Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
space, encouraging routine tactical space operations. Air launch (from a tactical
aircraft for example) offers the added advantages of launch site flexibility, elimi-
nation of the requirement for a launch range with its attendant costs, and covert-
ness (a liquid-fuelled vehicle this small might be very difficult to observe from
space; also, there need be no fixed launch location). Orbital applications might
include visual and IR inspection of space objects, ELINT, jamming of satellites,
and antisatellite operations.
Weapon Systems
Miniaturized Ballistic Missiles (Medium Term)
The same MEMS technologies (propulsion, guidance, control, etc.) required
for microlaunch vehicles enable intercontinental tactical ballistic missiles with
sensor or nonnuclear munitions payloads. A 170-pound GLOW, two-stage rocket
(about the weight of an AIM-9) could deliver about 10 pounds to 4,500 nautical
miles or 30 pounds to 1,000 nautical miles (the reentry vehicle might account for
25 to 40 percent of this weight). The advantages of the ballistic approach com-
pared with the air-breathing cruise missiles approach are very high speed and
immunity to interception. Global, rapid deployment of sensors (and even micro
air vehicles) is one obvious application. Another is weapons delivery. Enhanced
effectiveness warheads pack sufficient lethality into a small package that these
small missiles may be effective against relatively soft targets such as radar sites
and armored vehicles. Now that much of the target detection and acquisition is
done off-board the shooter platform, the long range and high speed suggest that
this may be an effective approach to the now-difficult problem of attacking
rapidly redeployable or moving targets, such as missile launchers in Iraq. The
ultralong range eliminates the “tyranny of distance” that plagues operations in
places like Afghanistan, since any target in the world is within practical range.
This is truly a global reach system.
UAV-Launched Antiballistic Missile Boost Phase Interceptors (Medium Term)
Air-launched boost-phase intercept schemes could greatly increase the pay-
load and endurance capabilities of launch platforms. Ground-launched missile
interceptors are now sized according to the sensor and propulsion systems, since
a direct-hit, kinetic-kill vehicle need not carry a warhead. Advanced sensors,
propulsion, and other subsystems enabled by micro- and nanotechnologies will
permit dramatically reduced missile mass (perhaps well below 100 kilograms),
with several profound system-level impacts. One impact is that microinterceptors
will have unit costs at least one and possibly two orders of magnitude lower than
current designs. The miniaturization could enable UAV-launched missile boost-
phase interceptors. Multiple, simultaneous launches against a single target could
Search WWH ::
Custom Search