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ICBM launches are detected via satellite primarily based on the extraordinary infrared output of a powerful rocket motor. A "stealth" ICBM would not really get

ICBM launches are detected via satellite primarily based on the extraordinary infrared output of a powerful rocket motor. A "stealth" ICBM would not really get you much, would it?

CharlesColeman 7y ago
> A "stealth" ICBM would not really get you much, would it? Stealth may help avoid interception during the midcourse phase, though: https://media.nti.org/pdfs/10_5.pdf https://media.nti.org/pdfs/10_5.pdf: > Midcourse Phase – “Largest Intercept Window” > The midcourse phase allows the largest opportunity to intercept an incoming missile. At this point the missile is no longer under power, so it follows a more predictable path. Depending on the interceptor launch location, multiple interceptors could be launched, with a delay between them to see if the first ones were successful. Since the interceptor has a longer time to engage, fewer interceptor sites are needed to defend larger areas. > Unfortunately, a longer period in space provides an attacking missile the opportunity to deploy countermeasures against a defensive system. However the defensive system also has more time to observe and discriminate countermeasures from the warhead. But I think you're right that it a stealth ICBM wouldn't achieve as much as one would naively assume, and boost-phase detection would still invite retaliation.
- justin66 7y ago
  When it comes to clever hypothetical changes to ICBMs, I remember one of the options floated late in the cold war was using a highly reflective coating that would hopefully ameliorate the effects of lasers (since we were taking interdiction with high-powered lasers more seriously then). I bring it up because I'm pretty sure it would be at cross purposes with a stealth coating. I bet that given sufficient satellite coverage and image processing, ICBMs might remain visible throughout most of their flight, making radar stealth a moot point. I hope the world will not go too far down the road of building out measures and countermeasures to update our nuclear weapons systems, but I think you'd have to add that possibility to the long list of possible countermeasures when doing your planning.

ICBM launches are detected via satellite primarily based on the extraordinary infrared output of a powerful rocket motor. A "stealth" ICBM would not really get you much, would it?

CharlesColeman 7y ago

> A "stealth" ICBM would not really get you much, would it? Stealth may help avoid interception during the midcourse phase, though: https://media.nti.org/pdfs/10_5.pdf https://media.nti.org/pdfs/10_5.pdf: > Midcourse Phase – “Largest Intercept Window” > The midcourse phase allows the largest opportunity to intercept an incoming missile. At this point the missile is no longer under power, so it follows a more predictable path. Depending on the interceptor launch location, multiple interceptors could be launched, with a delay between them to see if the first ones were successful. Since the interceptor has a longer time to engage, fewer interceptor sites are needed to defend larger areas. > Unfortunately, a longer period in space provides an attacking missile the opportunity to deploy countermeasures against a defensive system. However the defensive system also has more time to observe and discriminate countermeasures from the warhead. But I think you're right that it a stealth ICBM wouldn't achieve as much as one would naively assume, and boost-phase detection would still invite retaliation.

justin66 7y ago
When it comes to clever hypothetical changes to ICBMs, I remember one of the options floated late in the cold war was using a highly reflective coating that would hopefully ameliorate the effects of lasers (since we were taking interdiction with high-powered lasers more seriously then). I bring it up because I'm pretty sure it would be at cross purposes with a stealth coating. I bet that given sufficient satellite coverage and image processing, ICBMs might remain visible throughout most of their flight, making radar stealth a moot point. I hope the world will not go too far down the road of building out measures and countermeasures to update our nuclear weapons systems, but I think you'd have to add that possibility to the long list of possible countermeasures when doing your planning.