US Seeks Laser Weapon To Shoot Down Enemy Satellites
The war of the future...
by Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) May 04, 2006
The US government is conducting research into building a ground-based laser weapon that could destroy enemy satellites in orbit, the New York Times reported Wednesday.
The secret project, which according to the Times was partially made public through Air Force budget documents submitted to Congress in February, would use beams of concentrated light to destroy enemy satellites in orbit.
The weapon is part of a wide-ranging effort to develop defensive and offensive space weapons, the Times said, citing federal officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The weapon would use sensors, computers and flexible mirrors to counteract the atmospheric turbulence.
"The White House wants us to do space defense," a senior Pentagon official who oversees several space programs, including the laser effort, told the Times. "We need that ability to protect our assets" in orbit.
But any potential weapon applications of the research, if approved, "are out there years and years and years into the future," the official said.
Re: US Seeks Laser Weapon To Shoot Down Enemy Satellites
That is just the tip of the iceberg: The US spends Billions on offensive space arms and it's no secret the budget comes from the US Airforce and the cash that is not declared eh? Still, if you have the money and you lead the way in space and spce exploration (nasa).
Surely, it's common sense to keep ahead.
Air-Launched Anti-Satellite Missile:
Small air-launched missile capable of intercepting satellites in low Earth orbit and seen as a past 2015 development.
Counter Satellite Communications System:
Provides the capability by 2010 to deny and disrupt an adversary's space-based communications and early warning.
Counter Surveillance and Reconnaissance System:
A near-term program to deny, disrupt and degrade adversary space-based surveillance and reconnaissance systems.
Evolutionary Air and Space Global Laser Engagement (EAGLE) Airship Relay Mirrors:
Significantly extends the range of both the Airborne Laser and Ground-Based Laser by using airborne, terrestrial or space-based lasers in conjunction with space-based relay mirrors to project different laser powers and frequencies to achieve a broad range of effects from illumination to destruction.
Ground-Based Laser:
Propagates laser beams through the atmosphere to Low-Earth Orbit satellites to provide robust, post-2015 defensive and offensive space control capability.
Hypervelocity Rod Bundles:
Provides the capability to strike ground targets anywhere in the world from space.
Orbital Deep Space Imager:
A mid-term predictive, near-real time common operating picture of space to enable space control operations.
Orbital Transfer Vehicle:
Significantly adds flexibility and protection of U.S. space hardware in post-2015 while enabling on-orbit servicing of those assets.
Rapid Attack Identification Detection and Reporting System:
A family of systems that will provide near-term capability to automatically identify when a space system is under attack.
Space-Based Radio Frequency Energy Weapon:
A far-term constellation of satellites containing high-power radio-frequency transmitters that possess the capability to disrupt/destroy/disable a wide variety of electronics and national-level command and control systems. It would typically be used as a non-kinetic anti-satellite weapon.
Space-Based Space Surveillance System:
A near-term constellation of optical sensing satellites to track and identify space forces in deep space to enable offensive and defensive counterspace operations
Re: US Seeks Laser Weapon To Shoot Down Enemy Satellites
As an American I am glad to see this sort of thing. The US has a huge military advantage and it is in it's best interest to stay ahead of hostile or potentially hostile nations.
Re: US Seeks Laser Weapon To Shoot Down Enemy Satellites
As an American I am glad to see this sort of thing. The US has a huge military advantage and it is in it's best interest to stay ahead of hostile or potentially hostile nations.
I'm British and with you all the way on that remark. perhaps if Iran eventually get a means of obtaining nuclear weaponry it then needs a deployment system that could strike the US (which probably involves high orbit delivery) and a number of years to develop. The old soviet union was well peeved when it learned of the US star wars initiative.
Such time, the US will be capable of destroying them seconds after launch. Futher, perhaps the threat of nukes could even be past it's sell by date shortly. They could become a real burden since they are very vulnerable to space age weaponry, more specifically I mean a few single strikes against a countries nuclear weaponry whilst housed in the country or just as they launch............
Bullseye!
"No need to have nukes, we just detinate yours where they are"
Re: US Seeks Laser Weapon To Shoot Down Enemy Satellites
Well, is it fair that other countries aren't allowed to have nukes, but the US is allowed?
Damn right. If I knew someone hated me and hated me so much that I had a weapon to ensure he stayed away from me I would do everything in my power to prevent him from getting a weapon!
What has fair got to do with it anyway............
Re: US Seeks Laser Weapon To Shoot Down Enemy Satellites
North Korea has apparently become the world's ninth nuclear power. Last November, the CIA estimated that Pyongyang has one, perhaps two, nuclear weapons. The North Korean crisis, as it has emerged over the past several months, is an extremely complex affair with implications that could drastically affect Asian security and, by extension, U.S. interests. The confrontation has weakened the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and may send signals to others that obtaining nuclear weapons has geopolitical benefits, especially when facing the United States.
Nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula. Nuclear weapons and Korea have been entwined for more than 50 years. During the Korean War (1950-1953), the United States threatened several times to use nuclear weapons. After the armistice, U.S. military forces remained in South Korea (the Republic of Korea). The United States began deploying several types of nuclear weapons to the South in January 1958, a time of extensive worldwide U.S. nuclear deployments (see "Where They Were," November/December 1999 Bulletin, pp. 26-35). Initially, four different kinds of nuclear weapons were introduced with U.S. Army forces in South Korea: the Honest John surface-to-surface missile, the massive 280-millimeter gun, the 8-inch artillery shell, and atomic demolition munitions (ADMs). In March 1958, gravity bombs for aircraft were added. From 1960-1964, five more weapon systems were introduced: Lacrosse and Sergeant ballistic missiles, Nike Hercules surface-to-air missiles, Davy Crockett nuclear bazookas, and 155-millimeter artillery shells. The arsenal in South Korea was at its largest in 1967, with approximately 950 nuclear warheads of eight types.
Re: US Seeks Laser Weapon To Shoot Down Enemy Satellites
oh we have seen how much their new gadgets have helped them win the war in iraq... nothing replaces the good old brave & tough fighting man and women with moderately good weapons and willingness fight till the end
Re: US Seeks Laser Weapon To Shoot Down Enemy Satellites
oh we have seen how much their new gadgets have helped them win the war in iraq... nothing replaces the good old brave & tough fighting man and women with moderately good weapons and willingness fight till the end
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