Word: radars
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...monitored at least 20 tests of the Soviet ASAT weapon: a 150-ft.-long S59 rocket, which uses radar to home in on its target. It is not very effective at altitudes beyond 1,000 miles. All but 18 of the 100-odd U.S. satellites orbit higher than that, and some key ones are 22,300 miles away (where they remain in geostationary orbit over a single spot on earth). The Soviet rocket would take up to 90 minutes to intercept a target on the weapon's first orbit. Because it uses radar, the system is vulnerable to electronic...
...Saudis) to defend itself against potential Iranian air attacks on its refineries, power stations and desalination plants. Though the Reagan Administration denied the request because of anticipated congressional opposition, the U.S. is offering instead to increase Kuwait's supply of American-made Hawk missiles and augment its skimpy radar facilities. For the past two weeks, a 20-man team from the Pentagon has been in Kuwait discussing the country's security needs. "We assume Kuwait is No. 1 on the escalation scenario," says a senior U.S. diplomat. In other words, Kuwait would be the first victim...
...also trying to push the Saudis and the Kuwaitis closer together. Traditionally wary of its more conservative neighbor, Kuwait is now sharing intelligence with the Saudi air force: a hotline from Saudi ground-control systems immediately transmits information from the patrolling American AWACS radar planes. Kuwait could also be shielded from unfriendly fire by what amounts to a Saudi umbrella. Kuwait has no oil pipeline, and the Saudi shield could be vital in ensuring the safety of tankers and thus protecting the country's oil revenues, which constitute about half of its gross domestic product. To calm the apprehensions...
...Soviet accusation last September was very similar; the only new element is the claim that the space shuttle was involved. But NASA officials stress that Challenger was never close enough to the Korean airliner to monitor radio or radar activity. Moreover, said Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, "had we wanted to test Soviet radar, there are a lot better ways to do it than with a 747 jumbojet full of civilians." Moscow certainly remains eager to promote its version of events. It has taken the unusual step of allowing a well-known U.S. investigative journalist, Seymour Hersh, to interview Soviet Chief...
...other hand, the U.S. has a formidable lead in warheads based on its submarine forces, as well as in those on its bombers and cruise missiles. It is ahead on new frontiers of technology, like the development of so-called Stealth bombers, which will be virtually invisible to radar and therefore less vulnerable to antiaircraft defenses than present-day aircraft. No technological edge is guaranteed to be permanent, but the U.S. has geographical advantages over the Soviet Union as well: far easier access to the open seas for its submarine fleet and to allies around the periphery of the U.S.S.R...