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US Interceptor Missile Successfully Intercepts Test ICBM, Says Pentagon (go.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the mission-accomplished dept.

An anonymous reader writes: The Pentagon has confirmed that the U.S. interceptor missile it launched has successfully intercepted the test ICBM fired from the Marshall Islands. From an ABC News report detailing the intercept test: "The ground-based interceptor launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California shortly after 3:30 p.m. EST Tuesday. The U.S. will launch an ICBM-class target from the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, 4,200 miles away. If successful, the kill vehicle, or intercept, will collide with the ICBM test target midcourse over the Pacific Ocean later today. The ground-based interceptor system is mainly designed to counter a North Korean missile threat, but a U.S. official said Tuesday's test has been planned for years and is coincidental to North Korea's increased missile testing this year. This will be the 18th test of the ground-based interceptor. The last one, in June 2014, was the first success since 2008. The system is nine for 17 since 1999 with other types of target missiles. An ICBM target has never been tested before."

4 of 136 comments (clear)

  1. Hmm by TFlan91 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "The last one, in June 2014, was the first success since 2008. The system is nine for 17 since 1999 with other types of target missiles"

    That really isn't that reassuring...

    If I told my boss that the system I designed to stop us from going belly-up has ~50% success rate, I'm pretty sure he would fire me, or at the very least, order more tests until the success rate is just a bit more acceptable...

    1. Re: Hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      For real, NK just needs to build a dozen or so nukes and send em our way.

      By this article, at least half would be successful

    2. Re:Hmm by PeeAitchPee · · Score: 5, Insightful

      In practice (at least theoretically) multiple interceptors could be deployed versus a single target, greatly increasing the success rate (as only a single interceptor needs to find its mark to make a successful intercept). I'll take this strategy versus a 100% chance of a bad outcome with no such defense deployed, thanks.

    3. Re:Hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Multiple fake ICBMs could negate the advantage of your proposed multiple interceptors. With multiple independent re-entry vehicles, the defender has to block every launch with overwhelming odds to avoid loosing cities quickly.