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Drones as missle defense?
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Spaceflight Participant ![]() ![]()
Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 9:01 pm
Posts: 75 ![]() |
I wonder if anyone has thought about using drones as a missile defense network. They could be equipped with E.M.P. rockets , air to air missiles lasers or maybe a combination of defense systems or drones types.
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Spaceflight Participant ![]() ![]()
Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 9:01 pm
Posts: 75 ![]() |
....ok this has nothing to do with space lol
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Spaceflight Participant ![]() ![]()
Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2013 6:31 pm
Posts: 55 Location: Minnesota ![]() |
I don't know, I can see a couple of connections to space...
1. These drones would communicate via satellite 2. The missiles they would intercept would likely be dropping from space (ballistic missiles typically travel on a trajectory that takes them through space). ![]() To answer your question, though, I had always imagined land based (or ship based) interceptors, but I can see how the drone idea has merit. For one thing, they could be directed on very short notice to specific regions where threats were likely to emerge. A land based system is pretty much stuck wherever you build it. _________________ The most promising new channel on YouTube: FargoFX (in my totally dispassionate and thoroughly objective opinion.) |
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Moon Mission Member ![]() ![]()
Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:15 pm
Posts: 1050 Location: Columbus, GA USA ![]() |
Unless they are in space...
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Space Station Member ![]() ![]()
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:40 am
Posts: 476 Location: California and Michigan ![]() |
A "focused cluster laser" or mass "slug" would be much more effective...
missiles have a heat trail, and send out radar or use passive guidance that can be jammed by duplicating it's frequency and sending junk, _________________ Let not the bindings of society hold you back from improving it.... the masses follow where the bold explore. |
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Spaceflight Enthusiast ![]() ![]()
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 2:16 am
Posts: 2 ![]() |
I'm sure the U.S Military has this as a plan
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Moon Mission Member ![]() ![]()
Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:15 pm
Posts: 1050 Location: Columbus, GA USA ![]() |
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Space Station Commander ![]() ![]()
Joined: Mon May 31, 2004 9:47 pm
Posts: 827 Location: Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) - capital of Israel! ![]() |
The only practical ballistic missile defense system that is in active service, is the Israeli Arrow anti missile missile. Drones could be of use, though, in detecting and examining the incoming missile - especially to figure out if the payload is a nuke.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_%28Israeli_missile%29 _________________ “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” -Anonymous |
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Space Station Commander ![]() ![]()
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 7:44 am
Posts: 707 Location: Haarlem, The Netherlands ![]() |
Actually, the Patriot missile system, although originally designed for use against aircraft, can also shoot down ballistic missiles. It didn't do so well in the first Gulf War because the software was not designed for anti missile use, but AFAIK that's been fixed now. It's in service with several countries, although not currently in active use I think.
I'm not sure what a drone would add over a ground-based launch site for anti-missile missiles, unless it can hover over enemy territory, detect the launch, and shoot down the missile shortly after it's airborne. That would be really useful, but I don't see such a thing entering North Korean airspace undetected and unchallenged. It would be big and not very stealthy... _________________ Say, can you feel the thunder in the air? Just like the moment ’fore it hits – then it’s everywhere What is this spell we’re under, do you care? The might to rise above it is now within your sphere Machinae Supremacy – Sid Icarus |
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Spaceflight Participant ![]() ![]()
Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2013 6:31 pm
Posts: 55 Location: Minnesota ![]() |
Early detection and target discrimination are two roles the drone should be well suited for. But I will admit that lugging around the actual interceptor hardware seems a little impractical. Still, I like the idea of the rapid mobility... always a plus when you're trying to stay ahead of the bad guys.
I suppose we either need drastically larger and heavier drones, or smaller and lighter hardware... the latter being vastly preferable. As noted by JamesG above, a space-based anti-ballistic network would solve virtually all of the problems. I wonder if anybody has done a cost analysis of something like that in the last few years. I know it's the type of thing people discussed in the 1970s and 80s, but I haven't heard anything lately. Seems to me there'd be some major diplomatic hurdles as well... something about putting weapons in space? Kind of silly how any dictator with a ballistic missile can put a weapon in space temporarily (on it's way to kill people indiscriminately), but we'd have a terrible time negotiating to put up a system designed to shield against such an attack. _________________ The most promising new channel on YouTube: FargoFX (in my totally dispassionate and thoroughly objective opinion.) |
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Space Station Commander ![]() ![]()
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 7:44 am
Posts: 707 Location: Haarlem, The Netherlands ![]() |
I was thinking about this thing actually. It exists, although it's a manned aeroplane, not a drone.
_________________ Say, can you feel the thunder in the air? Just like the moment ’fore it hits – then it’s everywhere What is this spell we’re under, do you care? The might to rise above it is now within your sphere Machinae Supremacy – Sid Icarus |
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Space Station Commander ![]() ![]()
Joined: Mon May 31, 2004 9:47 pm
Posts: 827 Location: Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) - capital of Israel! ![]() |
Lourens wrote: Actually, the Patriot missile system, although originally designed for use against aircraft, can also shoot down ballistic missiles. It didn't do so well in the first Gulf War because the software was not designed for anti missile use, but AFAIK that's been fixed now. It's in service with several countries, although not currently in active use I think. I'm not sure what a drone would add over a ground-based launch site for anti-missile missiles, unless it can hover over enemy territory, detect the launch, and shoot down the missile shortly after it's airborne. That would be really useful, but I don't see such a thing entering North Korean airspace undetected and unchallenged. It would be big and not very stealthy... Yeah, you're right all though the Patriot missile system was created as an antiaircraft missile, and then took on a anti missile role. The US Navy's Aegis system also can be used against missiles. The Arrow system is the only one in the world that was purpose built to defend against ballistic missiles, an in active service (there have been defense systems in the cold war based on nuking incoming missiles - just another reason to be glad the cold war is over). _________________ “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” -Anonymous |
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Spaceflight Participant ![]() ![]()
Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2013 6:31 pm
Posts: 55 Location: Minnesota ![]() |
Lourens wrote: I was thinking about this thing actually. It exists, although it's a manned aeroplane, not a drone. Wow! Nice post. It's funny how you can go for months and months with no idea what you want for your birthday and then suddenly... there it is! Attachment: Yl1.jpg You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post. _________________ The most promising new channel on YouTube: FargoFX (in my totally dispassionate and thoroughly objective opinion.) |
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Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:40 am
Posts: 476 Location: California and Michigan ![]() |
Having 400 small lasers that focus on a tiny point would be better
![]() Laser bloom is great for Zeropto but not so good for shooting things, _________________ Let not the bindings of society hold you back from improving it.... the masses follow where the bold explore. |
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Spaceflight Participant ![]() ![]()
Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2013 6:31 pm
Posts: 55 Location: Minnesota ![]() |
Sigma wrote: Having 400 small lasers that focus on a tiny point would be better ![]() Laser bloom is great for Zeropto but not so good for shooting things, Wikipedia wrote: On February 11, 2010 in a test at Point Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center-Weapons Division Sea Range off the central California coast, the system successfully destroyed a liquid-fuel boosting ballistic missile. Less than an hour after that first missile had been destroyed, a second missile—a solid-fuel design—had, as announced by the MDA, been "successfully engaged"... If the ABL achieves its design goals, it could destroy liquid-fueled ICBMs up to 600 km away. Tougher solid-fueled ICBM destruction range would likely be limited to 300 km, too short to be useful in many scenarios, according to a 2003 report by the American Physical Society on National Missile Defense... The main laser, located in a turret on the aircraft nose, is fired for 3 to 5 seconds, causing the missile to break up in flight near the launch area. The ABL is not designed to intercept TBMs in the terminal, or descending, flight phase. Thus, the ABL must be within a few hundred kilometers of the missile launch point. All of this occurs in approximately 8 to 12 seconds[22] _________________ The most promising new channel on YouTube: FargoFX (in my totally dispassionate and thoroughly objective opinion.) |
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