Argument: Decoys and countermeasures can easily defeat missile defenses

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“Slovak prime minister slams U.S. for missile defense adventure”. Reuters. 27 Jan. 2008 – Decoys and countermeasures are the Achilles heel of missile defense, and also of the proposed missile defense system in Europe. (…)

Decoys can include objects which provide a close representation of the attacking enemy missile or its warhead encased in a re-entry vehicle. For example, a simple balloon in the shape of a cone – the shape of a re-entry vehicle – would travel out in space as fast as the RV itself and might be confusing to the defender. An enemy missile could carry many of these balloons (…)

Countermeasures could include chaff or debris deliberately scattered by the attacker with the target missile or warhead to reflect the search radar of a missile defense system. This might be short metal rods – like paper clips – of the proper length, or bits of metal foil to reflect the radar, or to cloud the view the radar might otherwise have of the target.