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© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Seoul, Tokyo vow to shoot down any N Korean rocket debris
By HYUNG-JIN KIM SEOUL©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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noriyosan73
Remember-Japan must wait according to the Constitution until the rocket or missile, including the debris,is directly above the boundaries of the column of air around Japan as outlined on a map by the lines on the international map. What does that really mean? Self Defense Forces can do nothing. Buy a construction grade, yellow hard hat!
turbotsat
The debris doesn't seem likely to "evaporate"
The Buk missile that took down the Malaysian airliner generates a cloud of shrapnel. Wikipedia says PAC-2 uses a fragmentation blast like the Buk, and PAC-3 and THAAD are kinetic kill vehicles, they will blast through the target with a solid warhead, like a bullet. The scenario in the wikipedia page for the PAC-3 has two missiles going up, the first to kill the incoming missile and the second to take out a falling warhead from the killed missile.
But not blasted to atoms, for any of them. The junk is still going to fall.
Matthew Harding
Shooting down a jettisoned stage of a rocket falling from the sky with a surface to air missile is a bit more of a challenge that hitting a duck with a 20-gauge. This is why the U.S military has not bothered to pursue the ABM system purposed for defending the West Coast of the U.S. - about a reliable as an NYC street corner Rolex.
Sorry if I messed up the quote thing, I'm still getting the hang of this website formatting. But Jeff, is it really fair to compare Aegis anti missile defense technology with a shotgun? One is a sophisticated tracking system which has is capable of hitting multiple missiles in mid air approaching from multiple locations, whereas a shotgun is more of a "spray and pray" if you will. If anything is going to hit that dud North Korea is putting up in the sky, my money would be on the Aegis equipped ships and the aircrafts. Isn't it better than just watching it fall on your country anyway?
Star-viking
Gobshite
It's not a really accurate sentence, instead of debris they should have written "parts of the missile", and instead of "falls" they should have written "on course for".
The first stage of the missile is powered by red fuming nitric acid and kerosene, the second stage is a bit more mysterious, but the propellants are probably toxic.
Even when the rocket engines stop, there is still a considerable amount of fuel in the rockets: If a stage came down in an inhabited area, it could be as bad as a chemical warfare attack.
Graham DeShazo
Boy, That'll send a strong message. Since the North is violating U.N. resolutions, why not just shoot down the missle? That would send a much stronger message and I think it highly unlikely that Kim-boy would risk a war that he would surely lose.
Yubaru
Why not? Someday I would hope that you will realize that life isn't about whether or not people agree with you all the time. Be satisfied that people at least had the courtesy to read your post. If you are looking for love or instant gratification I would suggest visiting a soapland, less hassle, relieves stress, and as a bonus you get a shower too!
shonanbb
I got 14 thumbs down for saying yesterday to blow it out of the sky. Why?
Seems like everyone is agreeing with me now.
Jeff Huffman
Wc626FEB. 05, 2016 - 12:33AM JST . . . LoL. & Some JT posters say China are NOT Communists.
Well, that would be the case because PRC ceased to be communist in the 1980s when they decided to create a state capitalist economy and allow a gradual increase in private equity, private property, etc., etc.
Why is it that people poorly versed in political science conflate state monopolies and control authoritarianism with economic systems? Except for a fixation on Jews (though I suppose one could substitute the modest Christian population), how different are what Germany became on the eve of WWII and how Mainland China has evolved? How different today is Mainland China from Saudi Arabia or Egypt?
I'll give you a hint, no appreciable difference except, maybe, alcohol being legal in China.
Yubaru
And rightfully so. when it's one's own ass in the line of fire anything that can help protect you is appreciated. Even the Okinawan people get pretty damn quiet about Futenma, the Osprey's etc, when Kim Chan, or the Chinese ratchet up activity in the area.
Jeff Huffman
Matthew HardingFEB. 04, 2016 - 08:17PM JST I imagine there will be no debris left after they hit it with some anti air missiles. Everything will just evaporate so to speak.
Shooting down a jettisoned stage of a rocket falling from the sky with a surface to air missile is a bit more of a challenge that hitting a duck with a 20-gauge. This is why the U.S military has not bothered to pursue the ABM system purposed for defending the West Coast of the U.S. - about a reliable as an NYC street corner Rolex.
ThePBot
Who is going to shoot down the debris from shooting the debris?
turbotsat
To shoot down a fairing.
mukashiyokatta
We have heard this before -- it never happens.
Rik314
You want a stage of a rocket falling on your house or postage stamp sized fragments? It (debris thing) won't happen anyway. It's all an exercise for both sides to show what they COULD do? US/Japan/Sth Korea see what Nth Korea do to get prepped, Nth Korea and a giggling China see what Sth Korea and Japan do to get prepped. If the Kim Family ever get a rocket and nuc worked out, do you really think China and the US would let it get far? The US is safe. They are not going to let one off 90 km from home. Japan has a right to be nervous, though.
Wc626
@AsianGaijin. That would be nice. But the reality is that their comradeship is based upon . . . well -Communism. Their cornerstone foundation. China wouldn't blast it after it leaves the launch pad, no way n' hell.
. . . LoL. & Some JT posters say China are NOT Communists.
AsianGaijinYesWeExist
China should just blow it to pieces minutes after it leaves the launch pad. What's Kim going to do? Throw a hissy fit maybe.
bjohnson23
Too much talk and time for action. China flexed its' muscle, Russia flexed theirs meanwhile Obama who is in charge of our ally gives Japan more hot air. Forget the shrapnel and ignore the outcry by other countries. Japan can do the world a favor by doing more than shooting down few worthless junk parts.
Wc626
A little muscle-flexing by JPN-SK, hey I kinda' like that. The north koreans have been firing rodongs here & there over the years like its their own private 4th of July. Its about time JPN-SK start pressing red buttons too. I doubt the north koreans are quaking n' their boots though.
Tessa
Nice to see them united on something.
WA4TKG
YEAH, (so said / says Yubaru) WE in Okinawa care, shoot that mo' fo' DOWN:
Matthew Harding
I imagine there will be no debris left after they hit it with some anti air missiles. Everything will just evaporate so to speak.
Yubaru
It matters to the people in the path of the debris, which once again will be over and near Okinawa through to the Sakishima and Yaeyama Islands.
browny1
Smithy - I was just wondering the same. Who's going to shoot down the debris from the anti - missile debris?
smithinjapan
And anyway, won't shooting debris just create more debris?
Ronald Hassem
how would we know if they shot the debri down.if they miss will it float away?
smithinjapan
Shooting down debris is a pretty big about face from shooting down the rocket itself.
descendent
They have to say something to not appear as powerless as they are. Giving this a huge headline is a bit embarrassing though.
Gobshite
What's the point in shooting down debris that's already falling...eh... down?