Scram jet ...is it faster than a ICBM??

[maxwellsmart]

With the scram jet going at mach 7 is it faster than an ICMB and if so if it were to carry a warhead would present interceptor technology and techniques be able to shoot it down?

[Rystan]

Hi Max:

As I understand it, scramjet technology is aimed at speeds between MACH 10 and 15. An ICBM, which actually leaves the atmosphere for a great portion of its flight, reenters the atmosphere at better than mach 25.

The trick to shooting down a missile travelling any speed isn't necessarily being able to go as fast or faster, but rather to be able to calculate where the missile will be at a certain point in time and have something there to blow it up. A Yugo with wings could theoretically put an ICBM off course if you could figure out where the ICBM would be soon enough to get it there.

Rystan

[finex]

As far as technologies go to intercept ICBMs, the USA is currently developing an airborne laser interceptor to destroy missiles in the "Boost" phase. This is when they have just launched and are ascending through the atmosphere. Consequently, they are (relatively) slow and large (the booster stages are jettisoned during flight). Most impoartantly of all, they are still loaded with tonnes of fuel and still over the enemys terriitory!

In order to overcome the effects of atmospheric dissipation of a laser beam, and be powerful enough to deliver a knockout blow to a missile, the laser generator must be huge and chemical based. In this case it is an Oxygen/Iodine chemical laser, which has been designed to be mounted inside a converted 747 jet!

This may be of some interest: http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/airborne_laser_t echwed_041117.html

PS: Budding Doctor Evil types shouldn't have to worry just yet. Given the huge development times (and costs) that the US military seems to suffer, you probably have a couple of years to get your hands on some nukes and hold the world to ransom for... ONE MILLION DOLLARS!