System for Destroying ballistic Missiles - From Aircraft, Israel technology

I saw this on the US Patent:

www.freepatentsonline.com...

Seems pretty interesting that using an aircraft as a launching platform for a ballistic interceptor. This in my opinion has several advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages:
-High initial velocity gives the defender a kinematic advantage in response
-Higher intercept altitude

Disadvantages:
-Aircraft are vulnerable to being shot down
-Missile size is limited by aircraft payload capacity

I guess this can serve as a complement to additional technologies.

reply to post by THE_PROFESSIONAL


Personally I believe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, mostly because this would probably be used in addition to other systems, as you said.

I was kind of surprised that something like this wasn't already in full use.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


Yea, surprising too if you ask me, this would seem a lot cheaper than fielding AEGIS ships or a full scale ABM capability. Another thing that I can forsee another problem is the response time from initial missile launch to aircraft getting to full altitude and launch ready could cost a lot of time, that is probably why it is not fully feasible...?

reply to post by THE_PROFESSIONAL


I agree.

My guess is that they thought about it and maybe even tried it but just wasn't as good as their other options they already have put into place.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


True dat, well I guess we just solved the engineering problems in under one hour and saved a lot of money. Shortest thread ever Lol

reply to post by THE_PROFESSIONAL


I still think it's a good idea, hopefully your thread lives on



Here's a bump.

I once heard of a Russian concept to deploy a satelite capable of launching S-400s against incoming missiles. I wonder what happened to that idea...