The poker game continues in the latest satillite shootdown

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

The US wanted to flex some muscle. It worked.

Hardly. Try the cats out of the bag. This was the lesser of two evils in their book. The US would rather keep things secret. They never want to flex their muscle.

-S

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Hardly. Try the cats out of the bag. This was the lesser of two evils in their book. The US would rather keep things secret. They never want to flex their muscle.

-S

This was untested. This was a perfect way to test the rocket all be it "the cat is out of bag" as it were. This was a risk they were willing to take. Once done, muscle was flexed.

[baggygreen]

I have no doubt it was a case of "see, this will happen to your satellites etc if we dont like you any more"

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by baggygreen

I have no doubt it was a case of "see, this will happen to your satellites etc if we dont like you any more"

Hardly. They already know that we posses that capability with our ABM's station in AK and CA. What it does show is that even our SM3's have that capability too. That I was guessing was wanted to keep secret since Russia's stance on defeating this technology relied on a fast boost to orbit technology to get out of range quickly - problem is now they know that orbit is not out of reach of the SM3's, so I doubt Russia is too happy about this at all.

-S

[baggygreen]

Yeh ok, i wont argue too much with that.

I think the timing may've [played a part too, tho. You've got news about india making their own slbms, the latest article this morning stating that iran may well be closer than people are happy to believe to having nukes, chinas continuing growth and russias resurgence..

i think the fact they chose to take it out now has a bit more to it than first appears.

feel free to put me back in my box

[RickC Sniper]

Typical USA. China whines about the missle shoot, so we offer them free technical data.

Why don't we just tell them to go to blazes instead?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23280280/

"Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday the United States is prepared to share with China some of the information it has about the U.S. shootdown of a spy satellite.
His comments came hours after Beijing complained the missile strike Wednesday could cause harm to security in outer space and some countries."

[SUBMAN1]

Well they did release video footage of the actual mission, so what more do they want?

Here is is if you care to watch:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=71c_1203596547&p=1

Is it me, or does an SM block 3 accelerate like a bat out of hell?

-S

[DeepIron]

I have no doubt it was a case of "see, this will happen to your satellites etc if we dont like you any more"

"Fire at will."...