Bobert

"The missle defense shield is a redundant because everything it can do can be done from submarines."

Except thet the submarine is NOT able to detect launches when under water. So it has to sit on the surface, in the right place, until it detects the launch. NOT in the Navy's Op Plan.


".. The Navy just tested such a system this week and it was a complete success..."

proving CarolC wrong in her assessment of its effectiveness.


CarolC

"what would stop a "rogue state" from launching a couple of dozen missiles with no nuclear warhead on them, and waiting until they've been shot down before launching the ones with the nuclear payload?

I'll never believe that our people haven't thought of that possibility.   "

They have- much of the system is sensors to determine the decoy warheads and select out the real ones ( for MIRVs). I would suspect ( not being privy to present Ops Plans) that after about 6 - 8 launches, the launch site would recieve a small present from the US Armed forces- say about 100KT.




"And how would a missile defense shield in Poland or the Czech Republic help the people in the countries in Europe that lie between them and Iran?"

A site in Poland WOULD be able to shoot down a missile long before it REACHED Poland- you do not realize how fast (or far) they will go. The goal is to intercept in the midflight stage- after launch burnout, but before warhead separation. I suspect a launch from western Iran to Greece, say, would be well within the operational range.

The missile DOES NOT have to go over the BMD launch site!