Talk:Alexei Arestovich
This whole Dnepro missile attack is well worth understanding the details to understand much about modern warfare and modern propaganda warfare. RobSGive Peace a chance 04:00, January 18, 2023 (EST)
There are two aspects for immediate consideration, technology and propaganda. Let's begin with technology:
Technology: Missile defense, the technology of modern war. Shooting down a missile with a missile. It's like shooting a bullet with a bullet while both are in flight (only the missile defense bullet must be faster to catch up with the incoming). While the offensive missile can be guided to a precision strike via a GPS laser-guided target point, the missile defense system has to have its ears up (radar on) to detect electronic radar signals from an incoming missile. To do this, they have to flip on the radar switch. Once the radar switch is flipped on, the missile defense system starts sending out radar signals, making the system itself a legitimate military target, per international law and conventions. Per international humanitarian law, military targets are not to be placed in civilian areas, making the innocent residents vulnerable. RobSGive Peace a chance 04:13, January 18, 2023 (EST)
A proper missile defense system is built to be highly mobile, given they themselves are legitimate military targets. On trucks, their job is to find a firing location, set up, fire at the target, withdraw and hide until the next assignment. American teams take about 25 minutes to set up, Russian teams about 5 minutes. In the 20 minute time difference, assuming the radar hasn't been switched on, they themselves still are legitimate targets if their location can be detected. The US Patriot systems, Russian S-300, 400, 500 and BUK systems are all designed like this. Since the end of WWII, the US has focused on air superiority - aerial attack; whereas the Russians have focused on aerial defense. Hence, while America boasts of "aerial superiority", it is widely recognized that Russia has missile and aerial defense superiority (a missile and jet aircraft are basically the same thing, a rocket engine). This fact requires some adjustment in American thinking. While Ronald Reagan is credited with bankrupting the Soviet Union by outspending on missile defense - and that may be true - the Russians have never lost their edge in missile defense and electronic warfare, given that has been their highest defense priority since the US focus on air superiority beginning in 1945. RobSGive Peace a chance 04:35, January 18, 2023 (EST)
Russia produces 3 times more missile defense systems than the United States.RobSGive Peace a chance 07:24, January 19, 2023 (EST)
