Re: Dirtside II Weapons: GMS/Air

In a message dated 97-06-04 04:07:56 EDT, Phil Pournelle writes:

<< 
 Hello,
	 Here's my idea for an Anti-Air GMS.  Each battery may fire 1
GMS
 versus air targets at a range of 48 inches with 1d6 for Basic, 1d8 for
 Enhanced and 1d10 for Superior missile systems.  Damage is calculated
the
 same as for a GMS/L.  The cost is 1.5 times a GMS/H  Therefore 45 for
Basic,
 60 for Enhanced and 90 for Superior.  This weapon system takes up 4
Capacity
 spaces.  The GMS/A may be used against ground targets at a range of 30
 inches but again draws chits as a GMS/L.
[snip]
Why only a vehicle mounted system?  Why not a light AD system like
Stinger or
SA-16 Strela?  The Stinger is mounted on helicopters (OH-58D Kiowa
Warrior
and AH-64D Apache Longbow), wheeled vehicles (HUMVEE Avenger) and
carried by
Air Defense Infantry.  As mentioned, the Avenger carries a stinger
launcher
with 8 shots and a .50 cal machine gun.  With a capacity of 2 or
possibly 3,
such a cofiguration could easily fit on a size 2 vehicle.  The same
system
could be carried by an infantry at the same points increase for
upgrading an
infantry team to a GMS/L team.	Stinger and other small systems use
primarily
infra-red heat seeking guidance, but smallish radars or laser guidance
could
be a possibility.  The slant range (direct line of sight range from
surface
to aerial target) of such systems is usually around 3-4 km.
[unsnip]
	 I would imagine that Patriot, Hawk and AEGIS Weapon systems
would
 carry a system like this.  You might even want to put it in an
interceptor
 aircraft ala Tomcat...  
[snip]
The tricks to those exact systems are the HUGE radar arrays they have.
 Granted, a single radar array can slave up to 4 Patriot launchers, but
you
would still need an increased radar capability for tracking multiple
targets
at increased ranges.  If I'm not mistaken, Patriot can track upwards of
20
targets and engage at something like 15-20 km slant range.  Aegis can
track
over 50 targets, engage all of them, then track its own missiles and
uses a
surface launch equivalent of the Sparrow Air-to-Air missile.  Slant
range
something like 20-30 km.  F-14 Tomcat uses the AIM-65 Phoenix and has a
range
of something disgusting like 80-90 km!	Other Air-to-Air missiles like
Sparrow and Sidewinder have direct ranges like 20-45 km.
[unsnip]
	 Now the question becomes, when does the missile hit, if I fire
it as
 reaction fire...?  Before of after the targets ordnance drops...?
	 Please let me know what you think.
		 Phil P. >>
[snip]
I'll have to agree that a pilot hearing a missile threat tone would
bolt.
 But maybe work it that you may fire during any portion of the inbound
aircraft's movement.  Also a VTOL doing a pop-up attack may get a bonus
to
its defense due to its short exposure.	As for fixed-wing aircraft
firing
say, a GMS in an anti-tank role, I had thought that the missiles in DSII
were
"fire and forget", self guiding.  The Phoenix is self guiding, as is the
new
Javelin ATGM.  Once locked on by the launcher, the missile begins to
track
its target by itself, notifies the launcher it's ready and tracking, a
puff
of smoke, its motor engages and it hails death and destruction upon the
enemy.	Menawhile, the launcher and his mates nip off to the pub and
quaff a
few Guiness.  Well, maybe not Guiness, but something.  Just a few
thoughts
from a joe.
>From Sniper's Alley,
Jay