Boost-phase kill versus midcourse discrimination: The grand inquisitor's solution

Technical Report · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5632089

Canavan, G H

For few interceptors and many decoys, midcourse defenses must discriminate very well or their costs will be unacceptable. Sensitivity to discrimination is suppressed when the defense has many interceptors, which would generally be the cheapest and preferred solution. Good discrimination is one way to compensate for an inadequate number of boost-phase defenders. In the near term, good discrimination could cover for insufficient boost-phase defenders. In the mid and long terms discrimination sets the balance between boost and midcourse defenses. 11 refs., 4 figs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5632089
• Report Number(s): LA-11858-MS; ON: DE91011744
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450200* -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Nuclear Explosions & Explosives
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
COST
INTERCEPTION
MISSILES
NATIONAL DEFENSE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
REENTRY VEHICLES
SPACE VEHICLES
VEHICLES
WEAPONS