Much discussion and analysis (or what some try to pass off as analysis) in the ‘verse. Many, most in fact, are focused on the specifics of the failure and potential threat to the US. But there is more to this than meets the (media) eye, so let’s break it down here. We’ll break this into…
Continuing our theme from yesterday (Pillars of BMD), the objects of Operation CROSSBOW’s attention: V-2: V-1 —–
Previous Installments: Part I Part II Part III Ballistic missile defense is characterized by three pillars; offensive operations, passive defense and active defense all supported by command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I). Individually, each has its own advantages, challenges and measured success in application. However, it is not until they…
Previous in series: The Missiles of Winter (I): International Conventions The Missiles of Winter – Part II: Rampant Proliferation Pyrolytic or fibrous reinforced graphites. The raw material is a very fine dark grey to black powder – processed, the density ranges from 1.72 to 2.2 g/cc, with the latter being the case for pyrolytic graphite….
Previous: The Missiles of Winter (I): International Conventions March 1985. In the high desert, west of Tehran, an element of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Air Force (IRGC AF) is going about their business in the early morning darkness. The object of their attention is a SCUD-B SRBM fixed to a MAZ-543P transporter-erector launcher, both…
If news reports coming from South Korea and echoed through the West are to be believed, North Korea is moving towards another attempt at launching a Taepo Dong – 2 IR/ICBM, ostensibly as a space launch vehicle (SLV). This would be the third such attempt, with previous attempts in July 2006 and Sept 1998 ending…
A quick history lesson. A quarter of a century ago, the US (and NATO) were engaged in an unprecedented nuclear arms build-up in Europe that was initiated with the deployment of the SS-20 Sabre (NATO)/RT-21M Pioneer (Russia) IRBM in 1976. Unlike the much older SS-4 and SS-5 IRBMs, employed in 1959 and 1961,…
“After its firing from the submarine Dmitry Donskoy, the Bulava missile self-liquidated and exploded into the air” – Russian MoD spokesman to Interfax 23 Dec 08 And thus was written the postscript on the latest test of the star-crossed Bulava SLBM. Five failures in eight attempts would seem to call into question the fast-track to…
The latest revelation of well known public research facilities with a hidden Cold War mission comes from the merry ol’ – England’s Jodrell Bank telescope, to wit: London, Nov 23 (ANI): The creator of the giant space telescope at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in the UK has disclosed after 50 years that the telescope was…
“Stability 2008” the exercise that (if you believe Russian sources) signals Russia’s return to preeminence as a global military power, continues. Over the past weekend we witnessed a number of Russian ICBM and SLBM tests in conjunction with “Stability 2008.” Some of the video reporting for these launches is provided below (h/t Russian Navy Blog):…
