Eugene Leitl wrote:
>
> Doug Jones writes:
>
> > One problem with metallized solid propellants for tactical missiles is
> > "signature"- they burn *damn* hot and have a very bright plume (consider
>
> Yes, all the hot metal oxide grains in the exhaust, which radiate like
> blackbody (~T^4), in contrast to H2/O2 which take much longer to cool,
> distributing the signature over time and space.
>
> > the shuttle SRBs). This serves to warn the target that you've just
> > launched, enabling him to take countermeasures. A major focus in new
> > hypervelocity missile developement is low-observable propulsion, which
> > has a purely gaseous exhaust with low luminosity.
>
> Little good it will do, if the target disintegrates into few warheads
> and many hundred decoys before reentry. Knowing It's Coming will be
> all there is. Duck, and cover?
>
> Afaik, there are no means to terminate stuff while still in the burn
> phase, spaceborn lasers, brilliant pebbles, and whatnot.
Oh, I was discussing *tactical* missiles, like antiaircraft and
antiarmor weapons. These typically have active seekers (often IR) which
can be jammed by flares and (low power) lasers. These missiles can be
defeated without being destroyed, since with conventional explosives, "a
miss is as good as a mile." This obviously doesn't apply to NBC
warheads.
-- Doug Jones Rocket Plumber, XCOR Aerospace http://www.xcor-aerospace.com
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