CTD - Titan Heavy Missile

[Astyanax]

Whoa, I think you guys might be on different frequencies. I hope I'm right!

 

Cpl. Facehugger, I am a bit new to the Proofreading Taskforce, so I'm still working on my posting style. Since I haven't yet read all the CTs yet, I have to ask a lot of questions in the text, and Az (I think) was responding to my queries. We're not trying to put you down or anything, but it does take time and patience to pore over the texts.

 

Azrael, I don't think Face was trying to snub our efforts, rather, I think he wanted to help us by addressing the comments left in the text. I'm not yet sure how we'd normally go about remedying key questions in our proofread CTs (i.e. "I don’t really understand how it was deemed as obsolete later to be found not to be obsolete by the ALA army, how did everybody else missed that? And how the ALA showed that?"), but since that issue was extant (we hadn't fixed it), Face was offering to clear it up for us. I don't believe it was Face's intention to rewrite the entire CT, just patch it up. Still, it makes me happy that writers are willing to take responsibility for their texts.

 

However, there must come a point where the Proofreading Taskforce has final say, for practical reasons. Since the pipeline for the CTs has been made very clear, I don't expect there to be misunderstandings of this sort in the future.

 

-Asty

Edited February 5, 2005 by Astyanax

[Guest Azrael]

May I point to the fact that "Complete" means "no rewrites as it is done"?

Sorry to be this bold, but we've been working and spending time correcting these texts, we cannot have the authors make rewrites as we work them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

If you post conceptual/fluff/nonspelling problems with the text, I fix them. I don't see the problem here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

That's pretty much the point of the proofreading taskforce, to fix them. Anyway, don't worry about that no more.

[Penta]

A quick thought. Titan is the name given to a very famous series of ICBMs also used as space launch vehicles.

 

See here for info from Globalsecurity.org.

 

We may want to change the name, thus, to prevent confusion.

[Guest Azrael]

It's not an issue in this case, it's not that famous (in fact, I don't even know whether it is famous or not, never heard of it, don't even know what ICBM is) to cause any sort of confusion. "Titan", IIRC, comes from greek mythology, and we all know how military and space-programs love using greek mythology names.

[Astyanax]

ICBM- InterContinental Ballistic Missile

 

As far as I know, it was a fairly common phrase during the Cold War, and Penta does have a point; the "Titan" missile class is pretty well known, at least in these parts, but I don't really have an issue with the name.

[Guest Azrael]

ICBM- InterContinental Ballistic Missile

 

As far as I know, it was a fairly common phrase during the Cold War, and Penta does have a point; the "Titan" missile class is pretty well known, at least in these parts, but I don't really have an issue with the name.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, found the meaning of ICBM on Pardus chat, much to my disgust (I try not to use brain space with weapons information, find them very repulsive).

For the average player it will be unknown, so no issue.

[mikker]

This fluff may have to go, you haven’t fought UFOs at the beginning of the game yet, not the smaller and certainly not the bigger ones. This entry has to make sense if you read it at the very beginning of the game when you have no clue on what is happening.

 

I like to see fluffs happening in an alternate dimension. They arn't to be taken serious, and, well, none of your soldiers are named as the ones in the fluff (and youre guys arn't dying all the time). So fluffs not fitting wouldn't be a problem. Although i agree, this one isn't really funny.

[Guest Azrael]

This fluff may have to go, you haven’t fought UFOs at the beginning of the game yet, not the smaller and certainly not the bigger ones. This entry has to make sense if you read it at the very beginning of the game when you have no clue on what is happening.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I like to see fluffs happening in an alternate dimension. They arn't to be taken serious, and, well, none of your soldiers are named as the ones in the fluff (and youre guys arn't dying all the time). So fluffs not fitting wouldn't be a problem. Although i agree, this one isn't really funny.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I do too, but only with funny fluffs, this one is a serious one and well, it does have to make complete sense.

[Exo2000]

Mini-Update

 

TITAN HEAVY MISSILE

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/Titan

 

...

...

...

 

X-Corps Tactical Update: Due to the extreme maneuverability and the as yet unidentified Alien materials used for/in UFO hulls, modifications to the Titan launcher have been made to maximize accuracy at the cost of reducing the rate of fire. It is incapable of tracking the often unpredictable moves of UFOs unless it is directly linked to the fighter’s radar system. Even then, only one Titan per launcher can be guided at a time.

 

A few minor/major changes I thought might be useful in this paragraph in particular.

 

[Qonfused]

So, i thought i might start brushing the dust of some of these forgotten ones, thought id start with this one, meant to just brush it up a bit.

but after doing some quick research on the AMRAAM I found that it wasn’t the latest in long range missile tech, so I replaced it with the MDBA Meteoer, that is currently being developed. I also removed the stuff about the Asian liberation army.

All in all, I managed to rape the entire text. Its almost a new one.

oh, and the fluff didnt fit att all anymore

TITAN HEAVY MISSILE

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/Titan

 

The M12 Titan Heavy Missile is the cutting edge of aircraft weaponry. It’s a long range air-to-air missile, carrying explosives capable of doing damage far beyond that needed to incapacitate a conventional fighter. Unfortunately, due to its size and weight, the standard launch hard point is only able to carry 3 missiles.

 

The M12 Titan is a derivative of the MBDA Meteor missile, a highly agile long-range air-to-air guided missile. The Meteor was developed after the breakdown of collaboration between the U.S. and several European NATO members to develop the next generation air-to-air missile. The M12 Titan is built on the same concept as the Meteor, a throttleable scramjet propelled missile. With an active inertial mid radar terminal guidance and radar proximity triggered fuse. The warhead is HE/fragment based, and is designed to deal hull damage with the HE, while the fragments penetrate, then rotate, dealing extensive internal damage.

 

The M12 Titan is currently the most advanced missile technology available at this time. Nothing matches it in speed and accuracy. It is however a large missile, severely limiting the number of missiles a fighter can carry. Its also expensive, so extensive use of the M12 Titan will be costly.

[Qonfused]

bump

anyone like the new one, or is the old one best, i could brush either up.

but i would need sugestions.

[Guest Azrael]

Maybe make some comparations with the Sidewinder? say that it's more powerful because having more payload or whatever.

[[Mad]]

I think the first paragraph could need some rephrasing. Especially the first sentence is too fast "in medias res". Maybe try a short introduction. I wanted to help you with this, but I just have no idea at the moment... Sorry for the non helping critics.

Btw... Titan is a nickname, isn't it? so it should be "The M12 "Titan" Heavy Missile"...

There is a repetition of M!" Titan at the beginning of the second §. Maybe you could use some other words like "AAM" "it" or whatever...

 

The Meteor was developed after the breakdown of collaboration between the U.S. and several European NATO members to develop the next generation air-to-air missile. The M12 Titan is built on the same concept as the Meteor, a throttleable scramjet propelled missile.

This could also need some rephrasing. There is no "flow" in the reading...

Maybe "As high-gain derivate of the old NATO MBDA Meteor Missile, a scramjet propelled AAM, the M12 is able to deliver it's high payload with speeds beyond MACH 5..."

Anotation: I think it might be pretty difficult to build scramjet missiles.Especially since the fighter would have to fly faster then MACH 3 to start it IIRC, since the scramjet propulsion technology is working in high MACH speeds only... Plus it would be much too expensive. Normaly they just use solid fuel. On the other hand I like the idea of scramjet missiles. It's just cool

[Ghost5831]

Basically re-wrote this one: Additions in blue and deletions strikethrough

TITAN HEAVY MISSILE

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/Titan

 

The M12 Titan Heavy Missile is the cutting edge of aircraft weaponry. It’sThe missile comprises of a long range radar guided air-to-air missilerocket, carryinghousing explosives capable of doing extensive damage. far beyond that needed to incapacitate a conventional fighterThis missile is far beyond capable of incapacitating a conventional figther and can down a heavy bomber with shocking ease. Unfortunately, due to its size and weight, the standard launch hard point is only able to carry 3 missiles.

 

The M12 Titan is a derivative of the MBDA Meteor missile, a highly agile long-range air-to-air guided missile. The Meteor was developedAfter the breakdown of collaboration between the U.S. and several European NATO members, to develop the next generation air-to-air missilethe USAF demanded that money was invested in developing a heavy missile to defend against any "terrorist" threat and thus the Meteor was born. The M12 Titan is built on the same concept as the Meteor, a throttleable scramjet propelled missile with an active inertial mid radar terminal guidance and radar proximity triggered fuse. The warhead is HE/fragment based; the explosives disintigrate a large part of the hull while fragments of the missile cut deep into the craft and destroy it from the insideand is designed to deal hull damage with the HE, while the fragments penetrate, then rotate, dealing extensive internal damage.

 

The M12 Titan is currently the most advanced missile technology and should not be underestimatedavailable at this time. Nothing matches it in speed and accuracy. Unfortunatly, due to its size and weight, the standard launcher has a limited capacity of three missiles, therefore the standard interceptor can carry a maximum of six missiles when also loaded with and external fuel tank. The electronics of the Titan are very complex, deeming this missile expensive to buy, extensive use could prove costlyIt is however a large missile, severely limiting the number of missiles a fighter can carry. Its also expensive, so extensive use of the M12 Titan will be costly.

 

"Toward Enemy --->" - Sticker on the side of an M12 missile

Edited September 24, 2006 by red knight

[Astyanax]

A few comments:

 

para. 1, sent. 2: technically, it should be, "The missile is comprised of..." But this sentence seems a bit strange to me because the missile is made up of a rocket, and that's sort of redundant. The explosives are included in the rocket part rather than the missile part.

 

para. 1, sent. 3: "far beyond capable" feels somewhat unwieldy; maybe "more than capable" or "efficiently dispatching conventional fighters"?

 

para. 2, sent. 1: There should be some commas for the adjectives describing the missile... but I can't figure them out at the moment- too sleepy...

 

para. 2, sent. 2: The part about the USAF and the Meteor being born doesn't quite match the chronology of the 1st sentence. The 1st sentence says the Titan is the next gen. of the Meteor, then the second sentence tells how the Meteor was made instead of telling how the Titan was made.

 

para. 2, sent. 4: "...while fragments cut deep into the craft and destroy it from the inside" Maybe this could be: "... while shrapnel attacks the vulnerable spot to wreak havoc on essential internal systems" or something like that...

 

para. 3, sent. 1: Maybe: "The M12 Titan represents the most advanced missile technology on Earth, by far surpassing all other conventional weapons in both speed and accuracy."

 

para. 3, sent. 2: "extra fuel tank"? Does this alter gameplay mechanics?

 

para. 3, sent. 3: "The electronics of the Titan are very complex..." Maybe: "The electronics controlling the Titan are extremely sophisticated, resulting in a potent, albeit costly, addition to the X-Corps arsenal."?

 

Sorry for my terseness, I'm kind of tired and I should be sleeping instead of proofreading...

Edited September 25, 2006 by Astyanax

[[Mad]]

And since we are working on the Sidewinder already, we could as well work on the Titan. This as well is a text from "Active" So it needs some more attention. Everyone (including recruits ) is welcome to join!

[[dteviot]]

And since we are working on the Sidewinder already, we could as well work on the Titan. This as well is a text from "Active" So it needs some more attention. Everyone (including recruits ) is welcome to join!

Minor technical point. First paragraph mentions "rocket", later section mentions scramjet. Scramjet != missile.

 

Possible alternate 1st paragraph

The cutting edge M12 Titan Heavy Missile is a long range, (100km), radar guided, scramjet powered, air-to-air missile, with a very large high explosive warhead. The warhead was designed to easily down heavy bombers, and represents considerable overkill when engaging fighters.

[[Mad]]

And since we are working on the Sidewinder already, we could as well work on the Titan. This as well is a text from "Active" So it needs some more attention. Everyone (including recruits ) is welcome to join!

Minor technical point. First paragraph mentions "rocket", later section mentions scramjet. Scramjet != missile.

 

Possible alternate 1st paragraph

The cutting edge M12 Titan Heavy Missile is a long range, (100km), radar guided, scramjet powered, air-to-air missile, with a very large high explosive warhead. The warhead was designed to easily down heavy bombers, and represents considerable overkill when engaging fighters.

don't get you, could you explain this agian? For me, "scarmjet" is a propelling technology, whereas missiles and rockets are "projectile"descriptions. So there could be einther a rocket or a missile with a scramjet engine. And the difference between rocket and missile is the guiding system, right?Rockets are unguided, missiles are guided. Did I get everything right?

[[dteviot]]

And since we are working on the Sidewinder already, we could as well work on the Titan. This as well is a text from "Active" So it needs some more attention. Everyone (including recruits ) is welcome to join!

Minor technical point. First paragraph mentions "rocket", later section mentions scramjet. Scramjet != missile.

 

Possible alternate 1st paragraph

The cutting edge M12 Titan Heavy Missile is a long range, (100km), radar guided, scramjet powered, air-to-air missile, with a very large high explosive warhead. The warhead was designed to easily down heavy bombers, and represents considerable overkill when engaging fighters.

don't get you, could you explain this agian? For me, "scarmjet" is a propelling technology, whereas missiles and rockets are "projectile"descriptions. So there could be einther a rocket or a missile with a scramjet engine. And the difference between rocket and missile is the guiding system, right?Rockets are unguided, missiles are guided. Did I get everything right?

 

Minor error on my part. I meant to say "scramjet != rocket."

If the Titan has a scramjet engine, you can't call it a rocket. It's a missile.

 

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket

The traditional definition of a rocket is a vehicle, missile or aircraft which obtains thrust by the reaction to the ejection of fast moving fluid from within a rocket engine. Often the term is also used to refer to a rocket engine.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missile

"Rocket-powered missiles are known as rockets if they lack post-launch guidance or missiles or guided missiles if they are able to continue tracking a target after launch. Cruise missiles typically use some form of jet engine for propulsion."

Edited December 7, 2006 by dteviot

[[Mad]]

Oh! Thanks for the info!

Any volunteers to work on this baby? As I see it, this text also needs an extensive re-write.

Edited December 7, 2006 by Mad

[[Mad]]

Ok, thanks to tsereve who wrote a first draft!

 

Titan Heavy Missile

 

The elite weapon of special ops airborne craft, the Titan Heavy Missile is indeed a force with which to be reckoned. Like its smaller cousin, the Sidewinder Light Missile, the Titan is armed with a high-powered explosive warhead. However, the Titan boasts over 40% more destructive power than its lighter version, making it capable of downing some of the more robust UFOs we have encountered. To complement this additional power, the Titan's navigational and propulsion systems have been upgraded far surpassing those of the Sidewinder. It is capable of being launched twice as far away from a target as the Sidewinder, and with much greater accuracy. Despite these statistics, the Titan has a downside: due to the complexity of its navigation and targeting systems, the Titan requires more time to lock onto its target, and therefore cannot be fired as rapidly as the Sidewinder. In addition, its larger components make loading more than two projectiles into a singer launcher impossible. Thus, the Titan is impractical for close to medium ranged, or prolonged combat situations. Nevertheless, the Titan Heavy Missile is one of the most powerful weapons available to X-Com interception craft, and an invaluable addition to the fight against the alien menace.

 

comments?

[[Mad]]

Ok, so i'll go first...

One thing: I don't know if it's a good idea to make the Titan a sort of "big brother" of the Sidewinder, since the sidewinder is a medium range missile to the bone, and we say the sidewinder is "the best in the world" (in it's class). Zombie proposed to use the AIM-54 Phoenix as a base model. I did some research, and found a few nice sites: German site, but nice photos; English Wikipedia entry and another one. I think this would be promising. Especially since there should've been a successor of the AIM-54C which was never built...

Edit: So maybe an AIM-54C based design or something... Using a scramjet as engine, being a little more compact than the old ones, so that three missiles fit in one (specially designed high tech) pod. Or not a scramjet, since I remember that the Avalanche was slower than the sidewinder. right? Or maybe even a fast refurbishment of the old AIM-54C which are in storage since 2007...

Edited December 8, 2006 by Mad

[[Mad]]

One thing: I don't know if it's a good idea to make the Titan a sort of "big brother" of the Sidewinder, since the sidewinder is a medium range missile to the bone, and we say the sidewinder is "the best in the world" (in it's class).

 

Forgive me for saying so, but I don't see how that poses a flaw to my draft. In what appears to be the latest version of the Sidewinder CTD, the first sentence reads:

 

The Sidewinder III is currently the best medium-range Air-to-Air missile (AAM) in the world.

 

The best medium AAM missile. Meanwhile, my draft describes the Titan to be "impractical for close to medium ranged combat," which, I feel, implies that the Titan is not a medium-ranged missile. Thus, both statements remain valid.

 

New draft:

Titan Heavy Missile

 

The elite weapon of special ops airborne craft, the Titan Heavy Missile is indeed a force with which to be reckoned. Like its smaller cousin, the Sidewinder Light Missile, the Titan is armed with a high-powered explosive warhead. However, the Titan boasts over 40% more destructive power than its lighter version, making it capable of downing some of the more robust UFOs we have encountered. To complement this additional power, the Titan's navigational and propulsion systems have been upgraded far surpassing those of the Sidewinder. It is capable of being launched twice as far away from a target as the Sidewinder, and with much greater accuracy. Despite these statistics, the Titan has a downside: due to the complexity of its navigation and targeting systems, the Titan requires more time to lock onto its target, and therefore cannot be fired as rapidly as the Sidewinder. In addition, its larger components make loading more than two projectiles into a singer launcher impossible. Thus, the Titan is impractical for close or medium ranged, or prolonged combat situations. Nevertheless, the Titan Heavy Missile is one of the most powerful weapons available to X-Com interception craft, and an invaluable addition to the fight against the alien menace.

 

And my answer IPB keeps merging into one post... <_>

 

One thing: I don't know if it's a good idea to make the Titan a sort of "big brother" of the Sidewinder, since the sidewinder is a medium range missile to the bone, and we say the sidewinder is "the best in the world" (in it's class).

 

Forgive me for saying so, but I don't see how that poses a flaw to my draft. In what appears to be the latest version of the Sidewinder CTD, the first sentence reads:

 

The Sidewinder III is currently the best medium-range Air-to-Air missile (AAM) in the world.

 

The best medium AAM missile. Meanwhile, my draft describes the Titan to be "impractical for close to medium ranged combat," which, I feel, implies that the Titan is not a medium-ranged missile. Thus, both statements remain valid.

True. But then I think you need to explain, why it was better to upgrade a medium range missile to a more powerful large range missile instead of using an older design. Where is the need for that mega boom sidewinder? And why do we call it "Titan" and not Sidewinder IV? These are not meant to stop your idea, only you should try to answer them in your draft, because more people might ask these questions.

Edited December 8, 2006 by Mad

[Zombie]

And my answer IPB keeps merging into one post... <_>

There is a post time limit to keep spammers from becomming a problem. Can't say for sure how long this limit is, but we should ask stewart to tweak the settings when he returns. I'd wait at least a half hour before posting in the same thread. Heck, you are a global moderator: just post somewhere else and move the post in here. It's a simple fix, but may be a little annoying.

 

True. But then I think you need to explain, why it was better to upgrade a medium range missile to a more powerful large range missile instead of using an older design. Where is the need for that mega boom sidewinder? And why do we call it "Titan" and not Sidewinder IV? These are not meant to stop your idea, only you should try to answer them in your draft, because more people might ask these questions.

I think we are skirting the issue here. The Titan is a long range missile. The way I'm wording the Sidewinder text is something along the lines of a short to medium missile. Oh, and the text should be reworded to mention that each Titan pod holds three missiles, not two. To get past the size issue, I'd recommend doing what Mad mentioned a while back: the Titan is a new and improved version with a more streamlined body.

 

- Zombie

[Tsereve]

No one else?

 

Not to ignore you of course, Zombie, I'm just looking for something a bit more concrete, perhaps...

[[Mad]]

No one else?

 

Not to ignore you of course, Zombie, I'm just looking for something a bit more concrete, perhaps...

Maybe try to work with what zombie and I said. We're alittle understaffed atm. Sorry.

[kafros]

TITAN HEAVY MISSILE

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/Titan

 

The elite weapon of special ops airborne craft, the Titan Heavy Missile is indeed a force with which to be reckoned. Like its smaller cousin*, the Sidewinder Light Missile, the Titan is armed with a high-powered explosive warhead. However, the Titan boasts over 40% more destructive power than its lighter version, making it capable of downing some of the more robust UFOs we have encountered.**

 

To complement this additional power, the Titan's navigational and propulsion systems have been upgraded, far*** surpassing those of the Sidewinder. It is capable of being launched twice as far away from a target as the Sidewinder, and with much greater accuracy. ****

 

Despite these statistics, the Titan has a downside: due to the complexity of its navigation and targeting systems, the Titan requires more time to lock onto its target, and therefore cannot be fired as rapidly as the Sidewinder. In addition, its larger components make loading more than two projectiles into a single launcher impossible*****. Thus, the Titan is impractical for close or medium ranged, or of prolonged duration, combat situations hostile encounters?.

 

Nevertheless, the Titan Heavy Missile is one of the most powerful +++ weapons available to X-Com interception craft, and an invaluable addition to the fight against the alien menace.

 

 

 

* Should we really compare them? They are supposed to be different technology

** IIRC from the backstory, there weren't many hostile encouters thus far... In addition, at the start of the game the worst UFO you will encouter is the medium scout (most of the time you encouter probes or small scouts)

*** Far??? 2x more range and greater accuracy are really that "far"?

**** The Avalance had much bigger range than the sidewinder (x3-x4)

***** Is it possible in RL?? :S

+++ One? There are 3 of them and it's THE most powerful

 

Proposals:

- We could talk about the technology behind the Titan missile... Targeting/propulsion systems, about its powerload...

- Should we think of it as "the Sidewinder's cousin", or as "a powerful addition in the X-Corps' armory"? As Zombie mentioned, "Sidewinder's cousin" is greatly underestimating the Avalanche...

- We could talk more about the tactical advantages of the Avalance... More powerload -> A bigger "punch" on UFOs -> Easier to down bigger UFOs and ability to destroy mid-air the smaller ones... Longer range -> Safer Interceptors... Less units per launcher + Smaller attack rate -> An Interceptor shouldn't rely on Avalanches, we also need another weapon to accompany it... We could talk about the Avalanche+Sidewinder or Avalanche+Cannon combinations

- ???

 

Edit:

It seems that cost-wise, feature-wise and appearance-wise, it is best to use the AIM-9_Sidewinder and AIM-54_Phoenix missiles as reference to the Sidewinder and Avalanche accordingly. Sparrow and Maverick just don't work

Edited December 26, 2006 by kafros

[Tsereve]

Alright, I got rid of some of the specific attributes and uses for the Titan, and replaced them with a more in-depth explanation of its workings.

 

Titan Heavy Missile

The weapon of choice for special ops airborne craft around the world, the Titan Heavy Missile is indeed a force with which to be reckoned.  Its warhead is based on an extremely volatile substance, armed with a proximity detonator.  Once the target is within the missile’s blast radius, a number of shaped charges explode in unison with the main warhead, propelling the Titan’s destructive force towards the target at near-supersonic velocities.  This design, coupled with the Titan’s revolutionary propulsion system, allows it to reach targets far out of range of any other weapon in the X-Com arsenal, while retaining its power even at the end of its flight.  The vast range and potential of this weapon, however, come with a downside:  Due to the complexity of the missile, its weight is exceptionally high.  As a result of this, each weapon hardpoint of an aircraft can only be armed with two such missiles at a time.  This makes the Titan impractical for prolonged encounters.  Despite this disadvantage, the Titan is an invaluable addition to the fight against the alien menace.

[[Mad]]

Nice

A few ideas:

 

ad "Near supersonic": Missiles normally fly at about 2-3 Mach, so propelling shrapnells at near super sonic speed would be a step backwards.

ad "extremely volatile substance": think of a fancy name

 

Maybe you could add a bit more backgorund information. Like why it was chosen, what's it's story, who developed it for whom... etc

Edited December 27, 2006 by Mad

[Tsereve]

Alright, here's a revision with a bit more background. Is the length consistent with other entries?

 

Titan Heavy Missile

At the height of the Cold War, scientists from both NATO and the Warsaw Pact were frantically trying to give their side an edge in what promised to be an epic war.  However, when tensions ceased with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the designs for a new generation of long-range Air-to-Air missile were locked away in the vaults of the CIA, and forgotten.  Years later, an industrious staff member of the CIA chanced upon a discarded design for a missile of unparalleled destructive power.  When these findings were brought to light, the US government immediately began work on them, and within months, the Titan Heavy Missile was born.  As word of this new weapon spread, so did its usage.
Now the weapon of choice for special ops airborne craft around the world, the Titan Heavy Missile is indeed a force with which to be reckoned.  Its warhead is based on acetone peroxide, an extremely volatile substance, and is armed with a proximity detonator.  Once the target is within the missile’s blast radius, a number of shaped charges explode in unison with the main warhead, propelling the Titan’s destructive force towards the target at velocities exceeding Mach 4.  This design, coupled with the Titan’s revolutionary propulsion system, allows it to reach targets far out of range of any other weapon in the X-Com arsenal, while retaining its power even at the end of its flight.  The vast range and potential of this weapon, however, come with a downside:  Due to the complexity of the missile, its weight is exceptionally high.  As a result of this, each weapon hardpoint of an aircraft can only be armed with two such missiles at a time.  This makes the Titan impractical for prolonged encounters.  Despite this disadvantage, the Titan is an invaluable addition to the fight against the alien menace.

[[Mad]]

Actually it's a bit short....

But it's a good draft!

Maybe you could write a little bit more about the targeting/homing system.

Edited December 27, 2006 by Mad

[[Mad]]

Tsereve? When can we read a new draft? You need some more annotations/comments?

[Tsereve]

Whoa, looks like I missed your 12/27 post somehow...sorry for the delay, here's the next draft:

 

Titan Heavy Missile

At the height of the Cold War, scientists from both NATO and the Warsaw Pact were frantically trying to give their side an edge in what promised to be an epic war.  However, when tensions ceased with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the designs for a new generation of long-range Air-to-Air missile were locked away in the vaults of the CIA, and forgotten.
The blueprints remained there for decades, until the first UFO's were sighted, and the call went out for an international combat force to defend humanity from the alien menace.  In desperation, the world's leading nations combined their latest technological developments in order to ensure this force was as well-prepared as possible.  As the search began, an industrious staff member of the CIA chanced upon a discarded design for a missile of unparalleled destructive potential.  Although skeptical, he sent it to the Council of Funding Nations.  As analysts from around the globe pored over the designs, word reached the Council that Earth's engineers had found a winner.  The new missile was quickly brought into use, where it clearly outperformed every other long-range missile being used.  Now accepted as the elite long-range Air-to-Air weapon, Titan Heavy Missile is indeed a force with which to be reckoned.  Its warhead is based on acetone peroxide, an extremely volatile substance, and is armed with a proximity detonator.  As the launching craft locks onto a target and fires, the missile's own navigational system detects the unique electromagnetic signature of the target.  Within milliseconds, everything from the target's speed to how much light it reflects is processed by the projectile's onboard computer, and this information is constantly checked and updated to ensure the missile stays on course with the target.  Once the target is within the missile’s blast radius, a number of shaped charges explode in unison with the main warhead, propelling the Titan’s destructive force towards the target at velocities exceeding Mach 4.  This design, coupled with the Titan’s revolutionary propulsion system, allows it to reach targets far out of range of any other weapon in the X-Com arsenal, while retaining its power even at the end of its flight.  The vast range and potential of this weapon, however, come with a downside:  Due to the complexity of the missile, its weight is exceptionally high.  As a result of this, each weapon hardpoint of an aircraft can only be armed with two such missiles at a time.  This makes the Titan impractical for prolonged encounters.  Despite this disadvantage, the Titan is an invaluable addition to the fight against the alien menace.

Edited January 20, 2007 by Tsereve

[[Mad]]

I'm sorry I'm very busy atm. I had a quick read, and I must say, I like this draft very much. But I just can't check thoroughly now. Will have a deeper look asap.

[Tsereve]

*bump*

[[Mad]]

Sorry for the delay. I have to say, I like your writing style. So I have my problems saying somethign against it. However, I'm not entirely sure if it fits for the XNet, with all the other articles beeing more scientificly - distanced from their topic. Yours reads very well, but in the introductory parts more like a story than a scientific report. How do you others feel about this? Is it only me? And how and what needs to be changed to fit into the general feeling of the other CTs?

 

Titan Heavy Missile

TITAN HEAVY MISSILE

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/Titan

 

At the height of the Cold War, scientists from both NATO and the Warsaw Pact were frantically trying to give their side an edge in what promised to be an epic war. However, when tensions ceased with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the designs for a new generation of long-range Air-to-Air missile were locked away in the vaults of the CIA, and forgotten.

The blueprints remained there for decades, until the first UFO's were sighted, and the call went out for an international combat force to defend humanity from the alien menace. In desperation, the world's leading nations combined their latest technological developments in order to ensure this force was as well-prepared as possible. As the search began, an industrious staff member of the CIA chanced upon a discarded design for a missile of unparalleled destructive potential. Although skeptical, he sent it to the Council of Funding Nations. As analysts from around the globe pored over the designs, word reached the Council that Earth's engineers had found a winner. The new missile was quickly brought into use, where it clearly outperformed every other long-range missile being used. Now accepted as the elite long-range Air-to-Air weapon, the Titan Heavy Missile is indeed a force with which to be reckoned. Its warhead is based on acetone peroxide, an extremely volatile substance, and is armed with a proximity detonator. As the launching craft locks onto a target and fires, the missile's own navigational system detects the unique electromagnetic signature of the target. Within milliseconds, everything from the target's speed to how much light it reflects is processed by the projectile's onboard computer, and this information is constantly checked and updated to ensure the missile stays on course with the target. Once the target is within the missile’s blast radius, a number of shaped charges explode in unison with the main warhead, propelling the Titan’s destructive force towards the target at velocities exceeding Mach 4. This design, coupled with the Titan’s revolutionary propulsion system, allows it to reach targets far out of range of any other weapon in the X-Com Corps arsenal, while retaining its power even at the end of its flight. The vast range and potential of this weapon, however, come with a downside: Due to the complexity of the missile, its weight is exceptionally high. As a result of this, each weapon hardpoint of an aircraft can only be armed with two three such missiles at a time. This makes the Titan impractical for prolonged encounters. Despite this disadvantage, the Titan is an invaluable addition to the fight against the alien menace.

Edited February 27, 2007 by Mad

[Tsereve]

Maybe you could add a bit more backgorund information. Like why it was chosen, what's it's story, who developed it for whom... etc

 

 

Yours reads very well, but in the introductory parts more like a story than a scientific report.

 

[[Mad]]

Maybe you could add a bit more backgorund information. Like why it was chosen, what's it's story, who developed it for whom... etc

 

 

Yours reads very well, but in the introductory parts more like a story than a scientific report.

 

Hehe. See, what I meant was: what's it's story, but don't write it as one. Write it as a statement of facts. Like an intelligence agency report.

[Tsereve]

Ah, ok. I'll fix it as soon as I get my computer fixed. I did a really stupid thing the other day while taking my computer apart, let's just leave it at that And there's not much you can do from a library computer...

[tzuchan]

Hmm... I can still post in here? *Peers at his inactive status*

 

I know I've been missing for a very very long time, but RL sucks and work is keeping me very busy. And when I've free time, it feels like my muse is gone. However, I've missed being part of this community and I still find myself browsing every now and then.

 

Don't know why, but I suddenly felt like working on the Titan text. Feel free to use it anyway you guys like.

TITAN HEAVY MISSILE

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/Titan

 

The Titan Heavy Missile was initially designed to engage targets such as airborne cruise missile platforms at Beyond Visual Range(BVR) before they have a chance to enter weapons range. Based on the now defunct AIM-54 Pheonix missile design, the Titan proved to be more than capable of taking down enemy fighters before they have a chance to engage. This extended range engagement is why X-Corps has decided to adopt the Titan as one of the two main missile weapons system.

 

While the AIM-54 was deemed one of the more successful BVR missile designs, it rarely saw action and was phased out as the only fighter capable of carrying AIM-54s into combat, the F-14 Tomcat, was deemed not to have sufficient IFF capability to safely engage targets at BVR. However, with the advent of stealth fighters in the 21st century, new radar and detection technology was developed to counter stealth. This lead to the development of high powered Laser Radars, also know as Ladars, that could detect and identify targets at unprecedented ranges. Also, as propulsion technology improved the speeds at which aircraft to travel, the ability to engage distant targets became increasingly important as there was now less time for defensive aircraft to engage targets traveling through their airspace.

 

These factors lead to the revival of the BVR engagement concept, and the AIM-54 Pheonix was used as the basis of the Titan design. Equipped with both ladar and Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), the Titan was capable of independently seeking and destroying a target once lock on was achieved. However, if target lock is lost, the Titan is capable of coordinating with the detection system of the launch platform or other nearby friendly detection system via a data-link to improve the chances of regaining target lock. Due to the size of the Titan, a series of vernier thrusters was built into the missile to improve it's ability to hit agile targets. These features, combined with it's unmatched range and large warhead, results in a missile that uniquely suits the requirements of X-Corps.

 

However, all the features comes at a price, the Titan is large and heavy for a missile. Only three of this massive missiles can be carried at a hardpoint, leading to low weapon endurance. Once the fighter is out of Titan missiles, it will be forced to either fallback on weapons with shorter ranges or disengaged entirely from the fight. Also, much of the technology behind the Titan missile comes at a high price, resulting in one of the most expensive weapons in our arsenal.

 

Nevertheless, the Titan missile is our best chance of engaging UFOs with minimum risk to our fighters. This is an extremely important issue as we believe that UFO weapon systems are capable of inflicting heavy damage on our crafts if we allow them into engagement range.

Titan_Heavy_Missile.rtf

[[Mad]]

Cool! Thanks! It's great to hear from you again! Feel free to drop by any time you miss us again!

It's a very good read! Let's have a closer look!

 

TITAN HEAVY MISSILE

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/Titan

 

The Titan Heavy Missile was initially designed to engage targets such as airborne cruise missile platforms at Beyond Visual Range (BVR) before they have a chance to enter weapons range. Based on the now defunct AIM-54 Pheonix missile design, the Titan proved to be more than capable of taking down enemy fighters before they have a chance to engage. This extended range engagement is why X-Corps has decided to adopt the Titan as one of the two main missile weapons system.

 

While the AIM-54 was deemed one of the more successful BVR missile designs, it rarely saw action and was phased out as the only fighter capable of carrying AIM-54s into combat, the F-14 Tomcat, was deemed not to not have sufficient IFF capability to safely engage targets at BVR and was taken out of active service in 2006. However, with the advent of stealth fighters in the 21st century, new radar and detection technology was developed to counter stealth. This lead to the development of high powered Laser Radars, also know as Ladars, that could detect and identify targets at unprecedented ranges. Is that a fact? Otherwise maybe think of a better name that doesn't rise associations with LASER technology, because that is something you certainly don't want - the thing about bvr -if I'm not mistaken - is that the radar beam is able to follow earths spheric form - that would not be able with a LASER. Also, as propulsion technology improved the speeds at which aircraft to travel, the ability to engage distant targets became increasingly important as there now was now less time for defensive aircraft to engage targets traveling through their airspace.

 

These factors lead to the revival of the BVR engagement concept, and the AIM-54 Pheonix was used as the basis of the Titan design. Equipped with both ladar and Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), the Titan was is capable of independently seeking and destroying a target once lock on was is achieved. However, if target lock is lost, the Titan is capable of coordinating with the detection system of the launch platform or other nearby friendly detection system via a data-link to improve the chances of regaining target lock. Due to the size of the Titan, a series of vernier thrusters was built into the missile to improve it's ability to hit agile targets. These features, combined with it's unmatched range and large warhead, results in a missile that uniquely suits the requirements of X-Corps.

 

However, all these features comes at a price, the Titan is large and heavy for a missile. Only three of this massive missiles can be carried at a hardpoint, leading to low weapon endurance. Once the fighter is out of Titan missiles, it will be forced to either fallback on weapons with shorter ranges or disengaged entirely from the fight. Also, much of the technology behind the Titan missile comes at a high price, resulting in one of the most expensive weapons in our arsenal.

 

Nevertheless, the Titan missile is our best chance of engaging UFOs with minimum risk to our fighters. This is an extremely important issue as we believe that UFO weapon systems are capable of inflicting heavy damage on our crafts if we allow them into engagement range.

Edited June 2, 2007 by Mad

[tzuchan]

Actually, Ladar is a term I found on Wikipedia as a Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) used as a kind of Laser Radar. The Wikipedia article actually says that Ladar is a military term. Also, I did a quick search when the idea of using lidar/ladar as a counter stealth detection system, and it is apparently true that research is going in that direction.

 

Also, while Radio waves can bounce off the ionosphere, apparently Radar is incapable of going beyond the horizon also. However, I think that with Lidar which can provide higher resolution data than radar, it is more capable of providing IFF information at extended ranges.

[[Mad]]

I see. But then from my POV LADAR doesn't seem to be a replacement for RADAR technology but a supplementation. Especially since with HF RADARS you actually can realize an over the horizon detection (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radar). Maybe add both RADAR and LADAR into the Titan.

[tzuchan]

I did some research into Beyond-Visual-Range and Over-The-Horizon radar(ie, I read and compared the information I found on Wiki) and found the few following facts:

BVR is considered anything beyond 20 nautical miles(37 km).

The AIM-54 Phoenix is capable of reaching 80 nautical miles(148 km?)

As a matter of fact, the AIM-7 could count as BVR as it has a range of 40 miles(70 km)

The radar range of the only fighter capable of carrying the AIM-54(And my personal favorite, the F-14) is 230 miles(370 km)

The range of OTH Radars ranges to a few thousand klicks. However, the resolution from this system is lousy, and can only be used for detection. Also, current tech for the OTH radar seems to require large antennas, ie several kilometers long <_>

 

What all this means is that standard radars have the range needed for BVR engagement, and missiles that go over OTH probably has the size of a small plane

 

But nevertheless, it does make sense that Radars will still be used, albeit, supplemented with other detection systems to gain better target identification ability as well as anti-stealth purposes.

 

Edit:

The range of OTH Radars ranges to a few thousand clicks.

*Smacks forehead* Since when do we measure distances in mouse clicks? D'oh!

Edited June 6, 2007 by tzuchan

[[Mad]]

Edit:

The range of OTH Radars ranges to a few thousand clicks.

*Smacks forehead* Since when do we measure distances in mouse clicks? D'oh!

ROFL

Oh well... Good work! So I suggest you'll concentrate on the higher resolution a LIDAR allows and just mention the BVR stuff.

[tzuchan]

Removed reference to BVR engagement as medium range missiles actually fall under BVR. Also, added radar to the Titan tracking systems and added missile designation code(AIM-213). Also, added that the Phoenix was retired in 2003. F-14 actually stayed in service until 2006.

 

TITAN HEAVY MISSILE

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/Titan

 

The AIM-213 Titan Heavy Missile was initially designed to engage targets such as airborne cruise missile platforms before they have a chance to enter weapons range. Based on the now defunct AIM-54 Pheonix missile design, the Titan proved to be more than capable of taking down enemy fighters before they have a chance to engage. This extended range engagement is why X-Corps has decided to adopt the AIM-213 Titan as one of the two main missile weapons system.

 

While the AIM-54 was deemed one of the more successful long range air to air missile designs, it rarely saw action and was phased out as the only fighter capable of carrying AIM-54s into combat, the F-14 Tomcat, was deemed not to not have sufficient IFF capability to safely engage distant targets at the ranges the AIM-54 was capable of. The AIM-54 Phoenix was then taken out of active service in 2003. However, with the advent of stealth fighters in the 21st century, new radar and detection technology was developed to counter stealth. This lead to the development of high powered Laser Radars, also know as Ladars, that could detect and identify targets at unprecedented ranges. As such, modern fighters frequently have both radar and ladar systems incorporated into the design. The resolution of the ladar system was sufficient that positive identification and IFF confirmation at ranges that made long distance engagement possible, as the risk of accidentally engaging friendly or civilian targets have been reduced. Also, as propulsion technology improved the speeds at which aircraft to travel, the ability to engage distant targets became increasingly important as there now was now less time for defensive aircraft to engage targets traveling through their airspace.

 

These factors lead to the revival of the long range air to air intercept engagement concept, and the AIM-54 Pheonix was used as the basis of the AIM-213 design. Equipped with radar, ladar and Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), the Titan was is capable of independently seeking and destroying a target once lock on was is achieved. However, if target lock is lost, the Titan is capable of coordinating with the detection system of the launch platform or other nearby friendly detection system via a data-link to improve the chances of regaining target lock. Due to the size of the Titan, a series of vernier thrusters was built into the missile to improve it's ability to hit agile targets. These features, combined with it's unmatched range and large warhead, results in a missile that uniquely suits the requirements of X-Corps.

 

However, all these features comes at a price, the Titan is large and heavy for a missile. Only three of this massive missiles can be carried at a hardpoint, leading to low weapon endurance. Once the fighter is out of Titan missiles, it will be forced to either fallback on weapons with shorter ranges or disengaged entirely from the fight. Also, much of the technology behind the Titan missile comes at a high price, resulting in one of the most expensive weapons in our arsenal.

 

Nevertheless, the AIM-213 Titan missile is our best chance of engaging UFOs with minimum risk to our fighters. This is an extremely important issue as we believe that UFO weapon systems are capable of inflicting heavy damage on our crafts if we allow them into engagement range.

[[Mad]]

TITAN HEAVY MISSILE

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/Titan

 

The AIM-213 Titan Heavy Missile was initially designed to engage targets such as airborne cruise missile platforms before they have a chance to enter weapons range. Based on the now defunct AIM-54 Phoenix missile design, the Titan proved to be more than capable of taking down enemy fighters before they have a chance to engage. This extended range engagement is why X-Corps has decided to adopt the AIM-213 Titan as one of the two main missile weapons system.

 

While the AIM-54 was deemed one of the more successful long range air to air missile designs, it rarely saw action and was phased out as the only fighter capable of carrying AIM-54s into combat, the F-14 Tomcat, was deemed not to not have sufficient IFF (please explain acronym. / I always that IFF signal is broadcasted via a transponder?) capability to safely engage distant targets at the ranges the AIM-54 was capable of. The AIM-54 Phoenix was then taken out of active service in 2003. However, with the advent of stealth fighters in the 21st century, new radar and detection technology was developed to counter stealth. This lead to the development of high powered Laser Radars, also know as Ladars, that could detect and identify targets at unprecedented ranges. As such, modern fighters frequently have both radar and ladar systems incorporated into the design. The resolution of the ladar system was sufficient that positive identification and IFF confirmation at ranges that made long distance engagement possible, as the risk of accidentally engaging friendly or civilian targets have been reduced. Also, as propulsion technology improved the speeds at which aircraft to travel, the ability to engage distant targets became increasingly important as there now was now less time for defensive aircraft to engage targets traveling through their airspace.

 

These factors lead to the revival of the long range air to air intercept engagement concept, and the AIM-54 Phoenix was used as the basis of the AIM-213 design. Equipped with radar, ladar and Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), the Titan was is capable of independently seeking and destroying a target once lock on was is achieved. However, if target lock is lost, the Titan is capable of coordinating with the detection system of the launch platform or other nearby friendly detection system via a data-link to improve the chances of regaining target lock. Due to the size of the Titan, a series of vernier thrusters was built into the missile to improve it's ability to hit agile targets. These features, combined with it's unmatched range and large warhead, results in a missile that uniquely suits the requirements of X-Corps.

 

However, all these features comes at a price, the Titan is large and heavy for a missile. Only three of this massive missiles can be carried at a hardpoint, leading to low weapon endurance. Once the fighter is out of Titan missiles, it will be forced to either fallback on weapons with shorter ranges or disengaged entirely from the fight. Also, much of the technology behind the Titan missile comes at a high price, resulting in one of the most expensive weapons in our arsenal.

 

Nevertheless, the AIM-213 Titan missile is our best chance of engaging UFOs with minimum risk to our fighters. This is an extremely important issue as we believe that UFO weapon systems are capable of inflicting heavy damage on our crafts if we allow them into engagement range.

[tzuchan]

IFF stands for Identification Friend or Foe. Basically, it's a transponder that responds with information that can be used to identify itself when it receives a request. for military purposes, this transmission is encrypted and comes in various formats/modes. At which point, I decided that I'm getting information overload, and stopped trying to understand what the various modes do. However, it is true that in Desert Storm, the F-14 was limited to visual-range only engagements because it's IFF capabilities could not meet the requirements set forth by the Rules of Engagement for that operation. How and why it did not meet the requirements is something I haven't found out yet.

 

Of course, now that I know how IFF works, I'd have to revise the detection part slightly <_>

[Astyanax]

Hey tzuchan! Welcome back! I can relate to RL sucking, but regarding your muse, I don't think she's left you... she's just hibernating.

 

Only a handful of comments (I'm trying not to overcomment ):

 

The AIM-213 Titan Heavy Missile was initially designed to engage targets such as airborne cruise missile platforms before they have a chance to enter weapons range.

Consider removing "cruise" because there's not much difference between airborne cruise missile platforms and regular airborne missile platforms... at least in game-terms.

 

This extended range engagement is why X-Corps has decided to adopt the AIM-213 Titan as one of the two main missile weapons systems.

Need an "s" at the end of "system" and perhaps take away the "s" after "weapons". Also, perhaps change "main" to "primary": "...as one of two primary missile weapon systems"?

 

However, all these features comes at a price, the Titan is large and heavy for a missile. Only three of this massive missiles can be carried at a hardpoint, leading to low weapon endurance. Once the fighter is out of Titan missiles, it will be forced to either fallback on weapons with shorter ranges or disengaged entirely from the fight. Also, much of the technology behind the Titan missile comes at a high price, resulting in one of the most expensive weapons in our arsenal.

1) "low weapon endurance" sounds strange... maybe change this to something about not being useful in prolonged firefights?

2) I understand what you mean, but "fallback" seems opposite of "shorter ranges". Maybe "rely on shorter-ranged weaponry, risking Alien return fire"?

3) "price" was used in the first sentence of the paragraph. Maybe use "cost"?

Edited June 23, 2007 by Astyanax

[[Mad]]

small changes

TITAN HEAVY MISSILE

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/Titan

 

The AIM-213 Titan Heavy Missile was initially designed to engage targets such as airborne missile platforms before they have a chance to enter weapons range. Based on the now defunct AIM-54 Phoenix missile design, the Titan proved to be more than capable of taking down enemy fighters before they have a chance to engage. This extended range engagement is why X-Corps has decided to adopt the AIM-213 Titan as one of the two main missile weapon systems.

 

While the AIM-54 was deemed one of the more successful long range air to air missile designs, it rarely saw action and was phased out as the need for such weapons had seized with the end of the cold war. The AIM-54 Phoenix was then taken out of active service in 2003. However, with the advent of stealth fighters in the 21st century, new radar and detection technology was developed to counter stealth. This lead to the development of high powered Laser Radars, also know as Ladars, that could detect and identify targets with high precision and resolution at unprecedented ranges. As such, modern fighters frequently have both radar and ladar systems incorporated into the design. The resolution of the ladar system allowed for positive identification and target confirmation at ranges that made long distance engagement possible, thus significantly reducing the risk of accidentally engaging friendly or civilian targets. Also, as propulsion technology improved the speeds at which aircraft travel, the ability to engage distant targets became increasingly important as there now was now less time for defensive aircraft to engage targets traveling through their airspace.

 

These factors lead to the revival of the long range air to air intercept engagement concept, and the AIM-54 Phoenix was used as the basis of the AIM-213 design. Equipped with radar, ladar and Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), the Titan is capable of independently seeking and destroying a target once lock is achieved. However, if target lock is lost, the Titan is capable of coordinating with the detection system of the launch platform or other nearby friendly detection system via a data-link to improve chances of regaining lock. Due to the size of the Titan, a series of vernier thrusters was built into the missile to improve it's ability to hit agile targets. These features, combined with it's unmatched range and large warhead, results in a missile that uniquely suits the requirements of X-Corps.

 

However, all these features come at a price, the Titan is large and heavy for a missile. Only three of this massive missiles can be carried at a hardpoint, leading to reduced endurance in extended firefights. Once the fighter is out of Titan missiles, it will be forced to either fallback on weapons with shorter ranges or disengaged entirely from the fight. Also, much of the technology behind the Titan missile comes at high costs, resulting in one of the most expensive weapons in our arsenal.

 

Nevertheless, the AIM-213 Titan missile is our best chance of engaging UFOs with minimum risk to our fighters. This is an extremely important issue as we believe that UFO weapon systems are capable of inflicting heavy damage on our crafts if we allow them into engagement range.