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2005-11-10 Science & Technology

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Posted by DanNY 2005-11-10 05:04|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Kudos to Lockheed to putting their own money and effort into starting to defend our population centers. I have thought this is how the US will be attacked, using a fleet of container ships parked outside the 12 mile limit with cruise or small missiles such as an ATACMS class (13 feet long, 180 miles, 500 pound warhead) and the US could not do a thing about. The attacker would even have a measure of deniability.

Now, if only we can begin to think about air defense for our cities.

Posted by ed 2005-11-10 09:15|| 2005-11-10 09:15|| Front Page Top

#2 Used to have Nike Herc air defense missile sites back in the 60s and early 70s which covered major metropolitan areas like LA, SF, Chicago, NY, Boston, Washington, etc. All phased out. The land is still probably in federal hands for reuse, though I'd move the old SF unit up to Seattle to cover the Boeing plants rather than waste it on the Bay area. To make Rummey happy, these could be manned by NG rather than regulars so he doesn't have to worry his pretty head about manpower issues.

Posted by Greregum Phomong6307 2005-11-10 09:23|| 2005-11-10 09:23|| Front Page Top

#3 A battery or two of Patriot missles at Fort Tilden in the Rockaways should cover NYC. Most of the old infrastructure still exists.

Dunno how safe the commercial air traffic would be in an engagement though.

Posted by DanNY 2005-11-10 09:37|| 2005-11-10 09:37|| Front Page Top

#4 Two points: the US Coast Guard quietly got approval for far-at-sea-off-coast searches of suspicious vessels a while back; and second, Germany just signed a contract with Iran to provide them with four large cargo ships.

Since we have invested a LOT of money in layered anti-missile defense against NORK, it would be foolish to let a launch ship through those defenses. There are a lot of old, grizzled US Navy sailors, and they pretty much spend their time contemplating things like this.

Posted by Anonymoose 2005-11-10 09:42|| 2005-11-10 09:42|| Front Page Top

#5 leave the SF bay area unprotected - they don't want the awful burden of security

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2005-11-10 10:27|| 2005-11-10 10:27|| Front Page Top

#6 If it's a SCUD, we should be safe - unless they aim for Canada, of course.

Posted by BH 2005-11-10 10:44|| 2005-11-10 10:44|| Front Page Top

#7 For those of you interested in these things, the Coast Guard runs Maritime Fusion Intelligence Centers in Alameda, CA and Dam Neck, VA to track worldwide merchant ship traffic. They are impressive operations, and it's not as easy for the tramp steamer to just pop up and fire as many think. Also, there's nothing magical about the 12 NM limit. We'll stop a ship in the middle of the Pacific if need be.

The Atlantic MIFC's website is: HTTP://www.uscg.mil/lantarea/mifclant

Posted by Dreadnought 2005-11-10 11:35|| 2005-11-10 11:35|| Front Page Top

#8 though I'd move the old SF unit up to Seattle to cover the Boeing plants rather than waste it on the Bay area.

That 'unit' and another like it located at Fort Meade Md, were inactivated in the mid-90's. Pentagon/SOF planners believed at that time that additional unconvential warfare resources were no longer required. The term 'assymmetric warfare' was just beginning to be used.

Posted by Besoeker 2005-11-10 14:15|| 2005-11-10 14:15|| Front Page Top

#9 USNORTHCOM: one of Rumsfeld's achievements which flies under most people's radar. Defending CONUS now has a central, joint command structure that isn't also worrying about other areas of the globe. The question is, of course, what forces will be moved under NORTHCOM when needed -- or are quietly operating already.

Posted by lotp 2005-11-10 15:13|| 2005-11-10 15:13|| Front Page Top

#10 San Francisco might be better protected than you think. They have a National Historic site Nike base there. The "volunteers" last I heard were trying to get the radars operational again. Always they are looking for volunteers, see: http://www.nps.gov/goga/nike/maps.htm

Posted by bruce 2005-11-10 15:58|| 2005-11-10 15:58|| Front Page Top

#11 New toys for the rocket scientists? Have fun, bruce!

Posted by trailing wife 2005-11-10 22:05|| 2005-11-10 22:05|| Front Page Top

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