U.S. Navy Ships Close to Getting Interceptors That Could Stop an ICBM

[TexasTowelie]

The Pentagon’s No. 2 official has ordered 11 missile interceptors transferred from research and development for possible deployment on Navy ships in the Pacific or European regions after a test in November indicated they could stop an intercontinental ballistic missile.

In the test, the USS John Finn intercepted a mock ICBM intended to simulate one that could be launched at Hawaii by North Korea. The destroyer, operating near Hawaii, fired off one of the Standard Missile-3 model Block IIA interceptors built by Raytheon Technologies Corp. at the target launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks informed Congress May 27 of her rationale for transferring the interceptors, although she didn’t disclose it publicly.

“The missiles have conducted successful intercept tests and their deployment is in the important interest of our national security,” Hicks spokesman Jamal Brown said in an email this month. The transfer to the Navy marks the first major missile defense initiative of the Biden administration.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-22/navy-ships-close-to-getting-interceptors-that-could-stop-an-icbm

[soryang]

1. the last test failed

HONOLULU — A weapon system test conducted by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii failed to intercept the target Saturday.

https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-military/2021/05/30/military-weapon-system-test-fails-to-intercept-target/

omissions are the best part of slanted news. missile interceptors are the gift that keep on giving to the missile manufacturers. This program has been plagued with failures. what is the rationale? many experts say the systems simply aren't effective against most NK missile types.

[soryang]

2. Another report

The successful test marks another positive step for SM-3 after a run of bad luck in recent years, including an incident where a sailor inadvertently triggered a self-destruct of the missile in flight by misidentifying the incoming missile as a friendly target. A test in 2018 also failed.

https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2020/11/17/us-navy-destroyer-shoots-down-an-icbm-in-milestone-test/

[Angleae]

3. That was a different type of missile.

The one the OP is about is the SM-3. The one your article is about is the SM-6 which never really was meant to intercept ballistic missiles.

[soryang]

4. these missile systems are plagued with problems

...and are unreliable. see the other post "another report." all of them are unreliable, extremely expensive, and meant to give the US public and other consumers unrealistic expectations about how they "protect" the US and other buyers (from nuclear war).