wrote:
Well, guess what? Ten ABMs may well mean considerably more than ten
interceptor vehicles:http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gener...s/aw060208p1.x...


It's not at all clear that, even with MKV, you could target a single
GBI against more than one ICBM. The MKVs are meant to handle the
possibly large number of objects dispensed by an ICBM: RVs and decoys
and other penaids.


The KKVs and ground based sensors that detect the launch were supposed
to do that all on their own. If they don't, then you are right back to
the problem that killed the US ABM system of the 1960's. Every time
your opponent adds more warheads or decoys to a single missile, you have
to add more ABMs, and the whole concept becomes prohibitively expensive
in short order.

In fact, it seems likely that the firing doctrine will still call for
launching at least two GBIs against each ICBM in order to allow for
boost-phase failures. So 10 GBI = 5 ICBM.


As I pointed out before...5 ICBMs from _who_?
We say these are supposed to be defense from ICBMs fired from some rogue
state, and yet we say we are never going to let rogue states have ICBMs.
So if you want to send a mixed message to rogue states, that is the
perfect way to do it.

Pat