From: Thomas Barclay <Thomas.Barclay@s...>
Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2001 02:03:04 -0400
Subject: [FT] Defensive system idea: MRIM
Pardon to anyone who may have come up with a similar concept. I haven't seen it mentioned so this is not a derivative work, though it may flow in already established channels. Think for a moment of fleet defence. We have an outer layer of fighters, screening for other fighters and engaging incoming missiles. They attack things headed toward the fleet as a whole. We have an ADFC net which lets us engage (at short ranges) missiles and fighters attacking ships under the net's umbrella. This (like the long distance fighter screen) is an area defence. Then we have the close in "screening" fighters, attached to particular ships. They try to stop fighters (and I think missiles?) on attack runs. This is a defence for a particular ship. Then we have the last ditch PDS/CIWS which attempts to thwart the incoming fighters and missiles targetted specifically at the ship carrying them. This is the final and most personal level of defence for a ship. But this formation assumes you have fighter superiority (or fighters present!). If you don't, your fighter screening won't last long. So then you're down to ADFC and PDS. Few FB ships have ADFC and they attract enemy fighters and fire like magnets. So shortly, your ship ONLY has PDS. Or, if it is on independent operation, that's all it has. And most FB ships aren't over- endowed with PDS. And of course, then we come to the vast annoyance of the floating fighter swarm (space vultures) that can't be attacked because they aren't attacking you. (In fact, if you think carefully about this, you'll note that a long range fighter strike at a planet opposed by standard corvettes, destroyers, and frigates is UTTERLY UNSTOPPABLE - the fighters fly by laughing as you can't shoot....). So, what kind of system would help 1) extend the defensive envelope of ships to allow them to engage fighters OUTSIDE their own engagement range 2) same as #1 but as it applies to MTMs and SMs 3) Provide an ability to attack fighter groups "lurking" in swarms nearby 4) allow some form of closer in area defence for non-fighter bearing ships. The answer (or one of them) is a Medium Range Interceptor Missile system. (MRIM). Whereas I sort of PSB the PDS as CIWS (laser or particle-accelerator type phalanx/goalkeeper system, defensive cannister launchers, etc), I see the MRIM as a system with slightly more capable sensors and more capable weaponry. What would it do: 1) Have an attack range of 12" (like a B1) 2) Have limited shots like a scattergun or SM 3) Be able to target any fighter or missile in range 4) Be fireable at fighters or missiles attacking the mounting ship like PDS but before the fighters can fire 5) I'd suggest it is the equivalent of 3 PDS shots (3 dice, PDS effects). 6) arc limited 7) Like PDS, mounts it own tracking/homing therefore does not require a firecon 8) I'll guess at a 3-arc version for mass 1. Cost is 4 x mass. (logic: Unlike ADFC, it doesn't allow all beam-1s and PDS to shoot at fighters in the area of effect, just this system. It is more potent than a single 1mass, 3 point PDS but can't fire repeatedly and has limited arc coverage. Hence more expensive than a single PDS but only slightly). Now, my guestimate for mass and cost for MRIM rounds is just that. Comments on cost/mass/performance I'd be interested to here. (Note, my FT gaming tends to be vector with 3" radius for attacking SMs if that matters in the discussion).