Could the X-37B be an attempt to bypass the FOBS Treaty?

"Jonathan" wrote in message
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"Dave U. Random" wrote in message
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FOBS = Fractional Orbital Bombardments Sytem

I personally find this a very dangerous development. If the Air Force
were to launch something like X-37B with MIRV warheads on board the
Russians / Chinese might panic and launch a preemptive strike to gain
first-strike advantage. The prospect of warheads flying over your
territory every hour or so might lead to extreme nervousness by the
nations whose territory is being overflown and would almost certainly
lead to a nuclear war.

The fact the X-37b is designed to stay aloft for 270 days, and be able to
dramatically change orbits with it's large engine, indicates it's more of
an orbital maneuvering vehicle than any kind of weapon delivery system.
The X-37b is probably meant to service various future military satellites
and provide flexible surveillance and so on. Response time and flexibility
are always crucial for military systems, so they can be deployed to
a region quickly. Having something already in orbit, which it can change
quickly, is the fastest way I would think. And being in orbit so long
would indicate any payload is dedicated to the work being done
in orbit, not so much for orbital lift and recovery.

Since the X-37 can stay in orbit so long, we would only need to build
a small number of them, and launch costs wouldn't be such an issue.
For all we know, this might be a 1/3 scale model, and in the end
it ends up being an unmanned version of the shuttle, even launched
the same way as the shuttle.

That would give the military a very flexible semi permanent platform
in space that can be quickly modified and deployed.






But if we launch a few dozen, slowly, at night, without indicating what they
are...into orbits that the Russkies and Red Chinese would not consider
dangerous, they may be inclined to believe they are just regular satellites
(possibly a GPS upgrade, etc).
When the time is right, in a coordinated effort, we maneuver them to the
optimum strike orbits, and let 'em have it with a surprise attack!
If we coordinate this with B2's going after silos/Topols in the field, we
should be able to take out their C3I and most of their retaliatory
capability, and stand a good chance of catching them with their pants down!
I'm not saying we won't get our hair mussed, but the casualties from their
retaliation should be low - ten, twenty million tops, depending on the
breaks

On Apr 25, 1:33*pm, "Joseph S. Powell, III" wrote:
"Jonathan" wrote in message

...





"Dave U. Random" wrote in message
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e7726ffeb04e&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=b logDest

FOBS = Fractional Orbital Bombardments Sytem

I personally find this a very dangerous development. If the Air Force
were to launch something like X-37B with MIRV warheads on board the
Russians / Chinese might panic and launch a preemptive strike to gain
first-strike advantage. The prospect of warheads flying over your
territory every hour or so might lead to extreme nervousness by the
nations whose territory is being overflown and would almost certainly
lead to a nuclear war.

The fact the X-37b is designed to stay aloft for 270 days, and be able to
dramatically change orbits with it's large engine, indicates it's more of
an orbital maneuvering vehicle than any kind of weapon delivery system.
The X-37b is probably meant to service various future military satellites
and provide flexible surveillance and so on. Response time and flexibility
are always crucial for military systems, so they can be deployed to
a region quickly. Having something already in orbit, which it can change
quickly, is the fastest way I would think. And being in orbit so long
would indicate any payload is dedicated to the work being done
in orbit, not so much for orbital lift and recovery.

Since the X-37 can stay in orbit so long, we would only need to build
a small number of them, and launch costs wouldn't be such an issue.
For all we know, this might be a 1/3 scale model, and in the end
it ends up being an unmanned version of the shuttle, even launched
the same way as the shuttle.

That would give the military a very flexible semi permanent platform
in space that can be quickly modified and deployed.

But if we launch a few dozen, slowly, at night, without indicating what they
are...into orbits that the Russkies and Red Chinese would not consider
dangerous, they may be inclined to believe they are just regular satellites
(possibly a GPS upgrade, etc).
When the time is right, in a coordinated effort, we maneuver them to the
optimum strike orbits, and let 'em have it with a surprise attack!
If we coordinate this with B2's going after silos/Topols in the field, we
should be able to take out their C3I and most of their retaliatory
capability, and stand a good chance of catching them with their pants down!
I'm not saying we won't get our hair mussed, but the casualties from their
retaliation should be low - ten, twenty million tops, depending on the
breaks

Preemptive sneak attack is the only winning option, so of course this
can't possibly upset other nations that could be the target or caught
in between.

Are you sure this is a wise plan?

At least some of those other nuke and VX capable nations are robo
launched, so it could be many hours or even a second day before the
last round takes place. Any way you'd care to interpret it, that's
going to hurt more of us good guys than any bad guys.

~ BG