How do ICBM early warning systems differentiate between a real threat and a launch of a normal rocket intended to go to space?

Question

How do ICBM early warning systems differentiate between a real threat and a launch of a normal rocket intended to go to space?

In: 2759

Answer 1

Only one missile yes, but don’t forget about MIRVs. That one missile can be carrying up to 12 *Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles.* Unfortunately, one missile does not mean just one bomb. Sometimes a few of the MIRVs are decoy vehicles and programmed with trajectories designed to be attractive to defensive systems to waste resources.