War Is Boring

Some interesting details on the failed Taepodong-2 launch have emerged from the Japanese press:

* According to the Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun, three Japanese Aegis destroyers were deployed. Two, JDS Kongo (pictured) and JDS Chokai, were in the Sea of Japan. A third, Kirishima, was deployed 1,000 kilometers east of Japan to monitor the firing of the third stage, which failed.

* Kongo, which was closer to the Korean peninsula, detected the missile’s launch at Musudan-ri, while Chokai tracked the missile’s flight.

* Kongo determined that the trajectory of the missile would take it over and beyond Japan, and as a result Japanese forces were ordered not to engage it.

* The Defense Ministry tracked the missile for 3,000 kilometers, but beyond that, lacking satellites, then passed it on to NORAD.

* The Japanese Defense Ministry also received warning from U.S. forces based in Japan, based on data from a Defense Support Program satellite.

* The Taepodong-2 never reached orbital velocity, which is 7.9 km/sec.

* According to Japan Times, U.S. assets in the area included two RC-135S Cobra Ball and one RC-135U Combat Sent aircraft, and several BMD-capable Aegis destroyers.

* USNS Observation Island was operating in the Sea of Japan at the time of the launch. It would be interesting to know what assets were deployed in order to avoid another USS Pueblo-type incident. There are several U.S. Navy Aegis destroyers in the area without BMD capability.

* The Japan Coast Guard plans to retrieve any debris that fell into Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone. According to Arms Control Wonk‘s map, that would be the first stage.

Related posts:

1. Why Japan Won’t Have Aircraft Carriers Anytime Soon
2. Logistics Concerns for Missile-Defense Warships
3. The Diplomat: China’s Alarming, Puzzling, Missile Test