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Excerpts From the Eastport Report: Computers and SDI
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11045 |
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Section : |
MODERN THOUGHT
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Date : |
6 / 1986 |
1,465 Words |
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The Eastport Study Group
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The SDIO [Strategic Defense Initiative Organization] Panel on Computing in Support of Battle Management was appointed "to devise an appropriate computational/communication response to the [strategic defense battle-management] problem and make recommendations for a research and technology development program to implement the response…"
SDIO planners consider the Strategic Defense Initiative a potentially very long-range effort. The current research phase is aimed at providing, during the next several years, the best information possible concerning the feasibility and cost of alternative new approaches to ballistic missile defense…
The panel does not expect small--scale and/or early technology deployments that might occur during the 1990s to provide a "near-perfect" defense. Rather, initial deployments influence our strategic position largely in their ability to intercept enough incoming warheads to enhance Soviet attack uncertainties. Possible Soviet countermeasures such as fast-burn rockets or decoys also reduce the useful payload of their missiles.
The physical dimensions of the battle-management problem are well understood. A ballistic missile can first be intercepted during its boost phase, which lasts for only several minutes. During this phase the missile emits enormous amounts of energy with a distinctive spectral signature and is accordingly easy to detect and locate. The missile is also a relatively large and fragile target. When the boost phase is completed, the missile releases a blue containing on the order to ten reentry vehicles (RVs). The bus then launches the RVs, each into a slightly different ballistic trajectory.
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