Troubled world full of missiles
Cameron Miller woefully failed to deliver the goods on the Peacekeeper missile in his Oct. 14 column.
This system was tested four times at Vandenberg AFB from July through September in order to collect data for an upgraded system, a refurbished Minuteman III that will carry one 600-pound nuclear weapon. The refurbished Minuteman IIIs will have improved guidance system reliability, and will be contained in the existing 500 silos placed throughout the Midwest.
The upgraded Minuteman III is expected to remain in service until 2020, at which point it will be replaced by a new missile design. The range is expected to be about 10,000 kilometers.
Our friend Russia has also worked to improved ICBM's precision and lethality. On Sept. 27 of this year, Russia launched the first test flight of the new Bulava ballistic missile, which it claims is capable of evading our ground-based midcourse missile defense and is equipped with hypersonic maneuverable warheads.
Other nations, too, continue to test missiles as we increasingly become a troubled world riddled with missile weapons. We may be at a dangerous point in our civilization. Don't worry, though. Relax, grab a bag of popcorn, and pop the movie “The Day After” in your video/DVD player. Warning: You may not be able to sleep.
Sheila Baker
San Luis Obispo
http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2005/10/21/sections/opinion/letters.txt
This system was tested four times at Vandenberg AFB from July through September in order to collect data for an upgraded system, a refurbished Minuteman III that will carry one 600-pound nuclear weapon. The refurbished Minuteman IIIs will have improved guidance system reliability, and will be contained in the existing 500 silos placed throughout the Midwest.
The upgraded Minuteman III is expected to remain in service until 2020, at which point it will be replaced by a new missile design. The range is expected to be about 10,000 kilometers.
Our friend Russia has also worked to improved ICBM's precision and lethality. On Sept. 27 of this year, Russia launched the first test flight of the new Bulava ballistic missile, which it claims is capable of evading our ground-based midcourse missile defense and is equipped with hypersonic maneuverable warheads.
Other nations, too, continue to test missiles as we increasingly become a troubled world riddled with missile weapons. We may be at a dangerous point in our civilization. Don't worry, though. Relax, grab a bag of popcorn, and pop the movie “The Day After” in your video/DVD player. Warning: You may not be able to sleep.
Sheila Baker
San Luis Obispo
http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2005/10/21/sections/opinion/letters.txt
Starmail - 27. Okt, 15:22
