Hopefully the tech described in this article has been perfected and is operational..

[drray23]

https://abcnews.go.com/US/us-successfully-intercepts-icbm-ship-launched-missile-historic/story?id=74248760

In a first-of-its-kind test, the United States has successfully used a small, ship-fired missile to intercept a target Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), according to the Missile Defense Agency. The successful test shows the U.S. military now has another missile defense system capable of defending against North Korean ICBMs aimed at the United States.

This was in 2020. That particular test was with a system deployed from a navy ship. Apparently, we also have ground-based ones. Back then, the threat was possible North Korea launches of ICBMs.

Now, obviously North Korea, if they had ICBMs (I don't think they do, just medium range missiles) would be only a few of them. Russia can launch 6000 at a time.

If we have not ramped up since 2020, the current events may motivate the US to gear up. I do not know how many years it would take to have enough of these deployed and effectively have an iron dome neutering any saber rattling by Putin.

Nevertheless, its encouraging and it may mean that in the short to medium term (a generation?), ICBMS will be rendered useless.

[TreasonousBastard]

1. This would be an answer that would defang a large part of the...

nuclear threat. Not all of it, though.

Aside from other methods of nuclear holocaust that this doesn't affect, what happen to the nuclear detritus that falls from these intercepted missiles?

[drray23]

4. it's not really a concern.

Compared to being vaporized really. Mostly those ICBMs would be intercepted over water before they reach the land.

[Woodswalker]

2. So we blow up nukes in the air

Before they hit their intended targets. Hmmm, not sure how that's going to pan out.

[drray23]

3. just fine

nukes don't detonate if you blow them up. They detonate at a set altitude by means of a primary explosion to generate enough compression to produce critical mass .