You obviously don't understand as you are mixing up two completely different defense systems for two completely different types of missiles. Our THAAD Missile Defense system is the missile defense system you are referring to being in place since the 90's is designed to shoot down short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles with shorter ranges than the ICBM that North Korea launched. The missile defense system that is designed to defend against ICBM's is a completely different system and is still under development. And it has only about a 50% success rate so far. It is a lot harder to shoot down a missile moving much faster and going into outer space than it is to hit a much slower moving short, medium and intermediate ballistic missile.
Now as to the analysis as to why we have not tried to shoot it down, to me the analyst makes sense based on the reality of only about a 50% success rate for new technology. I'll let your arguments as to why stand as I am no expert in this sort of gamesmanship.
I would prefer that we try and use the NK missiles as test fodder. But again I am not an expert here.
No, I'm not confusing the systems. You're response was directly in response to someone asking why we didn't shoot down a missile that had a SRBM or MRBM trajectory (regardless of NK's claims of theoretical distance)...you said you read an analysis about
that, and also just said "missiles". Please re-read your post with the quoted post above and you will understand my post:
Also, almost any IRBM/MRBM goes into "outer space" like you say, that's not the difference between it and an ICBM...maybe you're the one who doesn't understand (and why get personal if its not your opinion?) Ballistics missiles of varying ranges are not "completely different" by any stretch of the imagination.
Lastly, that you think NK has an ICBM that can "change direction in mid flight" really says something about your understanding of this all.
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Quote from: eyeeatingfish on August 30, 2017, 11:25:57 PM
My wife was in Japan when they launched that missile over Japan. I want to know why they didn't shoot it down. I also want to know that next time North Korea launches a missile in the direction of Japan, South Korea, or the US, we fire a retaliatory strike.
I am not a missile expert but I am assuming that you cannot determine where it will land by its simple trajectory given modern technology to change direction mid flight.
I read an analysis on this. And the so called expert said that the technology needed to shoot down a missile is much more sophisticated than all the space, satellite and weapon technology combined. And it is just in its infancy. The fact is that we have missed as many test missiles as we have hit them. With that in mind the expert said if we were to attempt to hit the missile and we miss it not only would be an embarrassment, but it would also send an unintentional message to NK and the the rest of our enemies that we are full of hot air and our missile defense system does not work. This would embolden NK to not only continue but they will probably stop at nothing to get to the nuclear power country status that seems to be their goal. He said some other things which I don't remember at this time but that was the gist of his comments.
This is not my opinion I am just repeating what I remember from the analysis.