NEWS: US team in Australia to discuss missile defense program

A low profile team from the United States is in Australia to discuss the countries participation in the missile defense program. Australia indicated its intent to participate in 2003. The missile shield often referred to a "son of Star Wars" has been widely criticized as not being 100 percent effective. Recent test failures have also bogged the system down. In addition, participation in the defensive shield is likely to trouble China.



It would be great for Australia to participate in the shield. No doubt a series of interceptors would have to be emplace there. Most likely at Alice Springs (Just a guess) as I do not believe the interceptors in Alaska have enough cross range maneuverability to defend the continent from a strike. Quite frankly I'm could care less if China is alarmed. If they are as peaceful as they claim, what do they have to worry about?

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At this point Im not sure why China should get worried about missile defense shield, It doesn't work. It is just a Pentagon money flush.

You all saw how well the pentagon did with the invasion of Iraq. SDI is much worse than that.
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I dont know why China would get nervous about a defensive weapon system for Ausralia they dont even have any nukes so its not like they would use it as a way to get a first strike. I think it could only be defensive for a country like Australia.

I think a missile defense is worth it even if it only worked 20 percent of the time. In the event of a enemy attacking with a ICBM atleast you have some chance higher then 0% to stop it.

In addition, participation in the defensive shield is likely to trouble China.

You see, I just don’t get this. They make themselves out to look like the bad guy. These things aren’t offensive weapons and are only to protect against aggressors.

Anyhow, anyone arguing that this program is a failure is an idiot in pure form. You expect something created to intercept a missile at a closing speed of more then 25,000mph is going to be dead on at first? Did the first fighter jets have greater range and reliability then the piston fighters before it? Where the first A2A missiles even practical? Look at where just these two things are today... A fighter jet can climb to 120,000ft in a zoom, go mach 2.5, and pack more then 12 highly accurate A2A missiles, each capable of ~ a %90 kill ratio.
I say the doubters of the missile should be sent off to the ‘rumbling’ countries and see who is going to come out in a ICBM laced war. And no, nuclear war doesn’t mean global destruction.

Originally posted by slank
At this point Im not sure why China should get worried about missile defense shield, It doesn't work. It is just a Pentagon money flush.

Slank do you do everything perfect all the time? If you like me the answer is no. You cannot expect them to deliver a perfect system right out of the box. It takes time. Any defence is better than hanging around waiting for the ICBM to hit.

I wish Canada would get involved.

China is not crazy enough to launch missiles at us and they are doing too well winning the peace to start a war. North Korea on the other hand might be crazy enough and they are loosing the peace which means they may want to try a war. So i think this is aimed at N. Korea not China and I'm sure they will realise this. However them being a communist country with a government that is less than democratic means that in some point in the future the threat may be there so it would be good to have this shield working as well as it can by then. Oh and thanks for your help constructing this defence system America, I'm sure we will have it working reasonably well one day



[edit on 20-1-2005 by Trent]

I have no doubt that "Little Johnny" Prime Minister John Howard would do anything, ....perhaps even conspire on WMD to keep the USA happy.

This is, as it has ever been, the strong dominating the weak. Australia was in the midst of trade talks with the US when this last little war kicked off.

Missles, do they work now, who cares? They will build them until they do. Nothing sort of major collapse has stopped any "world power" expanding and exploiting at will, to date. Dont see why the US is any different.

Originally posted by Zenspider
I have no doubt that "Little Johnny" Prime Minister John Howard would do anything, ....perhaps even conspire on WMD to keep the USA happy.

This is, as it has ever been, the strong dominating the weak. Australia was in the midst of trade talks with the US when this last little war kicked off.

Missles, do they work now, who cares? They will build them until they do. Nothing sort of major collapse has stopped any "world power" expanding and exploiting at will, to date. Dont see why the US is any different.

Exactly! Good little lap dog johnny, heres another biscuit, woof woof
On the other hand IF it worked at all it may not be a bad idea, us targets here afterall, then again why draw more attention to Australia. Bad dog, johnny, bad dog!

Originally posted by FredT
It would be great for Australia to participate in the shield. No doubt a series of interceptors would have to be emplace there. Most likely at Alice Springs (Just a guess) as I do not believe the interceptors in Alaska have enough cross range maneuverability to defend the continent from a strike.

Alice Springs is in the centre of the Australian continent, and therefore wouldn't be the best place to have the missle defense program constructed. The Northern outer reaches would be best, perhaps near Darwin or Cairns.

Far, far too late to worry about drawing attention - I'm flat out amazed that there has been so little. 2 soldier guys just got "hurt" in Iraq.

Remember Bali - I hope to any god (hello up there!) that any good that comes from this Tsunami disaster is that nations in the Pacific see Australians as fundamentally a good people....and in fact acknowledge the aid...already I hear grumbles about our military presence in Arceh.

Ah, two weeks ago the place was just decimated.....

peace

The missle defense system is geared more for alien invasion defense. Someone has to protect us from the little green bastards. It up to Georgie and Johnny to save mankind. Where is my GUN?????????

China (or any country for that matter) should be worried as a working missile shield swings any kind of MAD strategy into the USA's favour.

If you can neutralise a nations first strike or even retaliatory missle launch then you can ramp up any threats to those countries without worrying about missiles raining down.

Its these destabilising moves by the US that worries behemoth nations like Russia and China.

I'd be worried too

Destablizing moves? :shk: the missile sheild is designed to intercept a few missles from rogue states. China has 20+ with more on the way. At best we could get 5 right now. Assuming 100% accuracy. The interceptors are ripple fired in sets of 2 because given the speed that the ICBM's travel there woul dnot be enuf time to relaunch if the first misses. Russia? Forget aboput it. they have enuf ICBM's to saturate any shield we put up.

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FredT,
If a CEO were trying to create a missile defense shield they would do research to find a system that worked.
Then and ONLY then would deploy that system.

What is the US Government doing?
Deploying a system that has not even been tested.
Did they compare laser systems with missile systems? Did they look into other possibilities. Did they at least create a robust working prototype first?
NO!
A total waste of money.

Research? I'm all for it.
You do understand the concept of the cart before the horse don't you?

Vague untested notions = money toilet.
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Horse before the cart yes. However, the same people will be protesting that we could do ANYTHING when crazy Kim and his merry bunch send a missile our way.

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It is like getting $50,000.00 together in cash in your pocket to go out and get a vehicle. Without any idea of thinking about or shopping around before hand to get an idea of what you want, what you need, what gets the gas mileage, comfort, power, seating capacity that you are looking for.

Actually it is probably worse than that. it is getting the $50,000.00 together without there being any such invention as a car to buy.
This has not been experimented, tested, designed, but they are already buying the finished product that doesn't even exist. Its loony tunes.

It is a recipe for pork and flat out fraud. Like yelling on a New York street that you are lost, carrying a lot of cash, and will pay someone to show you how to get where you are going. The honest people are going to be pushed out of the way by people who are going to smile and lead you down some dark alley.

But its the governments money, not our money is it? So tra-la, we just won't care.
With deficit spending it is the sweat and toil of the yet unborn that is being squandered this way.
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Get a clue, read and understand what DEFENSE means!!!!!!