rutenbrg@phoenix.princeton.edu (Andrew David Rutenberg) (01/19/91)
From: rutenbrg@phoenix.princeton.edu (Andrew David Rutenberg) Some questions: What is the relaunch rate of a mobile SCUD launcher? How many missiles are deployed with each mobile launcher typically? What is the conventional payload size of a sea-launched cruise missile? Accuracy? Which munitions produce red, green, blue, other coloured explosions - or does this depend more upon the target? How many rounds of small arms fire (small calibre AA) ON AVERAGE can a US fighter (F-18, or F-15) soak up before being forced down? (order of magnitude estimate) Is it likely that the Iraqis can deploy chemical weapons by artillery, and if they did very lightly could they disrupt our lines without risk to themselves by shifting winds (i.e. scare us, rather than trying to be methodical)? Would this ability be widespread? Thanks. Andrew Rutenberg (Rutenbrg@phoenix.princeton.edu, rutenbrg@pucc.bitnet). .
wdr@wang.com (William Ricker) (01/23/91)
From: wdr@wang.com (William Ricker) rutenbrg@phoenix.princeton.edu (Andrew David Rutenberg) writes: >From: rutenbrg@phoenix.princeton.edu (Andrew David Rutenberg) >Some questions: >What is the relaunch rate of a mobile SCUD launcher? How many missiles >are deployed with each mobile launcher typically? I heard a rumor at a usually well informed place (no one cleared, but reading/listening to non-american-network sources, including military specialties) that: (a) Soviet SCUD launchers take an awful scorching at each launch, such that the machinery needs to be rebuilt/overhauled/replaced every 7-9 (seven to nine) launches. (b) the Iraqis got a great deal on 18-wheel trucks on the open market and have adapted them as single-shot, disposable SCUD launchers. Whether they bought 18-wheel semi-articulated dumptrucks (you've seen 'em) or retrofit jacks onto trailers they didn't say. The scheme is to buy & build a lot of cheap, disposables that don't need to be rebuilt after 9 shots to protect investment -- and don't need to scurry out of firing zone before the retaliatory strike arrives, since they were zorched in the launch and the crew left in the jeep. If this is true, destroying launchers only gets the round on it, and doesn't reduce Saddam's ability to launch others quite the same way as when we thought he had a vunlerable choke point of only the original Soviet launchers. I also heard one of the reporters who was in Baghdad during the strike, when interviewed in Amman after escaping, say he'd seen 'mock scuds' on the roads ... 18 wheelers with old sewer pipe on top as decoy targets. (It was either Fabrice Mosu[ls], the ABC camera man whose footage was smuggled out by ITN, or the Boston GLobe reporter next to him.) He also saw Soviet Scud convoys on the road as well. These two reports do not correlate 100%. Comments? -- /bill ricker/ wdr@wang.com a/k/a wricker@northeastern.edu *** Warning: This account not authorized to express opinions ***
smpod@venus.lerc.nasa.gov (Stefan) (01/27/91)
From: smpod@venus.lerc.nasa.gov (Stefan)
In article rutenbrg@phoenix.princeton.edu (Andrew David Rutenberg) writes...
\What is the relaunch rate of a mobile SCUD launcher? How many missiles
\are deployed with each mobile launcher typically?
It takes about 2.5 hrs to launch a Scud.