posted on Aug, 29 2007 @ 01:24 PM
reply to post by Vanguard223
Sorry didn't I mean to suggest Sea Dart wasn't already in the air and I bet your right that it was. I just wanted to point out the US or for that
matter the UK hasn't got a perfect anti-missle system, which some people think they have. The UK also uses Phalanx.
There was a second Silkworm/Seersucker in the attack which failed and fell into the water if it had not the Glouchester probably wouldn't of
destroyed it as I believe Sea Dart can only fire at one target at a time (2 missile at 1 target) although automatic reload is quick.
In the Falklands war Sea Dart destoyed 7 aircraft but failed to destroy any exocet missiles, probably because the exocets was fired at ships without
Sea Dart. The escorts with sea dart didn't fire because of problems like another ship was in the way or the sea dart automatic system deciding it own
ship wasn't in danger. Sea Dart was of course improved since, but will now be replaced with PAAMS (Aster) on the new type 45
PAAMS (Aster)
"The system is designed to defend against supersonic, stealthy, highly manoeuvrable missiles that could use sea-skimming or steep-diving flight
profiles approaching in salvoes, simultaneously from several directions."
The only time a ship succesfully defended against an exocet was by using chaff and changing course.
I believe US are developing stealthy cruise missile due to the SAM threat