Near-Term Boost-Phase Defense Sensitivities
Abstract
Boost phase defenses are sensitive to offensive and defensive parameters. For distributed silos and mobile heavy missiles, about 25% of the weapons should penetrate the boost phase, which would require midcourse defenses. Concentration of heavy mobiles before launch would not impact that. Single missile mobiles are less attractive targets and should penetrate near term defenses, but second waves of fixed or compact mobile heavy missiles would be overwhelmed. For nominal costs and performance, combined defenses have adequate margin, but degraded space based interceptor (SBI) performance or increased sensor costs would eliminate it. Discrimination could keep costs in balance while defending useful numbers of targets.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA344792
Entities
People
- Gregory H. Canavan
Organizations
- Los Alamos National Laboratory