NationStates Jolt Archive

MKIII ULPASM "Not Covered Under Warrenty" Ultra Low Profile Anti-Shipping Missile


Brought to you by the fine folks of Uniphase Armouries Interversal, the Warrenty is a direct response to growing missile defence systems; composed of rugged plastics and composites that are not just invisible to radar, but effectivly transparent to it, the weapon also negates thermal traces via the use of a discarding solid booster, and a sustainer engine which makes use of patented Atmospheric Electro-Ionisation and Magnetic Accelleration(AEIMA) technology, producing thrust without signifigant excess heat. A laser-refractive coating to hide the missile from LiDAR rounds out her defences.

Of course, a near-invisible missile doesn't a whole lot of good unless it's a fundimentally good weapon, and the Warrenty is solid in that respect; easily modifyible for aircraft, VLS, tube-cell, or shore launch, the weapon boasts supersonic cruise, a max payload/minimum advantage range upwards of 325 kilometers, and a varriable warhead payload upwards of 800 kilograms

Guildance is capible of utalising radio, LiDAR, passive RADAR homing, launching-ship-RADAR, satalite, inertial guildance, wire, IR, and/or optical.

The nominal flight pattern is sea-skimming, however this can be readily reprogramed, and the missile can be programed with upwards of 32 waypoints.

Cost Per Unit: 1.75 million USD

Length: 4m
Wingspan(deployed): 3m
Diamiter: 42cm
Mass: 460kg + warhead
Cruise Speed: Mach 1.15
Range: 325km(surface launch & max payload assumed)
Propulsion:
-Booster: CSTM-115 Discarding Solid Fuel Rocket
-Sustainer: Type-159 AEIMA Solid-State Electric Jet
Warhead: Varriable; 800kg max payload


OOC:
Comments? Being my first non-"future/space tech" missile in over two RL years, I'm courious as to how ballanced it is.

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I am curious as to how a plastic missile can break the speed of sound without shattering.

I am curious as to how a plastic missile can break the speed of sound without shattering.

We've managed to develop a high-density plastic that, with a little creative implimentation, is up to the task - atleast for single-use implimentations such as this.

Naturally, we can't go into specifics; trade secrets must be maintained, you know.

Just woindering... if the material is effectively transparent to EM radiation, then won't radar pick up the metal guidence systems and onboard computers, and the engine?

Just woindering... if the material is effectively transparent to EM radiation, then won't radar pick up the metal guidence systems and onboard computers, and the engine?

The use of metals is minimised to the extream; where ever possible, such elements are both shaped to deflect radar, and coated with radar-absorbant materials.

There is a radar profile - we never said there wasn't - but it's increadibly small; any radar that could detect it would have to be so sensitive as to be constantly jammed by light sea spray and fog - any attempt to filter those out would result in the missile's own return going with them.

So basically, you made a small stealthy missile and put it in a transparent case....It's hard to stealth radar antenna and rocket engines... in order to do that you'd need to put them in a metal case designed to reflect and absorb radar, rendering the entire exercise moot.

Why not just design the missile using normal RAM and low observable shapes? the plastic would be useful for some parts, like control surfaces, but so much of missiles HAVE to be metal..

So basically, you made a small stealthy missile and put it in a transparent case....It's hard to stealth radar antenna and rocket engines... in order to do that you'd need to put them in a metal case designed to reflect and absorb radar, rendering the entire exercise moot.

Why not just design the missile using normal RAM and low observable shapes? the plastic would be useful for some parts, like control surfaces, but so much of missiles HAVE to be metal..

The rocket engine is discarded after the initial boost phase, and the sustainer engine is solid-state jet that incorperates almost no metal. Onboard radar is passive, the antenna a composite material shaped to deflect up and backwards what isn't absorbed, and if you want, also removible.

Basicly, by making it mostly plastic, we can go from what might normally be a stealth missile with a very small profile, to a stealth missile with several increadibly small profiles, which, added up, would still only represent a tiny fraction of any conventionaly stealthed missile's radar profile.