Re: SML Absorbers

----- Original Message -----
From: Thomas Barclay <Thomas.Barclay@sofkin.ca>
> I don't like the SML absorber technique for small ships. In the
> GZGverse, who the hell would ever want to crew an escort? I'd mutiny
> first. I don't mind a chance of getting killed doing my job, but not a
> gaurantee of same. Small ships don't pack the point defence to handle
> this decoy task, and their is little in the way of ECM or
> countermeasures to aide them.

    This makes sense, but reality makes it untrue.  This is exactly what
escorts are for in the U.S. Navy.  Specifically, Fast Frigates are
designed
to emulate an aircraft carrier to enemy electronics and take hits for
them,
even though a single hit is likely to destroy (mission kill at least)
them.
They have a very short life expectancy (30-60 seconds or something crazy
like that) and (comparatively) crappy electronics.  At best they are
supposed to fire a couple of missiles at the enemy then die taking a hit
for
the carrier.  This from my buddy who was stationed on one of these
floating
"targets."

    Protect the Carrier IS the modern Naval surface mission from what I
understand (I am ex-U.S. Navy, but I am nuclear waste (didn't finish
nuclear
field training, a GOOD thing)) and an ex-twidget (Electronics
Technician),
so I can't speak with true authority (never set foot on a ship until
AFTER I
was medically discharged). I can only relay what I have been told, read
and/or understand.

Later,
Voivode Shrike (Ryan Fisk)
voivode@voyager.net
"It's not denial.  I'm just very
 selective about the reality I accept."
-Calvin
(Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Watterson)