Archie to SAM: A Short Operational History of Ground-Based Air ...

BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
when the proponents were unable to convince the public that
exploding defensive nuclear warheads overhead would defend
them against nuclear annihilation. There were test successes.
Perhaps most impressive was the Homing Overlay Experiment
(HOE) that in June 1984 successfully intercepted a Minuteman
over 100 miles in altitude and traveling at upwards of 15,000
miles per hour. Although some critics charged that the tests were
rigged, this certainly appeared to be an outstanding success. 57
The SDI deployment plan also evolved. The original concept
called for 300 satellites, each carrying about 100 interceptors,
sometimes called “battle stations” or “smart rocks.” This plan
changed to one of smaller interceptors that would independently
engage targets, so-called brilliant pebbles. 58
Before the end of the decade, the world was turned upside
down when the Soviet Union collapsed. A major factor in this
momentous event was the US arms buildup in the 1980s that
bolstered and highlighted the significant and growing technological
gap between America and the Soviet Union. SDI was
the most prominent of these technologies.
But the demise of the Soviet system didn’t end the BMD
story. In fact, it brought a new ballistic missile threat, not from
a superpower that was deterred by offensive nuclear weapons,
but by third world countries that might not be. The end of the
bipolar superpower system also meant the end of the control
that each nation had over its alliance members and client states.
This threat from countries other than the Soviet Union became
clearly visible for decision makers and the public alike in the
1990–91 Gulf War.
The Gulf War: Patriot versus Scud
The Gulf War was an overwhelming coalition, military, and
technological success, with one notable exception. What looked
to be a mismatch between the coalition’s overwhelming technical
superiority and the Iraqis’ outdated missiles turned out far differently
in the campaign against Iraqi tactical ballistic missiles.
The Iraqis effectively used their Scuds to frustrate the coalition,
seize the initiative, and apply great political and psychological
pressure that had the potential to unravel the alliance.
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