Defense against ballistic missiles
- Texas, University, Austin (United States)
A development history and development status evaluation is presented for weapons technologies capable of serving as defenses against nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles. The decisive turning-point in this history was the March 23, 1983 announcement by President Reagan of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). Due to President Reagan's emphasis on population protection, 'global' defense systems have tended to dominate SDI design efforts. The most important SDI technical achievements to date encompass (1) miniature homig devices, (2) the upgrade of the Patriot SAM for missile-interception capabilities, (3) light exoatmospheric projectiles, such as 'Brilliant Pebbles', (4) successful laser-communications experiments, and (5) the warhead/decoy-discriminating Firepond lidar system. 7 refs.
- OSTI ID:
- 5321338
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-920157--; AIAA-Paper--92-0002
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
450500* -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Strategic Defense Initiative-- (1990-)
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
EVALUATION
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MISSILES
NATIONAL DEFENSE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
OPTICAL RADAR
PROJECTILES
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
WEAPONS