Rusty's Naval/Military History thread

[Rusty Edge]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/03/07/why-china-is-so-mad-about-thaad-a-missile-defense-system-aimed-at-deterring-north-korea/?tid=sm_tw&utm_term=.f4eec82de6a6

THAAD stands for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense. In short, it intercepts inbound missiles after they pass apex. It was deployed  in response to North Korean missile tests, which appear to be practicing for US bases in Japan. The system could not intercept them from South Korea. It could not intercept artillery and low altitude missiles. It does have an advanced radar, and having that so close to China is what really annoys China.

[Geo]

After the Russians, its now the Chinese's turn to be twarted by anti-missile systems.

[Buster's Uncle]

Smallsats Could Help US Mitigate Losses in Space Conflict, Experts Say



Electro-magnetic energy module developed for Railgun

[Rusty Edge]

http://www.carolinacountry.com/issues/2017/departments/feature-story/a-lost-shipwreck-found

This is the discovery of a Confederate blockade runner. It reminds me of the story of "Phantom of the Blockade" by Stephen W. Meader, which illustrated some of the tactics of the blockade runners.   Hardcover- http://southernskies.com/Books-and-Shop%20/Phantom-Of-The-Blockade

[Rusty Edge]

Electro-magnetic energy module developed for Railgun

I'm still hoping it's the military solution to North Korean missiles.

[Rusty Edge]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-creates-unstoppable-hypersonic-zircon-140101913.html

Russia creates 'unstoppable' hypersonic Zircon missile with Navy destroying 4,600mph speed
 James Billington,International Business Times Mon, Mar 27

Russia claims to have created a devastating hypersonic missile that travels five times faster than the speed of sound and could rip through navy warship defences because it's too fast to stop.
The Kremlin's Zircon missile has been called "unstoppable", "unbeatable" and "undefendable" with a 4,600mph speed that only one defence system in the world can destroy – that system is owned by Russia.
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The missile employs revolutionary scramjet technology to reach its hypersonic speeds whereby propulsion is created by forcing air from the atmosphere into its combustor where it mixes with on-board fuel – rather than carry both fuel and oxidizer like traditional rockets. This makes it lighter, and therefore much faster.
It uses no fans, rotating turbines or moving parts – just an inlet where air is compressed and a combustor where the air is mixed with fuel. Fewer moving parts also means less chance of mechanical failure.
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The Zircon has been in testing stages this year and would be capable of destroying the world's most advanced warships and aircraft carriers in one strike and could be put into action by 2020. The US Navy warns it could be fitted to Russia's nuclear-powered Kirkov warship, where it would have a range of up to 500 miles.
In comparison, the Royal Navy's Sea Ceptor missile, which is designed to destroy incoming missiles can only travel 15 miles and hit top speeds of 2,300mph.
Most popular: Russia creates 'unstoppable' hypersonic Zircon missile with Navy destroying 4,600mph speed
This presents a huge concern for the Royal Navy and the vulnerability of its new state-of-the-art £6bn ($7.5bn) aircraft carriers the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, which wouldn't be able to defend against the Zircon. The only way to protect against the Zircon would be to anchor out of its range, which would render many aircraft carriers useless as it would push their planes too far away from targets before they would need to return for fuel.

A senior Naval source told the Mirror: "Hypersonic missiles are virtually unstoppable. The whole idea of the carrier is the ability to project power. But with no method of protecting themselves against missiles like the Zircon the carrier would have to stay out of range, hundreds of miles out at sea. Its planes would be useless and the whole basis of a carrier task force would be redundant."

*****************

Which sort of brings us back to the need for a guided round for the railgun, which shoots at Mach 6, or a LASER. OR an effective jamming, cloaking,  or decoy system. If only we had Romulan technology!

[Geo]

http://www.carolinacountry.com/issues/2017/departments/feature-story/a-lost-shipwreck-found

This is the discovery of a Confederate blockade runner. It reminds me of the story of "Phantom of the Blockade" by Stephen W. Meader, which illustrated some of the tactics of the blockade runners.   Hardcover- http://southernskies.com/Books-and-Shop%20/Phantom-Of-The-Blockade

Wonder if there were blockade runners during the Brittish blockade during the Colonies' independence war?

Electro-magnetic energy module developed for Railgun

I'm still hoping it's the military solution to North Korean missiles.

I thought the US Navy's Aegis system is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles? In any case, there's more danger from Chinese missiles then North Korean ones at present.

[Geo]

A senior Naval source told the Mirror: "Hypersonic missiles are virtually unstoppable. The whole idea of the carrier is the ability to project power. But with no method of protecting themselves against missiles like the Zircon the carrier would have to stay out of range, hundreds of miles out at sea. Its planes would be useless and the whole basis of a carrier task force would be redundant."

You could also wonder if Russian detection -and guidance systems are up to the task of painting a target in time for such a fast missile.

[Rusty Edge]

To answer your questions, Geo.

1) I think there were blockade runners, but the blockade was effective against the important cities.

2) Yes I think the Aegis system can intercept missiles, but it probably needs recalibrating/reprogramming for something so much faster.

3) I'm not worried about the danger or Korean and Chinese missile tech nearly so much as the danger posed by an unpredictable  vain, vindictive, dictator, and an unpredictable vain, vindictive, president.

4) Doubts about the Russian defense crossed my mind as I read the article, too.

[Buster's Uncle]

Vikings Wintered and Planned Raids at 9th-Century English Site

[Buster's Uncle]

Ancient Greece: 2,000-year-old shipwrecks tell story of mythic island of Delos

[Geo]

Delos isn't mythical, its the island of ancient/classical Greek mythology? 

[Buster's Uncle]

That was poorly phrased, yes.

[Geo]

If only they meant 'Atlantis'.

[Buster's Uncle]

Mass Grave from Thirty Years' War Battle Reveals Soldiers' Fatal Wounds