Wildstar Sagt:
> > only kind of sensor you'll need to detect these ships is the Mark-I
> > eyeball. [etc.]
>
> True enough, although to detect one at any range, you will need an
> increasingly large telescope. Those range bands are *big*! For a sense
> of scale, imagine trying to detect that Saturn V first stage with the
> naked eye from the surface of the moon.
Ok, so I exaggerated a bit. But remember, from Earth to the Moon is
15 range bands or so. So we're both exaggerating.
> > Ok, what counter measures can you pull against a missile with a
> > totally passive seeker head?
>
> Well, you can shoot at it. It probably has a fusion rocket for power,
> too, and should be pretty darn obvious. Lasers are the obvious choice,
[etc]
True. But those options work just as well against an active missile
or a command guided variety.
> A small fission or fusion warhead should provide an adequate decoy,
> depending on the exact technology of the seeker head. The bomb could be
> radiation-enhanced in the appropriate frequencies to better simulate the
> ship's fusion exhaust. This may not be a practical suggestion, however!
> ;)
Practicality aside, I don't think it would work. How long does a nuclear
warhead last? If it Could simulate the target ship's signature, it
wouldn't do it for long! :-)
Scott 2G Kellogg