ABM Test Flop

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » December 8, 2006, 3:32 am

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061208/ap_ ... nse_test_3

Look we are installing ABM systems which don't even work yet onto line ships....

But it is ok because the money spent on them

didn't just evaporate, some of it went into our economy which is doing just fine.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » December 8, 2006, 3:54 am

The people that designed those ABM systems got paid and are pumping that money back into our economy.

Stuff doesn't have to work to create jobs and stimulate the economy! People just need to spend money on it. Look at the PS3. Everyone's buying them but they just kind of sit there in their boxes waiting to be resold. Or American cars during the 80s. They didn't work but people still bought them, thus boosting the steel industry and multiple other industries, while creating thousands of additional jobs for mechanics.

Midgen · Post by **Midgen** » December 8, 2006, 5:10 am

Not only that, but its not like they ordered these things from Amazon and have an instruction manual.

That's why they call them tests.

Would be nice if they worked perfectly 'out of the box', but realistically, you have to expect some problems.

Kilmoll the Sexy · Post by **Kilmoll the Sexy** » December 8, 2006, 9:58 am

but if they worked perfectly, then some people could not go to gaming message boards and bitch about the administration

Sueven · Post by **Sueven** » December 8, 2006, 12:44 pm

Or American cars during the 80s. They didn't work but people still bought them, thus boosting the steel industry and multiple other industries, while creating thousands of additional jobs for mechanics.

...

And look how well the American auto manufacturing and steel industries are doing now...

"If we build it, they will come" is not a viable economic strategy...

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » December 8, 2006, 1:04 pm

I certainly don't expect them to work perfectly and fully approve of the testing. It just seems a bit irresponsible to outfit line ships with a weapons system that isn't functional yet.

So you guys want to buy a hydrogen fuel cell system to power your home?! Cause yanno I have one in testing.

Kilmoll the Sexy · Post by **Kilmoll the Sexy** » December 8, 2006, 2:28 pm

We also tested the atomic bomb in combat. It will be much easier to work bugs out when they are tested in service in conditions they would be expected to function in when it really counts.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » December 8, 2006, 3:02 pm

Kilmoll the Sexy wrote:We also tested the atomic bomb in combat. It will be much easier to work bugs out when they are tested in service in conditions they would be expected to function in when it really counts.

Hrmmmm funny what were they testing at Trinity Site?

Also the atomic bomb didn't require that the planes carrying it have
multi-billion dollar retrofits to allow its use.

Much easier to test in combat?...This is an ABM system how much combat testing do you anticipate it receiving? It is a strategic system not a tactical system. When a a ballistic missle is incoming with a nuke...it is a bad time to be testing...

Ashur · Post by **Ashur** » December 8, 2006, 4:52 pm

Arborealus wrote:When a a ballistic missle is incoming with a nuke...it is a bad time to be testing...

True!

It's an equally bad time to be thinking "Man, I wish we had one of those experimental ABM systems... it might actually work and save a few million lives"

Ashur · Post by **Ashur** » December 8, 2006, 4:59 pm

Arbor - P.S. I agree - it's wasteful spending, dont misunderstand me.

I just had to point out the logical argument can go both ways. A halfway functional defense system vs standing there with your dick in your hand watching the missile on the radar while waiting for the fully tested version is a tough question.

It seems pretty wasteful to me given the political environment given the gazillions we're dropping into the Iraq/Afganistan debacle. The only country we know of with ballistic missiles and nukes that might be tempted to fire them at targets we care about is NK (however shitty they may be) and I don't see this as a measure that will make that problem go away. You don't rattle the madman's cage IMO.

Midgen · Post by **Midgen** » December 8, 2006, 5:34 pm

Arborealus wrote:I certainly don't expect them to work perfectly and fully approve of the testing. It just seems a bit irresponsible to outfit line ships with a weapons system that isn't functional yet.

So you guys want to buy a hydrogen fuel cell system to power your home?! Cause yanno I have one in testing.

So they shouldn't test them on the ships they are going to be deployed on?

Again, this WAS a test. You want them to make special test ships with special test crews to shoot the special test missile's ?

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » December 8, 2006, 8:34 pm

Midgen wrote:
Arborealus wrote:I certainly don't expect them to work perfectly and fully approve of the testing. It just seems a bit irresponsible to outfit line ships with a weapons system that isn't functional yet.

So you guys want to buy a hydrogen fuel cell system to power your home?! Cause yanno I have one in testing.
So they shouldn't test them on the ships they are going to be deployed on?

Again, this WAS a test. You want them to make special test ships with special test crews to shoot the special test missile's ?

Nope but I think it is reasonable to expect them be able to work from level ground before beginning to spend a fortune on refitting ships to carry them...These aren't plug and play systems (ie a missle which you can plop in any existing launcher system and guide with Aegis fire control)...

vn_Tanc · Post by **vn_Tanc** » December 11, 2006, 6:52 am

Kilmoll the Sexy wrote:We also tested the atomic bomb in combat. It will be much easier to work bugs out when they are tested in service in conditions they would be expected to function in when it really counts.

Yeah, AFTER you'd successfully detonated 3-4 and tested out 2 different bomb configurations. They knew it would work as advertised.

This is the equivalent of not knowing if it'll hit the target or detonate.