Taiwan, China & America

This speculation is all very interesting. But really of limited use.

Yes, MLRS can reach those distances. The US MLRS for example has a maximum distance of up to 400 miles. But because these are "fire and forget" type missiles, their accuracy is greatly diminished over distance. Because of this, they are rarely used at distances more then a few dozen miles.

This is why it is commonly called the "brigade commander's shotgun". It is good for covering a large area with explosives, but not highly accurate. Increase the distance to hundreds of miles, and then you have a very poor weapon.

And these fire small rockets. While the MLRS does indeed have a range of 400 miles, we do not carry rockets with that kind of range. Because in order to provide enough propellant to make that distance, you have to give up a lot of your payload capacity.

The largest explosive we have for MLRS is only a 200 pound warhead, and it has a range of around 35 miles. Increase the range, and you have to seriously cut the warhead capacity. Finally reaching a point of diminishing return.

Like the Katyusha Rocket, MLRS at maximum range would be a great terror weapon. But of very limited use as a military weapon. And that is what this exercise would all be about, maximizing the effect in a military operation, not inflicting terror in a civilian community.

And no, PATRIOT would not be used against these. For one, they are to small to be an effective use to intercept. SHORAD and other systems would be more effective.

And no, you could not "confuse" the RADAR by mixing these missiles into a salvo. The RADAR can track hundreds of targets at once, and classify each one into the type of target (ICBM, MRBM, SRBM, Cruise Missile, Jet Aircraft, Helicopter, etc). The fire control people would only intercept any targets that are a threat in their designated area of defense. All others would be ignored.

 

with inertial guidance, GPS, and terminal guidance system, these can be very accurate. a GPS guidance are very small and relative accurate, alot countries have GPS unit put on dumb bombs all the time. MLRS can be use to damage large area within 200km with relative accuracy. airfield, military base are certainly within range and accuracy of long range MLRS with GPS/inertial guidance system.

MLRS are about the same size as SRBM. unless we have intelligent on the speed and trajectory between 200km MLRS vs SRBM, its very hard for radar to distinguish between the two, its even harder when there are hundreds target, and distinguish which is SRBM, MRBM within few minutes.

the length between SRBM, MRBM vs MLRS are about the same. diameter is around 0.8m, 1.3m, and .4m not sure how accurate the PAC3 radar system is, or its resolution. unless it can detect a .4m difference in diameter, its very hard to tell the difference between these missiles, unless there is intelligence database regarding characteristic of these missiles

 

Well, in order to know which system the RADAR would not look at size at all, but trajectory.

MLRS is a pretty flat trajectory missile system. A SRMB is exactly that, a ballistic missile. One is like a long straight line with a raise in the middle, the other is an upside down U.

Both are easily distinguishable from the other. The RADAR picture of different missiles is impossible to tell one from the other, just like aircraft. But by studying the flight characteristics, they become easily different from each other.

 

current gen long range MLRS or SRBM/MRB can have variable trajectory. even if MLRS can't go as high as SRMB/MRMB, it will reduce the reaction time for the anti-missile lunchers. since radar can't distinguish between the two types of missile right after the lunch, it has to track and wait until missile separate into two different trajectory/altitude in order to ID the missile type.

here is some single or multiple rocket system that can has variable lunch position and trajectory. this will be hard for Radar to distinguish between the two. its not too diffcult to lunch at different angle and has a variable trajectories for MLRS or SRBM.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/jsp_...ry Rockets Gain Precision, Range and Mobility

i think given the distance between china and taiwan. taiwan can't protect themself from missiles

 

And they all have very different trajectories and flight characteristics.

Just compare the way the HIMARS launches it's rocket, and the way the Iskander does. HIMARS is an MLRS system, fires in a flat trajectory at a diaganal angle, and fires 6 rockets, each with a 90kg warhead.

ISKANDER is a SRBM. It fires a single rocket from a verticle launch angle, follows a ballistic trajectory, and has a single 480kg warhead.

Very different rockets, very different flight characteristics. These are very different, and the RADAR would have absolutely no problem discriminating one from the other.

But if you want, I will talk to one of our fire control specialists next week. But I know from working 2 years ago in the command post that our systems have no problem determining the difference between such systems. But I will ask a true expert in this field to make sure if you like.

 

yea, an expert opinion would be nice. since different MLRS might have different trajectory, especially if those MLRS can lunch at different position and vary the trajectory. i think current gen of SRBM & MLRS can vary its tracjectory. without knowing the trajectory of specific type of missile, itll be hard to tell the difference.