Originally posted by lasersailor184
http://www.reuters.com/printerFriendlyPopup.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=4398292
Obviously they haven't heard about the new laser / high power vulcan system.
;-) Maybe you never heard, but there is no counter-missile system wich can stop multy-parted warhead with 10-more blocks. Nor in USA, nor in Russia. For USA, such declarations mean - "We need more money!" (c) USA Army. For Russia it means - "We need to enter into service the systems of second echelone. The first echelone need repairs." (c) Ministery of Defence RF.
Actually, all counter-missile systems have so called "Invasion" parameter. It means in percents, how much warheads will through the system. For all known systems it's about 7%-10%. This is because there is no absolutely granted choice to intercept missile on ballistic (inactive) trajectory. There is no absolutely correct algorytmes to intercept warheads on entrance, and so on. Here you must add all known and possible failures. Including human factor.
The facts are: all of the time when you or we are creating new counter-missile system, somewhere is creating another one system to through it. This way we went at times of the "Cold War". But this is the way of progress. If somebody created a thing, somebody will do it better.
BTW, I saw on TV the USA missile tests. Very bad. 3 starts and no one intercept. Do you really call it "The System of Centure XXI"?
