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From: smpod@venus.lerc.nasa.gov (Stefan)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: A few questions on Gulf hardware
Message-ID: <1991Feb4.064357.20850@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 4 Feb 91 06:43:57 GMT
References: <1991Jan24.041407.23496@cbnews.att.com>
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From: smpod@venus.lerc.nasa.gov (Stefan)
In article adrian@cs.heriot-watt.ac.uk (Adrian Hurt) writes...
/1.  According to a report I saw, what happens when a Scud is launched is
/that a spy satellite detects the launch, tells an AWACS aircraft where it
/was launched from; the AWACS plane then calls in attack aircraft to destroy
/the launcher.  Can't the AWACS plane detect the launcher itself, when it
/gives itself away by launching?

I don't think that AWACS can detect ground targets whereas the new JSTARS
aircraft (still  in the experimental stage)which can use radar to detect
movement and relay the movement of Scud launchers to attack aircraft.

/2.  What are the chances of a Scud missing its Israeli target and hitting
/some Palestinians?  What are the chances of a Scud aimed at Saudi Arabia
/landing on Mecca?  

The accuracy of the Scuds is about a mile so if they launch at a target with
Palestinians in the vicinity, they can be hit but the chance of hitting 
Mecca which is near the Red Sea is very unlikely.

/3.  Apparently the Tomahawk cruise missiles fly low through the streets of
/Baghdad.  Reporters have described them going past their windows.  What
/are the chances of Iraq defending important targets against these missile
/with large nets or other barriers set up between tall buildings?

You're going to need a LOT of barriers.