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Antimissile battery deployed in Hakodate after N Korean missile tests

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A complete waste of time and resources, whose only benefit is to help the locals relax.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

Why? They won't use it.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Expensive lawn ornament.

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

I'm serious! Garden Gnomes are a much better idea. They can quickly be assembled, en masse, anywhere in the nation. And with their eyes it's more convincing that they are actually watching and tracking the rockets when they do little else besides. They're not a blight on public parks, and we all know the cost is next to nothing. The only real threat with using garden gnomes is that they might get stolen in school Sports Days in treasure hunt events gone wrong, or vandalised by people with no respect for lawn ornaments.

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

What's that about lightening striking twice in the same place? If they are to be effective, they need one of these batteries every 100k or so right around the whole country. Then, they need an early warning (like 20 minutes before launch) if they were to have any chance of intercepting an ICBM.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Lol slowly but surely we are realizing the grand nightmare. Hang onto your hats!!

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Propaganda nonsense.  Waste of time and money.  Except to try and further bolster Abe's image of a "war leader".

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

The manufacturers are probably very afraid that Japan will fire one and it will miss the target. That would put a great dent in their potential sales.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Ok so along with the system that keeps reminding everyone to take shelter and kids to get under a desk is going to do any good? Really and if at ground zero that is supposed to save those who do if they are in the blast zone? The crater of a nuke is about 1.4 kilometers, 3 to 5 times Hiroshima, and that doesn't even take into account the hot fire, the falling radioactive rain, etc....no this system while a forethought does not by any means ease my feelings of security.  In fact it makes us more of a target.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

I have to wonder how much actual research all you nay sayers have done on the anti-missle system?

7 ( +10 / -3 )

None, LFK.  don't need to.  Whole premise on which the need to wheel these out and publicise them is flawed.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Due to the fact that the Earth rotates clockwise (towards the west), any space bound rocket launched from North Korea will almost invariably cross over the Japanese peninsula at some point in it's ascent.

Say what? You didn't think that through very far did you.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

BB - I think the earth I'm on is going the other way round, towards the east (anti-clockwise looking down on the north pole).

Rockets intending to go into orbit benefit from the earth's rotation if they head eastwards (to the tune of 1000mph if launched near the equator, or less if at higher latitudes).

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Well, I for one will try to take a better picture of that thing when I get to Hakodate, next month. Although I can guarantee it won't be as nice as the autumn colour photos. Let's all take a deep breath and try to relax, which in itself is an impossibility with the threat of a very loud election coming. I think all that blaring hot air is more damaging to the psyche.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It's just in case of failure and it, or parts of it, are going to fall on Hokkaido. Otherwise it's not useful for much else. Better to do this than do nothing. Looks like common sense to me.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Burning Bush wrote:

Due to the fact that the Earth rotates clockwise (towards the west), any space bound rocket launched from North Korea will almost invariably cross over the Japanese peninsula at some point in it's ascent.

Lol, best comment ever. I guess everyone to the East of North Korea is safe then, because they can't fire rockets that direction.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Its incredible howbthat grass can withstand all the weight from these wheels without turning to soil

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Interfer with one on his tests by taking it out with one of those is like saying you want to play chicken with the next launch.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Will not be used. Yes, we know.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Looks about as effective as a Roman Candle fireworks.

Does anyone seriously think these things would ever work?

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Does anyone seriously think these things would ever work?

Yes they do work, as ALL military tech has to be tried and tested. It wasn't so long ago that all the nay sayers said the internet could never work and here we are today. The internet was an invention to allow the military to secretly communicate with each other.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Yes they do work, as ALL military tech has to be tried and tested. It wasn't so long ago that all the nay sayers said the internet could never work and here we are today. The internet was an invention to allow the military to secretly communicate with each other.

The invention of the internet is really not part of whether those missiles would work or not. You have some proof these can actually work? Remember, the missiles fly over Japan at a height of over 600km.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Today Patriot is on the front lines across the world, from South Korea and Taiwan to Turkey, Israel and Yemen. Israeli Patriot batteries have shot down three drones operated by Hamas and Syria. In addition, Saudi Patriot units have shot down missiles aimed at the country by Houthi rebels. Wary of North Korean ballistic missiles, Japan has deployed Patriot missiles to protect key locations, from downtown Tokyo to the distant Ryukyu Islands.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

All highly amusing. You can tell an election is coming. The buffoon abe wants to be seen to be doing something. But Japan will never dare actually use the PAC system as they would be too scared of Kim's reaction to his missile being shot down.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Yes it's all a show. Japan and all other countries can do precisely nothing about Kim and his games. Not if they don't want millions dead and most of Asia a smoldering ruin. So each time Kim sends a missile over Japan or anywhere we get the same speeches and indignation from our so called leaders. Really why don't they just make a CD and play it everytime? This PAC system is just more of the farce.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Ironword, Japan is not usong the PAC defense system for 3 reasons.

First it can only destroy its target when the missile is going to hit the area bearby because pac missiles are very limited, second since the missile is launched Xband radars know their course. And last if you destroy it Debris can kill anyone

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Because NHK revealed PAC3 was installed in four prefectures,, NK changed curved circle route on bottom of Hokkaido and missiles dropped into sea. JSDF revealed Japan created Agnes ASHORE PAC3. Cost? High maybe but Japan is not a poor country. Creating in Japan is cheaper. If you missed explanation of How PAC3 works, explanations were one side of PAC3 sensor detects movement of missile in the sky ,, other side shoot up something to coat missile and together they target to nearest sea.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The anti missile systems could prove to be effective depending on the missile trajectory and altitude when the strike is made (or attempted).

Jim Mattis gave a good explanation (at least for public consumption) as to why the U.S. is not shooting down or attempting to shoot down these missiles.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/united-states-jim-mattis-no-need-shoot-down-north-korea-missiles-japan/

I also have other (highly speculative) thoughts on the matter related to our ability to gather intelligence and also our exercising restraint so as not to demonstrate this technology for North Korea to observe and learn from.

It is interesting that some posters here refuse to believe that NK is the provocateur in this case either due to some type of cognitive dissonance or just a disdain for the U.S. and Japanese leadership.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The Patriot anti-missile was first developed in 1984 with its first Non-Controversial kill in 2004 when two of them managed to shoot down a SCUD flying into Israel. They were used during the first Gulf War in 1991 but their efficiency is being questioned.

They are designed to shoot down things like the SCUD, a cruise missile with limited range that can be aimed and flown like a drone, not ICBMs.

The Patriot Advanced Capability-3 has a range of 35-70 km and can reach an altitude of 80,000 feet (24,000 m).

What needs to be known is how fast can a Patriot crew detect a missile, lock on to it by radar, get the Patriot missile to fire, track, and destroy the incoming missile. If it is more than eight minutes, heaven help us.

Please note, the Israeli Self-Defense Force has shot down maybe two SCUDS and two manned aircraft using the PAC system. In decades of use.

Efficiency: by US Military 80-90% efficient

By US Government Accounting Office: 9%

By Israel Defense Force: 2%

Ratheon doesn't release efficiency figures and they make them.

http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/patriot/

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/war_stories/2003/03/patriot_games.html

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Awesome news! Finally some movement to prepare for a proper defense of populated areas.

Hilarious and disturbing to still see so many bitter minimum wage English teachers on here hoping that Japan doesn't protect itself by deploying advanced anti-missile batteries.. Why are they even here?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

a range of roughly several dozen kilometers

several dozens sounds like eggs.

PAC-3 batteries

how much do they cost, they don't work and who profits from their manufacture?

The crater of a nuke is about 1.4 kilometers

umm, i think you don't understand how hydrogen bombs work, and how nukes have developed in the last 72 years. the crater will be at least 20km, and if i was a fat crazy bst NK boss, i would send 10 at the same time as only 3 can maybe intercepted. plus, blowing up nukes just above tokyo?wtf?

What needs to be known is how fast can a Patriot crew detect a missile, lock on to it by radar, get the Patriot missile to fire, track, and destroy the incoming missile. If it is more than eight minutes, heaven help us.

i believe the reaction time and using all three systems is 6 minutes for tokyo. 3minutes for seoul, and 25 minutes for mainland usa.

@marcilito. yoh the smartest. abe wants to be dear leader for ever. the guy was the first to brown mouth trump.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

how much do they cost, they don't work and who profits from their manufacture?

3 ~ 6 million US dollars and Raytheon.

The reaction time is six minutes but is that the Required time or how quickly a soldier can determine whether to launch the missile or not?

Here is the scenario I see:

NK launches a missile.

The Jietai determines its flight path. Someone (probably not Abe) has to decide to shoot it down or not.

If yes, shoot it down, the Jietai soldier has to press a button (assuming the PAC 3 radar is locked on to the missile.). If the missile is out of range (too high, too far away) what does PAC-3 do?

How long does it take from NK's launch to the Kill Order and launch of PAC-3? What is the flight time of an ICBM from NK to Tokyo? Which is longer?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

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