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RogerRabbit
Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined: 05 Sep 2004
Posts: 748
Location: Oregon
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 Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 12:04 am Post subject: Destroyer patrol is first step in defense against missile at |
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http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-382918.php
| Quote: | Destroyer patrol is first step in defense against missile attacks
By Eric Talmadge
Associated Press
TOKYO — Amid heightened concerns of a North Korean missile test, a U.S. destroyer has started patrolling the Sea of Japan in what officials say is a first step toward creating a shield to protect the United States and its allies from a foreign missile attack.
Navy officials confirmed that the Curtis Wilbur, one of three ships in the U.S. 7th Fleet tasked with the patrols, left its base just south of Tokyo earlier this week.
They refused to comment on details of the destroyer’s mission for security reasons. But Navy Secretary Gordon England said in March that the patrols would begin Oct. 1, and fleet officials confirmed that there has been no change in the schedule.
The other two destroyers assigned to the mission remain in port at Yokosuka Naval Base, the fleet’s home.
The patrols are an initial step toward fulfilling a promise President Bush made two years ago to erect a ballistic missile shield that would protect the United States, its allies and its troops abroad from attack.
Bush cleared the way for the system by withdrawing from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which banned ship-based missile defenses. He’s called the plan one of his administration’s top priorities.
Critics, however, say such a shield would be too complex to be effective. It’s estimated to cost $51 billion over the next five years.
Starting the program in the Pacific underscores Washington’s increasing concern over North Korea’s suspected development of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles capable of reaching Alaska or perhaps even western mainland states.
All of Japan is already within reach of the North’s missiles, as are the more than 50,000 U.S. troops deployed here, including the 20,000-strong 7th Fleet, the Navy’s largest and the only one with a home port outside of the United States.
North Korea’s state-run media was quick to denounce the deployment.
“The U.S. should clearly understand that a preemptive attack is not its monopoly,” North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary Friday, adding that the deployment of the destroyer “proves that the U.S. attempt to invade the DPRK has reached a serious phase of implementation.”
DPRK is an abbreviation of North Korea’s official name.
The North shocked Japan in 1998 by launching a multistage “Taepodong” ballistic missile over Japan’s main island. Pyongyang agreed in 2002 to a moratorium on further long-range tests, but reports of increased activity at North Korean missile sites last week led to fears that it may soon carry out a missile test.
Under the U.S. plan, the 7th Fleet destroyers will carry out long-range searches and tracking of missile activity.
Eventually, data gleaned by the ships would be transmitted to Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., where, if necessary, interceptor missiles would be launched. The interceptors won’t be fully deployed at the American bases until next year.
Senior Navy officials have said the United States intends to maintain a virtually continuous presence in the Sea of Japan, which separates Japan from the Korean Peninsula, China and Russia.
The three destroyers in the 7th Fleet assigned to carry out the patrols are the Fitzgerald, the Curtis Wilbur and the John S. McCain. |
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BuffaloJack
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Joined: 10 Aug 2004
Posts: 1637
Location: Buffalo, New York
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| Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 12:16 am Post subject: |
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I like reading news articles like this, but I also hate reading them.
This news reporter, by writing and publishing this article, has given the enemy our ship positions. Doesn't this compromise the safety of the ship and men?
I wish that this stuff was all secret and publishing it was a jailable offense.
Sorry if I sound like I'm on a soapbox; I just feel that way.
I don't care if it is the Army Times; they ought to know better. |
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Me#1You#10
Site Admin
Joined: 06 May 2004
Posts: 6503
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| Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 12:23 am Post subject: |
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Moving to Geedunk forum
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Rich
Ensign
Joined: 12 Sep 2004
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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The USNs AEGIS system, along with Standard-ll has had a theatre ABM capability for quite some time. The first sucessful test was in the mid-90s somewheres. The amazing thing is AEGIS is basically 70s/80s technology and Standard is a AA defense missile. Now of course, we have Standard-lll in inventory. A more capable variant of theatre ABM.
By the 2010-2012 timeframe were going to have the following systems operational. #1 is THAAD which is a dedicated theatre ABM system. Next is AIRBORN LASER which USAF has been flying around in since my time in service. AIRBORN LASER is going to be a 747 based theatre ABM solution that will fire chemical laser's at incoming missiles.
And of course last is the strategic solution GBI, or Ground Based Interceptor. Which is, correct me if Im wrong, already deployed. There are other programs in development, one for tactical missile defense and of course ARROW which we are developing with the Israelis. And which I believe will be the first one tested in battle. PATRIOT was a AA weapon initially.......Rich
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