>Boost phase lasers need to be close to target Sure, but that doesn't mean that they don't exist. Im just saying technology was proven to work, and could exist

>Boost phase lasers need to be close to target Sure, but that doesn't mean that they don't exist. Im just saying technology was proven to work, and could exist in some form and way even if its not the primary defense method. There is a possibility of Aurora existing (i.e the current gen SR71) that can catch up to a missile and hit it with a laser. >That much tungsten weighs 34 tons. Yes, but a smaller 5 ton one can still do a shitload of damage to the target. And flight paths of a VERY streamlined object reentering atmosphere hypersonically are pretty predictable, you don't need fancy guidance (keep in mind there is technology to do guidance on a bullet fired out of a gun that exists today) . A smaller one would not look like a nuke at all, it would just be a localized explosion, with a delivery method that is hard to detect/intercept. >They don't use GPS, they are inertially guided. I may be wrong but I think the first stage prior to deployment still uses GPS to set the trajectory accurately, after separation of first stage its all inertial guidance. >Warheads are designed to have nuclear explosion go off next to them, Warheads yes, delivery vehicles no.