Nuke 'em from orbit

The Pentagon is going for more super-weapons. First, there's the reusable hypersonic cruise vehicle known as the HCV that can deliver 12,000 pounds of payload traveling at Mach 10. For perspective, the B-1B Lancer travels at Mach 1.2 and can carry a maximum payload of 80,000 pounds. The B1-B has a crew of 4, whereas the HCV would be unmanned.

The nasty new weapon the Pentagon is pursuing is a missile that goes to near-earth orbit and then comes down on a target. Known as a Cav, or Common Aero Vehicle, it would use the kinetic energy gained during re-entry to be much more devastating than a conventional explosive:

The Cav could carry 1,000 lbs of explosives but at those speeds explosives may not be necessary. A simple titanium rod would be able to penetrate 70 feet of solid rock and the shock wave would have enormous destructive force. It could be used against deeply buried bunkers, the sort of target the air force is looking for new ways to attack.

The goal seems to be not relying on alliances or forward-deployed forces. Extrapoliting this concept, we can expect to see a future world where U.S. corporations dictate the world economy backed up by the threat of obliteration from orbit by Fortress America. At least that seems to be what those with the reins of power seem to want.

Donald Rumsfeld's Pentagon is engaging in acquisition of new forms of weaponry that will dramatically upset the balance of power in the world. The US military is already the most capable in the world, but these new weapons will tilt the game far too much in US favor. While these all sound good from a military strategic sense, the Pentagon seems to be overlooking the fact that the biggest military threat these days are asymmetric. None of this high-tech stuff will stop car bombs or guerilla warfare.

kherr @ 22:54 CDT | link | tech