Yeager is right the shield is for a rouge nation launching a couple of ICBMs
Yes they have had Succesfull tests and and more than a few failures
The ABL (airborn laser) is a great system being tested but it is for "THEATER DEFFENSE" not national IE keeping ground forces from being hit with short/medium range chemical weapons and tactical nukes.
The missle shield is NOT a patriot system it is a highly integrated network of ground air and sea launched weapons systems guided by many ground and airborn radar tracking systems.
Uhhh . . . the "shield" is already useless. Remember the tests when they couldnt hit the incoming missle unless it had a homing beacon on it?
It is just a mishmash of patriot missle type elements that were hastily deployed. Frankly I havent heard much about it since 9-11
sorry strk this just screams HATE bush ignorance.