U.S. Destroyers On Move As N. Korea Prepares Rocket Launch

[Purveyor]

Source: CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Navy ships capable of shooting down ballistic missiles are being moved to the Sea of Japan, a Navy spokesman said.

The move came as North Korea was preparing for an expected rocket launch next month.

Later Thursday, Japan announced it was ready to fire on the rocket if any part of it enters Japanese airspace.

Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada's order was to destroy debris from the North Korean rocket if its launch fails and fragments fall in Japanese territory, said defense ministry spokesman Yuichi Akiyoshi.

The U.S. ships, with powerful Aegis radar that can track ballistic missile launches, were on regularly planned deployments but were, "prepared to track a launch or more, if afforded," according to a U.S. Navy official who could not be named due to the sensitivity of the information.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/03/26/north.korea.us.ships/index.html

[Bill219]

1. I am sure that the freaks over at rapture ready...

are probably creaming themselves over this story.

They live for articles like this on a daily basis

[newfie11]

2. so how much is this little show of power costing?

I don't hear of any other country coming to shoot down a rocket.

[ShortnFiery]

3. Don't worry, The Pentagon - our tax dollars - have it covered.

Meanwhile, North Dakota is going underwater and our Southern border is a WAR zone. :crazy:

[AtheistCrusader]

4. Probably not much.

These ships were at sea anyway. They might be burning a little extra fuel, because they are in a hurry, but that's it. Unless they get into a shooting fight, in which case it's going to cost millions in a few minutes.

Japan already has two of these destroyers deployed forward toward North Korea I believe, but they probably lack some of the hit-to-kill ABM gear ours have.

Even Russia is cautioning North Korea not to do this, so this is sort of turning into a multi-national Big Deal(TM).

[hack89]

5. They are stationed in Japan and routinely spend a lot of time at sea already. nt

[Javaman]

6. didn't gates say something recently about the US being able to fight 3 wars? nt