Madre de Dios!!

When I first looked at this thread, I recalled something about the Bush's restart of research on SDI ("Star Wars"), and I recalled something about a non-explosive bearing weapon called a "flechette" that could be dropped on a target from orbit. The energy dissipated from striking its target with the velocity it would build up from such a fall would provide a most "satisfactory" explosion. I went googling and almost immediately came up with what, to me, was a real shocker.

Colloquially called "Rods from God," this weapon would consist of orbiting platforms stocked with tungsten rods perhaps 20 feet long and one foot in diameter that could be satellite-guided to targets anywhere on Earth within minutes. Accurate within about 25 feet, they would strike at speeds upwards of 12,000 feet per second, enough to destroy even hardened bunkers several stories underground.

No explosives would be needed. The speed and weight of the rods would lend them all the force they need.

This principle was applied in Iraq to destroy tanks that Saddam's forces shielded near mosques, schools or hospitals. U.S. aviators used concrete practice bombs.

Jerry Pournelle, a science writer and chairman of the Citizens Advisory Council on National Space Policy, came up with the idea, which he originally named "Thor" after the Norse god of thunder. The Pentagon won't say how far along the project, or variants of the idea, may be in development.

And this, from a different web site:

The written reports on THOR suggested the projectiles be made of tungsten, or even (for some applications) depleted uranium. They would have seekers built into the nose, and very small guidance fins on the tail, not unlike a large, guided flechette. Striking their targets at near orbital velocity, they could punch through an armored warship's deck, or through the doors of a missile silo. Jerry Pournelle suggested that the seekers could be made to discriminate between various types of armored vehicles, and that they could even hit moving targets.

If the whole idea isn't bad enough, the shocker to me was that back in the late Fifties and early Sixties, I used to drink with Jerry Pournelle at the Blue Moon Tavern in Seattle. Jerry is a real bright guy (in spite of being pretty conservative), and we used to have some interesting discussions and arguments. This was before I had a clue that he was even interested in writing science fiction. The last time I saw Jerry was at a book signing in 1985. Barbara and I had dinner at Ivar's Salmon House with him, Larry Niven, and Frank Herbert.

I consider him a friend, but—Ye Gods, Jerry!!!!

Don Firth