"Bert Fiore" wrote in message ...
Has anyone done a study about the usability of such a beast? Could be useful
against hardened targets if you could overcome problems like:

1: Size- you'd need a lotta motor to get a projectile to Mach 5 or higher
in the lower atmosphere.

2: Heating-keeping it from melting.

3: Guidance

4: Range

Maybe some of the technology from the old Sprint ABM missle could be
used. ISTR a proposal for AXE - a plan to use a MX/Peacekeeper
first stage as a booster for an area denial weapon (large quantity of
submunitions instead of upper stage(s)/warhead bus/RVs on top).

I would think that the ability to _accurately_ hit a hardened target
with a LARGE DU/tungsten/titanium penetrator would be very
handy indeed, even if you had to launch it by first dropping it
from a large transport craft, a la the C-141/Minuteman tests
of 25+ years ago!

Comments?

Bert

Various studies and experaments have already been conducted, or are
underway, of the viability of using long range ballistic missiles,
ranging from the Army's short range ATACMS all the way up to and
including use of conventionaly armed Minuteman ICBM's as deep
penetration weapons. In addition, there is a current R&D effort afoot
to develop a hypersonic strike system to strike time critical targets;
one owuld imagine that it could also serve as a means of striking very
deep/very hard targets.

I'd suspect that unless range is a non-issue, the ballistic missile
approach might be better than an air launched hypersonic vehicle as a
near-term deep penetrator. The technology is already there and proven,
meaning lower development risk.

Brooks