Starflare-class Modular Missile
Designation: Starflare-class Modular MissilePurpose: To produce a versatile warhead system that has limited hyperspace capabilities.
Application: Used as a capital ship missile.
Name/Type: Starflare-class Modular Missile
Designer/Manufacturer: Kashan Defence Industries
Length: 3.5 Meters
Speed: 175 MGLT, 1000 kph
Range: 50 kilometers (sublight engines only)
Hyperdrive: x10
Weapons: 1 Modular Warhead.
Countermeasures: 1 Active Jammer
Description: The Starflare-class Missile is a unique warhead system designed to give Kashan commanders versatility in dealing with their opponents. It follows the general Kashan philosophy of trying to outthink opponents. Besides its modularity, the weapon’s main strength is its one-way use hyperdrive, which allows Kashan fleets to strike at their opponents from ranges without fear of instant reprisal. The weapon is large enough that it can’t be carried by any known starfighters as of late. Thus, it is only carried by capital ships.
Fuselage Construction:
The fuselage’s frame and covering are constructed of Ferrocarbon laminated with Trimantium fibers for resiliency. To allow the missile to punch through hull plating before the weapon detonates, the missile’s front is fully composed of the Ferrocarbon. Because of the material composition, most starfighter-grade physical weapons, such as flechettes and it resistant to laser cannon fire as well. In addition, the armor has been blackened, making it hard to visually spot it.
Hyperdrive: The Starflare carries a single-use hyperdrive with a range of 2.5 light years; or about 1.5 times the radius of a typical solar system. The hyperdrive system itself is very rudimentary. For example, there are no safety cutouts or anything extraneous that could add to the hyperdrive’s size or cost. Because the weapon has only a one way use hyperdrive and no living beings, and thus does not have safety cutouts, the Starflare can be launched into hyperspace in the presence of a gravity-well, such as a planet. However, the missile can also be forced out of hyperspace by gravity-wells, both artificial and natural, like a starship.
Modular Warhead: The Starflare utilizes a modular warhead that lends Kashan officers versatility in roles and functions. Unlike most weapons, the Starflare’s warhead is actually positioned in the core of the weapon to make it difficult to detonate in flight and to allow the missile to penetrate and then detonate for maximum damage. Warhead types:
Armor Piercing: This warhead is a reinforced Ferrocarbon shaft for sustained armor piercing.
Electrite Crystal: This is the most common warhead used by the Starflare. It is based on technology derived from the Elegance message drone. In it, two electrite crystals snap together, resulting in enough force to vaporize anything(unshielded) within a hundred fifty meter radius. It is mainly effective against groups of lightly armored targets, such as starfighters and sub-capital ships. Against heavily armored opponents like most capital ships, the force is equivalent to several concussion missiles. When used against starfighters and other clouds of objects, it is programmed to explode when its sensors indicate a specified number of opposing vessels within the blast radius (adapted from EGD).
Flare Cluster Missile: This warhead releases a cluster of flares to illuminate an area or throw off enemy warheads.
Flechette: This warhead releases a cloud of explosive-tipped flechettes for use against multiple enemy missiles or starfighters. It is generally used to prematurely detonate enemy missile strikes. Flechette warheads are also used to detonate enemy minefields.
Ion: This warhead produces the same effect as the ion cannon against a capital ship. A single ion warhead produces the equivalent damage of 3 capital-scale ion cannon bolts.
Magnetic Pulse: This warhead creates an area-wide powerful magnetic pulse that temporary short-circuits communications, droids, and hi-tech equipment. It is only effective against ships equal to or lower than sub-capital ships(>100 meters).
Proton: This is the most common warhead along with the Electrite Crystal. It carries proton explosives for heavy anti-shipping attacks. A Starflare loaded with this warhead deals out the damage of 4 normal proton torpedos.
Seismic: This warhead uses a devastating seismic charge similar to those used by Jango Fett, but on a larger scale. The weapon has been proven to be quite effective in asteroid fields.
Sonic: This warhead does no damage to the external hull plating or subsystems. Instead, when it hits the target, it suffuses a high-intensity sonic vibration(sound) throughout the hull which is capable of shattering smaller objects and producing various injuries to opposing crewmembers. It can also be set on a stun setting which instead releases a high-pitched wail that causes opposing crewmembers to lose their equilibrium and become unconscious. The effects of this warhead on crewmembers can be stopped by wearing specialty armor (adapted from Sonic Pistol, EGWT).
Jammer: The Starflare carries a miniature jammer that is effective within 50 meters of the craft. This is to prevent the missile from being intercepted by enemy starfighters or other missiles. However, because the jammer takes up power as well, the missile’s speed is also reduced to 135 MGLT when the jammer is being used. The jammer is automatically triggered when the missile’s sensor system detects it being actively targeted.
Additionally, whenever the missile detects it being targetted, the missile makes a sideslip maneuver to through off incoming laser fire.
Targetting: The missile typically uses sensor data provided from the ship it was launched from. However, it can make course corrections by itself from a DER sensor. This sensor automatically locks the missile to strike the nearest weak area of the opposing vessel.
Launching: The weapon is fired from launch tubes or tubes arranged in an octet similar in concept to the proton torpedo octet.
Comments
#21 4:38am 26/04/06
[QUOTE]That goal is contradicted directly by arms race principles[/QUOTE]
I can see your point but it seems a bit idealistic to me considering the history of TRF and the miles, and miles, of OOC and IC debate that has arisen merely to counterpoint the advantages of other factions. In theory I totally agree with you, but in application I have to be aware of what I've observed over the years (which, granted, may not be so many as the true veterans). Case in point, the Cloak-and-CounterCloak episode(s).
I don't disagree with you, I just feel that it may be a somewhat narrow comment on the way things have [I]been[/I]... if not the way things [I]are[/I].
#20 4:33am 26/04/06
It's fine if you want to create counter technologies, but not if purely for the sake of counter technology. The primary purpose of the R&D process is not to create more powerful ships but to allow a group the artistic expression to create unique technologies to create unique ships in order to make each group more then merely another empire. That goal is contradicted directly by arms race principles; of the unique advantage becomes commanplace and counters become the norm, the stated principle may be abandoned and the stated intent long forgotten. This I, and the staff, do not support.
#19 3:20am 26/04/06
[QUOTE]We never want to admit arms race R&Ds. [/QUOTE]
That seems unlikely, and contridictory. What matters more, the Story or the Event? But sure. Whatever you like. I would consider it an arms race, on a tactical battlefield, where-by the targets would be forced to find adaptive methods of dealing with said technology. I could be wrong, I have been before. But it seems to me a contention between PvP and RP. Ah, well.
#18 3:17am 26/04/06
There's issues of feasibility and contradictory information, but what it basically boils down to is that this is not, in fact, merely an arms race R&D. We never want to admit arms race R&Ds. This is an interesting idea with unique practical applicatives and as such, pending the removal of the non-sensical components, will not object to it.
#17 2:55am 26/04/06
Whine... whine whine...
"You have da uber wep. I have no."
> Well shucks, imagine that... to design a missile that takes into account your standard anti-torpedo proptcols and attempts to one up them...
"But, but, but... what do I do?"
> Gee, I dunno. Come up with a defense of your own?
"It's not fair."
> Yeah, well, neither was droping a nuke on Hiroshima.
To quote an old R&D chestnut...
STFU
It's called an "Arms Race"... not an "Easter-Egg Arms Hunty-Boo".
#16 2:26am 26/04/06
I've already got a defense against this and thus have no issue.
#15 2:14am 26/04/06
I'm sorry that the Galactic Coalition attempts to design weapons that you know, hit and work and all that shit.
#14 1:40am 26/04/06
The key word is laser Resistant. It's not unstoppable; as I've already stated, it can be destroyed by starfighter grade laser bolts from the side and the rear of the missile.
#13 11:55pm 25/04/06
Heres my two cents (actually more like two tenths of a cent)...
I think its totally uber. The fact that it can jump from a ship to a target... barable. Probably will be some problems for us early on, but its equivilant in the suprise factor to my shadow bombs. However...
[QUOTE]The fuselage’s frame and covering are constructed of Ferrocarbon laminated with Trimantium fibers for resiliency. To allow the missile to punch through hull plating before the weapon detonates, the missile’s front is fully composed of the Ferrocarbon. Because of the material composition, most starfighter-grade physical weapons, such as flechettes and it resistant to laser cannon fire as well. In addition, the armor has been blackened, making it hard to visually spot it.[/QUOTE]
You can't destroy it. You can't use a turbolaser on it because they're big and unweildly against fighter sized targets, and standard anti-missile flechet launchers or anti fighter lasers can't destroy it, so its untouchable. I have a problem with that. Perhaps making it somewhat armored but not overly would be failr.
The warheads: I have no problem with them, in fact, I was thinking of equipting a sonic torpedo launcher to the Raptor, but chose not to in the end, saving that for something else.
#12 10:15pm 25/04/06
Going on with the hyperdrive being expensive, there will be two types. Type A(the one described thus far) carries a hyperdrive and is more uncommon than Type B. Type B does not have a hyperdrive and instead carries more fuel, giving it a longer sublight range than Type A. Type B is more common.
The RP for this will be included in that of the Seraph-class Cruiser.
#11 11:44pm 24/04/06
You are correct Beff, if it moves out of the sublight range of the missile when it reverts to hyperspace, the enemy ship has escaped.
*smacks self for getting mired in somatics and the old R&D style*
#10 11:12pm 24/04/06
[QUOTE]Yes and no. The missile uploads its navigational data from its carrier ship. That requires some basic memory space, but that's it.[/QUOTE]
Then, if the enemy moves between deployment, upload, and impact, your missile will fail to adapt. It will need to have onboard navigations equipment sufficent to compute manouvers in hyperspace and real-space.
Whatever though. I can't imagine this being a cheap weapon, not to say that any missile or torpedo is cheap, but I'd imagine this being on the upper end of the spectrum.
Don't want to get mired in somantics, that's the old R&D style, just wondering.
Kudoz.
#9 11:05pm 24/04/06
I disagree. You're talking about a missile here, not a starfighter. The hyperdrive would have to be miniturized, adding cost (note the more expensive hyperdrive engines found on an A-Wing as compared to an X-Wing).
Minaiturization always increases the cost if one is retaining all of the components. But this is bare essentials and it doesn't have all of the normal components. For example, there is no cooling system. As well, the drive isn't nearly as powerful as a standard hyperdrive, it is ten times less powerful.
[QUOTE]You also have to incorporate a hyperdrive navigator of some sort, which is standard for many ships, but would again have to be reduced in volume. [/QUOTE]
Yes and no. The missile uploads its navigational data from its carrier ship. That requires some basic memory space, but that's it.
[QUOTE]And it's a missile, which would seem to indicate that this thing will be embarking upon some pretty high-g manouvers. I may not be a physics major, but I know a thing or two about momentum and inertia and this thing would likely be undertaking some hyperdrive to realspace jump and reversion that standard starfighters would not be attempting.[/QUOTE]
That's true. However, the Starflare was designed to take that stress though with its Ferrocarbon frame and the composite hull plating. The structural integrity of the Starflare is much higher than normal.
#8 10:15pm 24/04/06
[QUOTE]The hyperdrive does add to the cost, but it too is much less expensive than a typical hyperdrive. It doesn't need durable materials since its disposable, and the speed rating of it is fairly low as well. If there was such a thing as a budget hyperdrive with all of these corners cut and undeveloped, it would be very ship because its performance is terrible.[/QUOTE]
I disagree. You're talking about a missile here, not a starfighter. The hyperdrive would have to be miniturized, adding cost (note the more expensive hyperdrive engines found on an A-Wing as compared to an X-Wing). You also have to incorporate a hyperdrive navigator of some sort, which is standard for many ships, but would again have to be reduced in volume. And it's a missile, which would seem to indicate that this thing will be embarking upon some pretty high-g manouvers. I may not be a physics major, but I know a thing or two about momentum and inertia and this thing would likely be undertaking some hyperdrive to realspace jump and reversion that standard starfighters would not be attempting.
Of course this is your project and thus; the pervue of cost is your own. I feel it would be a pretty expensive technology.
[QUOTE]I hate you beff[/QUOTE]
No, you don't.
#7 9:42pm 24/04/06
Yeah Beff, I imagine some kind of crew would be needed to switch the warhead type. I was thinking of an automatic system with manipulator arms or a revolving rack to change the warhead type.
[QUOTE]A little problem though. Without an onboard navigation system, the missile will just travel the complete 2.5 light years before coming out of hyperspace, and will then acquire the target from the capital ship before proceeding to finish the journey. [/QUOTE]
I thought about that already. The DER mentioned on the targetting section is the onboard guidance system.
[QUOTE]Also, the missile would not be brought out by any mass shadows at all if it's hyperdrive safeties are disabled. [/QUOTE]
Good point. Perhaps a time-delayed hyperspace safety? It allows the missile to enter hyperspace for a few seconds and then activates?
[QUOTE]Very elegant and deadly missile design. But for 3.5 meters, it has hyperdrive, sublight boosters, jammers, sensors, and the warhead? Plus, it doesn't matter how much torwards the core the warhead is. Any direct hit on the missile would still set it off. It would just decrease the chances of a glancing blow from detonating it.[/QUOTE]
A direct hit from the sides or rear. A direct hit to the front wouldn't set it off because it's solid ferrocarbon; ferrocarbon is very tough to destroy.
I believe Beff has already pointed out the size comment. To put this into perspective, the ball fusalage of the TIE Series is a mere 2.04 meters in diameter.
[QUOTE]Edit: This would also be one helluva expensive technology to use on the battlefield... I mean even a Sea Sparrow Ship-to-Ship missile clocks in at 2.2 million plus. This thing would be amazingly expensive to produce and employ. Each shot, in Earth Terms, would be like firing a full ICBM complete with satellite guidance and laser point accuracy... EXPENSIVE![/QUOTE]
The hyperdrive aside, the materials and technology isn't any more expensive or advanced than many missiles. Sure, it has a jammer, but the other systems are more rudimentary than standard missiles; for example, the targetting.
The hyperdrive does add to the cost, but it too is much less expensive than a typical hyperdrive. It doesn't need durable materials since its disposable, and the speed rating of it is fairly low as well. If there was such a thing as a budget hyperdrive with all of these corners cut and undeveloped, it would be very ship because its performance is terrible.
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