Quote:
Originally Posted by gamercube
Not quite. I don't think ASAT capabilities are really as important as are nukes or ICBMs for example. That's why the US took 45 years to develop a triad of ASAT platforms. China may not necessarily take that long. They might not even develop a triad. All depends on threat perception in the near future.
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The US took 45 years to go from Nike/herc system to the SM-3 (not a real ASAT weapon) because of test ban treaties, Not because its unimportant.
I would think that ASAT systems would be MORE important if your country had a limited ICBM capability.
If your enemy has no eyes in the sky how does he target things in your country for those nukes?
If you degrade his Nav (GPS) sats he can no longer use precision munitions that rely on that system.
Only a few examples but the list goes on.
The chinese don't have 400 missiles that can reach the US. And the missiles for their SSBN were a failure. They have, as HKDan mentioned a limited number and those could only reach the west coast.
I don't think too many people would morn the loss of the "Left Coast"
