Re: Missile Defence, the live version

[Valdis.Kletnieks () vt edu]

On Thu, 13 Jul 2006 11:28:53 EDT, Dude VanWinkle said:

> Setting up a protective "bubble" around a typical airport might cost
> $25 million to $30 million once enough systems were installed, said
> Mike McVey, vice president of directed energy systems at Northrop's
> Space Technology business unit.

Of course, any terrorist who isn't a *TOTAL* idiot will notice the
$30M in construction. ;)

Possible malfunctions:

1) It crispy-critters an incoming Cessna with a broken transponder.

2) While tracking something coming in low, its beam sweeps across 
a building or other "didn't want to do that" on a hillside a few
miles off.

A pilot friend checked the approaches for LAX, and as far as 10 nautical
miles out, plane on final approach is at around 3,500 feet (and 3 degree
slope rest of the way in, if you want to figure other distances). At 5nm,
you're at 1,900 feet.  A missle at 500 feet/sec is there in 4 seconds.

That's not a lot of time to get it right.  And if you only have a second or
two of beam time, it's gotta be high power.  Just the sort of thing you
don't want firing by itself in a metropolitan area. :)

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