Re: [DS2] THEL

Andrew Martin wrote
> For those interested, the THEL has just been tested in the US 
> against a Katyusha missile and it worked. 

Interesting indeed.

Still, the report begs quite a number of questions:

1) This sounds very much like the usual optimistic weapon's lobby 
announcements of a weapon's capability.

2) Presumably the defenders knew the direction the rocket was coming 
from and set up their equipment accordingly. 

3) Was it the first (and only) test ? Or just the one successful one 
out of a hundred trials ?

4) They hit one missile, such as a bunch of Guerrillas might set up. 
How would the system perform against a real Kayusha salvo, 10 or so 
missiles fired in rapid succession ? With submunition warheads ?

5) What happened to the shell splinters from the shot-down missile ?
Better keep your helmets on :-(

6) Hitting something a few miles away is rather easier than hitting and 
destroying something a few thousand miles away. So much for the Star 
Wars aspect of this.

7) How would the system react to a shell exploding nearby ? Optics 
don't usually like being shaken.

This is not to say that't it would be a worthless weapon, just that an 
enemy who works hard enough at it will find ways to deal with it.

Greetings
Karl Heinz