> Behalf Of Doug Pensinger
>
> Lasers have been mentioned several times during this discussion and I was
> wondering; what effect would a reflective coating on a
> missile/warhead have on
> a laser attack?
Reflective coating - even simple white paint, chrome plating or a mylar
balloon around the warhead - has either been proven to work or has certainly
been calculated as an effective countermeasure.
Spinning the warhead, so that the laser cannot concentrate its beam on the
one spot is also very effective. May make the warhead a bit less accurate,
but we're talking thermonuclear weapons here.
Both measures are extremely easy to apply, even to existing nuclear weapons
and delivery systems.
A bit harder to retrofit is the "spaced armour" effect of having a false
exterior that gets burnt off, reducing the incoming energy affecting the
true hull of the weapon. This makes the real hull harder to destroy. Just as
they've been using in tanks since about 1941.
Or maybe just put an ablative shield, like the Shuttle's tiles, around the
warhead.
All of these, and other countermeasures, were discussed in terms of the
original SDI, which was advertised as a far more potent defence system than
is currently proposed. Roll on Brilliant Pebble!
Brett
