| Submit your comments on this article |
| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Peacenik Skor Suddenly Decides It Wants ABMs Yesterday |
| 2006-07-03 |
| South Korea is seeking to buy 48 sophisticated defensive missiles from the United States and install them in the country's Ageis-equipped KDX-III destroyers, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said Monday. According to a DAPA spokesman, negotiations are underway to buy the Raytheon Systems' SM-2 Block IIB Tactical missiles in a deal worth some $111 million. SM-2 missiles are effective against cruise and airborne missiles and for striking aircraft. The Navy has built three 3,000 ton-class KDX-I destroyers and five 4,000 ton-class KDX-II destroyers. It plans to build one more KDX-II this October. Three 7,000 ton-class KDX-III vessels, planned for launching by 2012, are expected to have the new missiles installed as the primary defensive system for anti-missile ship protection, a Navy spokesperson said. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #8 Dubya, etal. know any US defeat or retreat unto isolationism > will be interpreted by Amer's enemies as de facto loss of US power-influence, regional andor global, which in turn means the clock is ticking for when hostile, enemy armies will show up in CONUS's backyards and main streets, ergo better "over there" than over here, both for America + Allies. Amer enemies > WOT is FOR CONTROL OF THE WORLD vv first defeating, suborning, or destroying hyperpower Clintonian Fascist-Nazi = HalfCommunist, Federalist = Centralist-Socialist, Libertarian = Totalitarian, etal, Democratic America = Socialist-[Pre/Pseudo]Communist Amerika. Will say again the irony for the Koreas here is that any surreal Norkie missle may be North Korea's only viable opportunity to break free from the iron grip of Communist China and Beijing, before China begins to exert itself militarily agz America in the Asia-Pacific region. IFF THE COMMIES HOPE TO PAR OR SURPASS AMERICA BY 2050, THEIR ONLY REALISTIC OPTIONS IS MASSIVE NATIONAL LIBERALIZATION [IMPLOSION?], VS. DE FACTO WAR AGAINST AMERICA. TO MAKE AMERICA AS WEAK AS THEY ARE. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-07-03 23:44 |
| #7 SM-2s are primarily anti-air and anti-anti-ship and anti-ship missiles. Though they probably have a rudimentary anti-missile capability able to intercept shorter ranged BMs like the SCUD variants that NK would fire at SK. SM-2 Block IVs are the theater level anti-missile variant. SM-3 are exoatmospheric (100+ miles high) hit to kill missiles designed for theater and above missiles, like the No Dongs or TD-1&2. Some models of the Aegis radars need only software upgrades while other smaller models do not have the capability to track theater level ballistic missiles. I don't know which models SK bought, but it is a moot point for them, since NK missiles will enter SK from overland and land based ABM systems are required. The Skors already operate SM-2 Block IIIA (the SKors are buying Block IIIB, not IIB) and together are enough for the anti-air role. So SK is suddenly in the market for Patriot PAC-3s. They figured out that US PAC-2 and PAC-3s are there to protect US assets and protection of Korean cities is incidental. With the consolidation of US forces to the south, the SKors realized their forces (and Seoul, not that it really matters) will be without Patriot protection. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-07-03 16:21 |
| #6 This should be a definite turn down. If they want to be under the umbrella, they should pay for the period covered. Whether to us or the Japanese is immaterial. We should not give them this weapon or, probably any others. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-03 16:19 |
| #5 Har har har! Flashback a few years when President Bush pulled the US out of the ABM treaty so they could get to work on this project. Remember all the whining, crying, seething, etc? I've heard less and less of that over the years since then. And even less from the MSM. Neener neener. Gloat. |
| Posted by: grb 2006-07-03 15:47 |
| #4 Thanks 6. I had understood the SM-2 to be a more theater-type ABM system and when I first read this I thought, 'wow, that's one serious upgrade!' Now I understand better. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2006-07-03 13:37 |
| #3 Doc I think it's unlikely that the TD-2 would be aimmed against SK. The SM-2 would have little chance against it but that's beside the point, the SM-2 is aimed at theatre ballistic missiles, and it's supposed to be pretty solid. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-07-03 13:14 |
| #2 Getting nervous? |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2006-07-03 10:59 |
| #1 Will a Standard-2 shoot down a Taepodong-2? I'm assuming taht the Aegis-equipped Korean destroyer has some variant of the SPY radar .... |
| Posted by: Steve White 2006-07-03 10:48 |