Mystery Missile Launch Seen off Calif. Coast

[Ian David]

Source: CBS News

Mystery Missile Launch Seen off Calif. Coast
Military Mum on Nature of "Big Missile" Rising Out of Pacific - a Possible Show of U.S. Military Might

(CBS) A mysterious missile launch off the southern California coast was caught by CBS affiliate KCBS's cameras Monday night, and officials are staying tight-lipped over the nature of the projectile.

CBS station KFMB put in calls to the Navy and Air Force Monday night about the striking launch off the coast of Los Angeles, which was easily visible from the coast, but the military has said nothing about the launch.

KFMB showed video of the apparent missile to former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Robert Ellsworth, who is also a former Deputy Secretary of Defense, to get his thoughts.

Magnificent images were captured by the KCBS news helicopter in L.A. around sunset Monday evening. The location of the missile was about 35 miles out to sea, west of L.A. and north of Catalina Island.


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/11/09/national/main7036716.shtml

---

[SpiralHawk]

1. The Bigass Boehner Blastoff?

To celebrate his erection as RepubliCrony-in-Chief?

[HopeHoops]

2. In other news, Moscow mysteriously vaporized shortly after the launch.

Does anyone seriously believe the missile targets were ever changed because of a "treaty"?

[HereSince1628]

3. Is the new Indian submarine able to launch missles?

Perhaps it was a demonstration as in Hey, India! Look what we can sell you?

[harun]

7. A very good guess IMHO.

[leveymg]

4. If the news camera was pointed west, that bird was headed North to Russia

Very strange. Normal missile test range target is in the Marshall Islands, which would be south-west.

[SkyDaddy7]

10. I was stationed at Vandenberg AFB...

ICBMs always appear to be headed due west or even north west when I know they were headed to the South Pacific...I think it must be a trajectory to get it into space where it changes. Just my guess from watching countless rocket & missile launches from VAFB.

As for testing ICBMs over the Pacific well that has been done for decades from land at Vandenberg AFB & in the ocean from subs as far as I my understanding is. I was thrown back when this man said he did not know if it had ever been done! I guess he was just trying not to say too much...Again, just my guess.

It could have been a US reply to Russia who has been doing the same recently. Who knows?

Edited for comment on Russia's recent ICBM launches over the Pacific from subs.

http://www.dglobalnews.com/russia-success-longrange-nuclear-missile-test/1143.html

[leveymg]

14. Look at it again. Is that what you saw? Due west or slightly north-west would be away or

a heading just slightly to the right. A westward trajectory by the "great polar route" would involve a jag North on the initial leg out. But, that thing's definitely going hard right - but, don't they all?

If this was intentional, and a message directed at China, why fling the thing in the direction of Russia? Unless, we want to send mixed-messages, of course. But, you may be right about this being a response to Russian launches in the Pacific. Do you know where the Russian Pacific range target is located?

Would you entirely dismiss the possibility of an accidental launch?

[SkyDaddy7]

39. An accident? That would be very scary if true...

No, I do not know where Russia lands their dummy warheads...I think it says in one of the articles about their most recent launch but I would have to go back & chaeck. I know Russia & the US are very good about letting each other know when they are launching for obvious reasons!

All it would take is one launch that was not reported ahead of time & the world would never be the same!

[Xithras]

27. I was actually thinking that this might BE a Russian launch.

We tend to jump to conclusions based on the boogieman of the day, but we could be looking at something much simpler. Until 20 years ago, the USSR had one of the most powerful navies in the world, and arguably the only one that could have beaten our own in a real fight. That navy largely disintegrated after the collapse of the USSR.

Russia has been making noises about repositioning itself as an economic and military counterweight to the U.S. for the better part of the last decade. They don't want to be our enemy, but they are clearly unhappy with U.S. unilaterlism, and both Putin and Medvedev have made public remarks about the need for an alternate power to keep the U.S. in check. China has the money and resources, but is too tied to the U.S. economically to oppose us in any real way. Europe doesn't have the political or social will to build up its military for what many perceive as "posturing".

Russia began pouring billions into its Navy to not only dust off and modernize it's fleet about two years ago, but also to begin building NEW nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. Americans have largely ignored this because of our generally friendly relationship with modern Russia.

It's not beyond the realm of possibility that the Russians launched the missile. What better way to announce your re-entry into the world stage than to sneak in and launch a missile only miles off the coast of the "World's Only Superpower"'s second largest city.

I realize that this was PROBABLY an American sub test, but if it WAS another country, I'd put Russia at the top of the list. At this point, they have the technology, and have more to prove.

[Posteritatis]

29. Test-firing a missile in a nuclear-armed country's waters takes more crazy than Russia's got. (nt)

[leveymg]

34. Da.

[SkyDaddy7]

40. NO WAY!

Russia & the US are very careful about letting each other know when the other is launching anything into space...All it would take is one unreported launch & the world we live in today would be gone!

I DO NOT buy into the story that the DOD does not know what or who launched that missile yesterday! Any launch sets off alarms at NORAD & they know not long after launch where it is headed & who launched it! Otherwise we would have a nuclear war!

I think it was in the 70's Russia launched a rocket with a weather satelite but had failed to warn us before hand that almost caused us to launch a counter strike!

This is why I do not buy into the idea they do not know who or what was launched off our coast...But we will find out soon.

[YOY]

5. I feel safer already.

n.t.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Memo to CBS News: 'missile' has 2 'i's in it

See the caption at the top of the screen, from half way through the video, that is the still picture shown before you start the video:

"MYSTERY MISSLE LAUNCH"

This is what happens when Americans mispronounce the word as 'missl'. :hide:

[formercia]

8. Perhaps it was the Chinese telling us not to get too friendly with India

It is obvious that a lot of people were meant to see it. How could you miss it at that time of day?

[Ian David]

9. Does Pakistan have a submarine capable of launching missiles? nt

[formercia]

11. Not a SLBM

http://nti.org/db/submarines/pakistan/index.html

[leveymg]

17. That would be pretty damned provocative. Could start WWIII if done unannounced.

Doubt it was a foreign sub, strongly - let's hope not!

[Posteritatis]

26. I very strongly doubt that China is that staggeringly stupid. (nt)

[AngryAmish]

35. Do you realize how stupid that would be?

If we overreacted to a missile launch 35 miles off the coast, in US waters, we would be telling our grandkids about how nice Shanghi was before it was flattened and irradiated.

[crikkett]

12. Perhaps another failed test of the missile detection system

that Rumsfeld could never get off the ground?

[lonestarnot]

13. Was bushitler riding it?

[leveymg]

15. No. He rides a dinosaur as a "permanent resident of a unicorn ranch in fantasyland."

[USMCMustang]

16. Definitely North Korean

The same North Korean mini-sub that attacked and sunk the Deep water Horizon according to a co-worker here who thinks Glenn beck speaks truth.

[leveymg]

18. My money's on Iran. "We begin bombing in 15 minutes."

[USMCMustang]

21. Update Iran

My Beck watching co-worker says an Iranian diesel sub could get close enough to the US to launch a missile.

[Xithras]

25. Your Beck watching co-worker is an idiot.

But then, we already knew that from his viewing habits, didn't we?

The U.S. maintains a grid of undersea listening devices that would pick up a diesel sub before it got halfway across the Pacific. The entire reason for the USSR converting to nuclear boomers was the fact that they could no longer get diesel subs anywhere near the North American coast without being detected. If the USSR couldn't do it 30 years ago, the Iranians sure as hell can't do it today.

[Lurks Often]

37. Your information about submarines is incorrect

The USSR switched to nuclear power for submarines for the same reason we did:
1. You have essentially unlimited fuel
2. You no longer have to come to the surface or near the surface to run the diesels to re-charge the batteries
3. A nuclear power plant provides more then enough power to run the sub, generate fresh water, run the air exchangers and all the other things a ship requires without cutting into the sub's range.
4. The only real limitation for a nuclear submarine is crew endurance and crew rations
5. The Russians have continued to make and use diesel submarines and they have also exported them to Iran among other countries (google Kilo class submarine)
6. A modern diesel electric submarine running on batteries is quieter then a nuclear submarine, but has all the liabilities a nuclear submarine does not: limits on food, air, range and the requirement to come to the surface or near the surface to run the diesels to re-charge the batteries.

[Lance_Boyle]

43. Nevermind that Chinese Song-class diesel-electric that snuck up on Naval exercises

in the Pacific in 2007 - surprising the USS Kitty Hawk by emerging within torpedo distance.

[leveymg]

32. With a skeleton crew aboard, maybe.

In the event of actual hostilities, that Kilo-class boat is the LAST place on earth anyone would want to be.

[newfie11]

19. I wonder where it landed? n/t

[KansDem]

20. Maybe the "Balloon-Boy" family has gone high-tech?

...just a guess.

[Crowman1979]

22. Probably a classified spy satellite launch.

[freebrew]

23. k&r

it was the Mexicans...

[Yeahyeah]

24. BP's got to protect their waters.

[Lochloosa]

28. Pic and Video of the launch. That was not a home made missile

Video: http://www.komonews.com/news/national/106965343.html

[HuckleB]

48. It wasn't a missile.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/aviation/mystery-missile-wasnt-a-missile-at-all

[nebenaube]

49. not buying that... n/t

[HuckleB]

50. You don't buy reality?

:rofl:

[Adsos Letter]

30. It's a MIRV headed toward various Fox locations...

California Dem's have finally had enough of Limbaugh and the other hate spewing talking heads.

[Evasporque]

31. MIRV Griffin.....next on FOX!

[Ian David]

36. It's Obama coming to take our guns... with a MISSILE!! n/t

[Adsos Letter]

51. MIRV= Multiple Imbecile Removal Vehicle...

targeted on right-wing radio demagogues. :D

[uppityperson]

33. k&r for weird

[mainer]

38. Any more news? This is weird and disturbing. A mistake?

Is it possible for a sub to accidentally let one of these babies go up?

[Ian David]

41. Watch this turn out to be part of a viral marketing campaign for a movie.

My guess...

Red Dawn 2010 Official Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co0CopP1Vec&feature=related

[kestrel91316]

42. Am I the first person to notice Moran Dude's head in your pic??

[leveymg]

44. It wasn't there when I read the OP several hours ago.

Very observant. What do you think this means? Is ID one of THEM?

[Ian David]

45. Jet contrails, from some angles, look like missile trails

Jet contrails, from some angles, look like missile trails
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9522175&mesg_id=9522175

[davepc]

46. They were doing some testing in the general area today

KNTD POINT MUGU NAS (NAVAL BASE VENTURA CO)

M0327/10 - NAVAIR SURFACE LAUNCH MISSILE TEST IN R-2519. AIRCRAFT, MEN AND
EQUIPMENT WILL BE REQUIRED TO REMAIN CLEAR OF AREAS SOUTH OF TAXIWAY
A-2 SOMETIMES DURING THIS PERIOD. MISSION ESSENTIAL FLIGHT REQUIRING
TRANSITIONS THROUGH THE RESTRICTED AREA SHALL CONTACT POINT MUGU
RANGE CONTROL (805-989-8280 OR 306.6) FOR DECONFLICTION. 09 NOV 22:00 2010 UNTIL
10 NOV 01:00 2010. CREATED: 09 NOV 15:17 2010

[HuckleB]

47. Mystery Missile Wasn't a Missile at All

http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/aviation/mystery-missile-wasnt-a-missile-at-all

[panzerfaust]

53. Contrail, Accident, or Message: One thing is certain, in the current world of fear, we will never

know the answer.

The contrail explanation seems most likely ... most unlikely is the (ultra paranoid US) military not really being disturbed by an actual unidentified missile launch.

With the actual film (which the gov would have no trouble getting) it would seem a simple matter to calculate the course of the object. Thus, if a missile, to figure out the launch point, if a jet, to determine which one.

If the mil knows it is a contrail, they might not admit this for two reasons: 1) they are incompetent and embarrassed to admit they did not think of it; 2) they simply want it to remain a 'mystery' to add to the climate of fear and uncertainly which has become the norm. A climate favorable to both religion and the military.

It could have been an accidental launch. In the early '80s I was doing my reserve duty on a guided missile frigate. We came 'that' close to accidentally launching a SAM at an airliner going into San Diego, as they were routinely locked onto and tracked for drill and also just for relieving the boredom of peacetime service.

Or, it could have been deliberately done in a state of fear and confusion by some command which felt threatened for some reason. Remember Iran Air Flight 655 shot down by USS Vincennes. One might also recall that, after killing the 290 people on this civilian airliner, our then veep George HW Bush saying "I'll never apologize for the United States of America. Ever, I don't care what the facts are." Republicans have not changed.

Then there is the possibility that this was, in fact, a carefully planned (but why when it would be seen?) black-op by the US government. That would require belief in black-ops, which no longer seems allowed on the DU.

The last possibility that I can see is that it was some other country which deliberately launched a missile near the USA. I can think of no country which would be insane enough to do that - given the aforementioned paranoia of our military and our government. I mean, would you just walk into a biker-bar and pour a beer over some guy sitting at a table?

My money is on it being a contrail from an airliner, with it being officially 'unexplained' simply to keep tightening the screws of fear and uncertainty by which we are being manipulated.

So, in the end, I do see a conspiracy I guess: That, or incompetence. Truly, do not know which should be worse.

[denbot]

52. That was a missile launch.

A contrail that appears to be heading up is actually moving towards the viewer. The object in the video was not heading towards and over Los Angeles. Beyond Catalina Island lays St Nicolas Island which is a military zone, but I don't recall launch facilities being located there. I would guess that was sea launch, and what was launched was pretty big.

Just my opinion, from my own experience riding a guided missile destroyer.

[HuckleB]

55. It was an airplane.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/11/10/california.contrails/

[panzerfaust]

56. And the usual military & FAA incompetence in explaining this

"Col. Dave Lapan said ... 'there was no threat to the U.S. homeland.'"

"US Homeland" - will this German-Fascist inspired phrase NEVER go away!? I cringe every time I hear this word so reminiscent of "Der Vaterland"

[tonekat]

54. Well, it certainly reminded me of TWA Flight 800

I don't buy the fuel tank explanation for that.

[bobburgster]

57. Well. I'm pulling out my hat....

:tinfoilhat: because I don't believe diddly the pentagon says.

[HuckleB]

60. You don't need the Pentagon to see that it was an airplane.

[Nossida]

58. Utter nonsense

I loved the post I read on this on another site/forum.

We can't identify it, but there is no danger.


I feel safer already.:wtf:

[slackmaster]

59. US Airways flight 808

Look it up.

[HuckleB]

61. Yes, let's freak out about airplane contrails!!!!

:shrug: