Prayers for our friends in India.)
To: gaijin
what a comforting sight! Thanks
8
posted on
07/12/2006 2:33:04 PM PDT
by
RDTF
("We love death. The US loves life. That is the big difference between us two.” Osama Bin laden)
To: Ernest_at_the_Beach; bmwcyle
Thanks:) My son would kill me for not knowing this...sshhhh!
Ok I see..it's the FORMER SDI-which I DID know...but I'm old.
9
posted on
07/12/2006 2:36:06 PM PDT
by
SE Mom
(Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
To: gaijin
I'm stealing that picture...:)
10
posted on
07/12/2006 2:42:26 PM PDT
by
rlmorel
(John Murtha: Out of touch, Out of His Mind. Lets make him Out of Congress! DIANA IREY FOR CONGRESS!)
To: RDTF
Alley oop!
To: gaijin
To: RDTF
thank you RonaldusMagnus...
13
posted on
07/12/2006 3:32:52 PM PDT
by
Chode
(American Hedonist ©®)
To: RDTF
Hit on target.
14
posted on
07/12/2006 4:15:49 PM PDT
by
Southack
(Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
To: RDTF
Tag, you're it, Kim Jong-Il.
15
posted on
07/12/2006 4:18:37 PM PDT
by
hollywood
(Stay on topic, please.)
To: SE Mom
"I've not heard of the Missile Defense Agency till now."
I believe it used to be known as the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO).
16
posted on
07/12/2006 5:48:14 PM PDT
by
ChessExpert
(MSM: America's one party press)
To: GalaxieFiveHundred
"Alley oop!"
Believe it or not, that is not a mistake.
17
posted on
07/12/2006 5:54:21 PM PDT
by
ChessExpert
(MSM: America's one party press)
To: GalaxieFiveHundred
"Alley oop!"
Believe it or not, that is not a mistake.
18
posted on
07/12/2006 5:54:25 PM PDT
by
ChessExpert
(MSM: America's one party press)
To: ChessExpert
Not a mistake, but a test artifact, I believe. During testing that maneuver is designed to shed energy so debris isn't spread from Phoenix to Seattle. The missile is dumbed down. A lot of the early THAAD failures were traced to stresses induced by that completely artificial maneuver
19
posted on
07/12/2006 6:01:46 PM PDT
by
Lonesome in Massachussets
(NYT Headline: 'Protocols of the Learned Elders of CBS: Fake But Accurate, Experts Say.')
To: gaijin
Great pic - BTT. I'd start referring to SDI as "Reagan's Folly" but I'm afraid the irony would be lost on my liberal friends acquaintances.
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