Defending the Homeland Path of Missile Defense Development full of Ups and Downs
Abstract
The missile blasting triumphantly out of the silo that foggy September morning in 2006, to soon even more resoundingly meet and destroy a target at over 100 miles measured straight up, symbolized a defining and culminating moment in the history of missile defense. Such a moment will only be eclipsed with a future actual usage of the system for the purpose for which it is intended - destroying a ballistic missile aimed at the United States of America. The path to the September victory, from the earliest beginnings of missile defense theory and nascent practice, to the technological marvel represented by the "hitting a bullet with a bullet" flight test has been a rocky one... The need for an anti-missile system originated during World War II with the success of Germany's short range ballistic missiles against London and Antwerp. The threat posed by longer range missiles became a reality in the 1950s with the development of accurate guidance systems and nuclear warheads. The necessity to combat these lethal, distance-ranging missiles gave birth to anti-ballistic missile research and development programs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA518441
Entities
People
- Laura Kenney
Organizations
- United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command