The technical challenge of hitting a moving ship comes with a political and command problem. A ballistic launch can be mistaken for a strategic nuclear attack, so conventional use risks rapid misinterpretation even when forces and launch areas are separated. Interest in hypersonic systems may partly reflect a desire to escape that ambiguity. A high-speed weapon must also obtain target information through plasma effects and may need to slow before terminal sensing and maneuver. This sensing limitation depends on the technology available and could change as that technology develops.
Notable Point · 16:45-19:02
Anti-ship ballistic missiles and escalation risk
Conventional anti-ship ballistic missiles carry an escalation problem because an opponent may initially interpret their launch as strategic or nuclear.