
If North Korea fires a nuclear missile, how would the U.S. stop it? - evo_9
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/world/north-korea-missile-defense/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_nkoreamissile-445pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
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smallstepforman
The article misses the key point which is worrying the Pentagon - if NKorea
launches a missile, the trajectory goes over Russian airspace (the world is a
sphere, so the shortest distance between NKorea and USA is over mainland
Russia). If the USA had a missile which can intercept the ICBM, it would have
to launch it very early and towards Russia if it stands a chance of hitting it
while it is at it's most predictable trajectory and slowest speed. What do you
think the Russian Nuclear deterrence program will do when it detects a USA
missile heading towards Russia? Hint - it will fire 2000 projectiles back.
There was a serious panel by serious military analysts about 3 months ago
where they discuss the impossibility of stopping a NKorean missile since it's
trajectory goes over Russia.

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planteen
> If the USA had a missile which can intercept the ICBM, it would have to
> launch it very early and towards Russia if it stands a chance of hitting it
> while it is at it's most predictable trajectory and slowest speed

The article discusses a midcourse interceptor, which is the longest phase of
the ballistic missile. It is not "very early" as you said, which implies the
boost phase.

[https://mda.mil/system/elements.html](https://mda.mil/system/elements.html)

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eighthnate
The clickbaiting never ends. WaPo is worse than youtube pranksters.

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plandis
What is click bait about the title? The article does indeed attempt to
document the general process for intercepting a ICBM.

