Project: LONGBOW

[Inferno]

LONGBOW
High Velocity Large Caliber Kinetic System

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SUBJECT:

Potential reintroduction of kinetic weaponry to combat popular protection systems.

SYNOPSIS:

. . . . .Within the past several hundred years, non-planetary combat has shifted from conventional munitions, based on chemical explosives and physical arms, to energy based weaponry, of which includes photon beams, ionized plasma, tachyon containment, and, on larger warships, antimatter deployment systems. As these energy based weapons became increasingly popular, House militaries and independent paramilitaries began to forgo conventional armor plates in favor of weapon-nullification with energy fields. As weapons became more powerful in an attempt to defeat these new protective measures, so did the energy shielding. Higher efficiency, larger areas, better power distribution - these developments became the staple of any combat vessel.

. . . . .The development of large-ship shielding did not completely replace physical armor, however. Instead, the majority of vessels were restructured to handle less physical impact. In the first century of widespread antimatter weaponry, in particular, no longer was the majority of mass found evenly spaced around the vessel, to prevent critical structure damage in the event of external breach, but was found outside of the main hull, in the form of composite armor and rapid-mount plates, designed to soak as much destructive antimatter as possible, before reaching the main structure.

. . . . .The refocus of damage mitigation from energy and antimatter based weapons has left a potential weakness in almost all large combat vessels. With the limitations of vessel size, mass, and critical targeting area imposed on ships, the redevelopment of kinetic arms, designed to pierce the outer structure and cause internal damage through physical shock, could become a highly effective system for systematically crippling foreign warships while leaving the majority of the structure intact.

. . . . .Liberty Navy Admiralty has approved the research and development of the High Velocity Large Caliber Kinetic System, under project moniker LONGBOW, to be designed for use on a modified LSC-310 "Archer" Liberty Siege Cruiser platform, replacing the LSGM-1d "Star Lance" system.

POTENTIAL DESIGNS:

. . . . .LONGBOW design concepts are currently split into three generalized sections: Recoilless Launcher, Electromagnetic Rail/Coil Deployment, and Self-Contained Propellant.

. . . . .Recoilless Launcher systems utilize the force developed from conventional self-contained propellant systems as a counterweight against the rapid expansion of exhaust gasses driving the projectile down the length of the guiding barrel. Traditional use of this system has resulted in the ability to fire larger projectiles from lighter platforms without the risk of damage to weapon mounts or personnel operating recoilless equipment. Due to the basic laws of motion, such a design would prove to have a considerable advantage in the deployment on large vessels, where the exhaust vented from the rear of the system could dampen the strain imposed on the maneuvering thrusters and reactionary weights upon use. However, this design is not without disadvantages. Firstly, the majority of the Archer structure would need to be redesigned to allow for the passage of the exhaust gasses generated to be vented. Another factor would be the reinforcements required to absorb what forces remain from the recoilless system, considering counterweight efficiency of less than 1. Reinforcements would add considerable weight and complexity to the chassis, causing damage repair to take longer as more items are required to be repaired or replaced by maintenance personnel. There is also the issue of the exhaust gasses once they are vented from the vessel. As there is no reliable or safe way to store or reclaim these gasses once vented, there stands the risk of causing a 'smoke screen' for the sensors of the ship, effectively blinding the navigation and combat crews until they can leave the generated cloud, or it dissipates. The exhaust of the system can also expose and reveal the position of hidden or moving Archer platforms, making hit-and-run tactics that are possible now, ineffective. Finally, use of this system would contribute to local system pollution, causing unknown consequences with excessive use. Prime examples are the states of systems Texas, New London, and Leeds. There are several other disadvantages not stated in this list that makes recoilless launcher systems impractical.

. . . . . Electromagnetic accelerator designs operate off of the interaction of electron forces between matter, that being the magnetic forces that permeates the universe. Magnetic systems have been in use for non-combat purposes for all of human history, from basic navigation, to transit, to large-scale power regulation. EM-kinetic weapon designs have been tested before, with public record stating all major houses (apart from the recently reformed Kusari empire) underwent experimentation and testing of some degree, but no major weapon developments came from most projects, as proton-antiproton containment and projection became more reliable, or funding were reduced or halted altogether. The ability to re-adapt electromagnetic cells to accelerate and direct a projectile along a path to the target can prove to be an effective form of combat, having no use for chemical propellants.
. . . . .The use of linear rails for weapons systems have been documented before, under the generalization of a 'railgun' , where the projectile is on a carrier track or sabot rail, acting to keep the projectile traveling along the desired path, until the track is halted through various means, separating the projectile from the bed at a high velocity. Another similar design is the 'coilgun', which operates under the same mechanics of the rail system, but with the projectile no longer sitting on a track, but free-moving along a invisible track designed to move through the magnetized coils of conducting material. This design, while similar to the rail-mounted system, requires the use of either a ferrous projectile, or a ferrous launching sabot, whereas the rail design can utilize a more simple design, with the launcher bed being naturally magnetized. However, the coiled design enjoys the advantage of having greater acceleration speeds, not requiring any physical interaction between the projectile and the system from charge to release, with the railed system requiring the minor friction generated with each firing, subtracting from the overall energy released with the projectile.
. . . . .As opposed to the chemical propellant systems in consideration, the power generation and storage requirements would be exceptionally higher in comparison, having to supply immediate power to the system upon firing, which could draw energy away from critical systems, if not accounted for. The suggested solution of installing regulation systems as well as additional heavy-duty capacitors would alleviate the draw issues, however the rate at which another projectile could be launched would be slowed by the limited rate of charge and the minimum requirements to not cause an internal weapons malfunction. Discharge of the capacitors upon taking damage would also be a deciding factor, with the large amounts of energy that was not expended needing to be discharged through either a dedicated grounding system, or through the ship itself, which brings a risk of electronics damage found with high currents. The strong magnetic fields generated with the use of electromagnetic accelerators could also cause issues with certain equipment that rely on detection of minute magnetic fields, a prime example being ionized plasma detection when near the stellar forges of stars. High power costs, as well as complexity of the system and large spans of time that would allow an enemy to retaliate are a few of the issues of such systems.

. . . . . A third and final design type involves a much simpler approach, with self-contained projectiles would serve as the combat platform. With the acceleration of the projectile being handled internally with chemical rockets, a much simpler launching mechanism would be used, with physical drivers moving the projectile to a safe distance from the Siege Platform, before the projectile accelerates towards a target. Designs with internally-regulated propellant has been in use for all of history, with missiles and rockets using the system to deliver kinetic or chemical payloads to a target. This allows a much greater range of engagement than standard systems, with the option of having launched projectiles correct the path to ensure higher chances of accuracy on a moving target. The majority of systems used in modern-day platforms rely on small-scale antimatter detonations, large scale chemical payloads, or nuclear options. This allows a large ability to change and re-adapt to a situation, but it is not without drawbacks. Due to the internal propellant, projectiles fired would require an 'acceleration phase' much larger than aforementioned designs, reaching effective velocity after a large distance covered, to compensate for containing little to no chemical payload. During this phase, a target may change course, and, if a guided projectile, employ anti-targeting measures, or even deployment of disruption and anti-missile systems, including cruise disruption platforms and area-denial flak.

MUNITION:

. . . . .Project LONGBOW will deploy a electromagnetic coilgun based system, firing a heavy Tungsten round, type F-3491c, covered in a thin layer of [DATA REDACTED] emission-adsorbing medium, to prevent tracking and interception from anti-ballistic systems and platforms. Due to the nature of electromagnetic accelerator designs, a ferrous material is required, with the addition of a sabot creating a 'free floating' hazard once it has separated from the projectile. This has been accounted for by including a trio of ferric-alloy 'rings' embedded within the slug that allow the projectile to accelerate and exit the launcher with minimal risk to anyone apart from the intended target. Within the projectile, there is a basic timing computer that is designed to activate an explosive charge within the slug if it does not reach a target within a designated time, detonating the projectile into a cloud of vaporized particles, rendering the projectile harmless if it encounters a planetary atmosphere, station, or spacecraft outside of the intended engagement range.

SIMILAR SYSTEMS IN USE:

. . . . .Several systems of similar configuration and utility have existed within the history of Sirius colonization. The most notable design is the Bretonian-made Lewis gun, designed to fire a duo of 240 millimeter explosive shells in an artillery fashion, akin to ancient naval guns of Sol. With the advent of large-scale shielding, the production and use of Lewis guns dwindled, being fully replaced when large scale energy weapons became commonplace.
. . . . .Another design includes the recently reintroduced Maxim and Browning kinetic systems. Mounted on fightercraft and bombers, respectively, the Maxim and Browning use tungsten projectiles with chemical-explosive propellants to inflict considerable damage to other fighter-sized craft, and, to a very limited degree, larger capital-class vessels.
. . . . .Standard mass-driver systems for fightercraft often deploy masses in 'particle' and 'neutron' based weapons. While capable of using very small volumes of mass to combat other fighters, the efficiency of upscaling such a basic system rapidly approaches futility.
. . . . .The closest design in modern use today is the CT-504 "Lyre" class of turrets, designed for mounting on transport-class ships. Designed to fire ferromagnetic shards through a electromagnetic coil array, this system stands out as one of the very few true non-chemical kinetic weapons in modern use. However, due to the size and design of both platform and projectile, the system can only exist for point-defense roles.

VARIANTS AND ADAPTATIONS:

. . . . .Due to the relatively large platform that LONGBOW is intended to be deployed on, changing and adapting the system is within the realms of possibilities. Designs to introduce aerodynamic projectiles for use in high atmospheric conditions have been considered, but the engagement conditions for such a system would be impractical for both deployed forces and intended target.
. . . . .Due to the friction-less design of a coilgun system, as well as no physical guide, a wide variety of calibers and munitions could be used for various effects. Directed payload systems, designed to be fired from the LONGBOW platform, and then engage internal guidance systems, could allow a higher degree of accuracy, or pinpoint precision against targets.
. . . . .The most critical adaptation possible, of course, is the use of siege munitions. While the F-3491c projectile can be deployed against capital-class vessels and orbital stations, The condition of planetary bombardment has opened a development window. Use of dynamic projectiles, potentially equipped with conventional, or even nuclear payloads, could be fired from the LSC-310 platform, or, if needed, an upscaled version, specifically designed for use against embedded bunkers, or other targets that could not be reached with the current arsenal.

DEVELOPMENTAL CONTRACTS:

. . . . .Primary developmental contracts will be posted initially to Liberty-based corporations, with an initial developmental budget of two billion Sirius Credits, with grant extensions planned in the event that budget limitations can not be met in a reasonable fashion. Ageira Innovations possesses the highest reputation among the Liberty corporations for design and manufacture of high-end armaments for both civilian and military alike, and will receive the initial offer for the additional development and engineering contracts of the LONGBOW system. Material handling and Logistics will be awarded to either Universal Shipping or Deep Space Engineering, provided either one accepts the NDA for all of their personnel. Any and all materials handled will be serially cleaned and handled by the Liberty Navy Logistics crews at a predetermined location before utilization in the manufacturing process. If the initial corporations are unable to unwilling to comply with the strict regulations involved with the LONGBOW project, then external, non-affiliated parties will be sought after for the logistical side, with development and engineering contacts not awarded to external companies.

COUNTERMEASURES:

. . . . .All systems have a counter. Energy weapons have shielding, guided munitions have disruption and flak platforms, and kinetic systems, armor. While impractical, a sufficiently strong gravitational field designed to repel the projectile could prove effective, as would simply disabling the platform. The main adversary to the LONGBOW platform is it's ineffectiveness against energy shielding. Simply put, even if traveling at a high velocity, a kinetic munition will not be able to deliver full effect that an energy or antimatter-based weapon would against the various shielding techniques in use. Even with this drawback, a single kinetic munition could potentially cause significantly more damage than the more popular systems. Battle simulations suggest effectiveness of the LONGBOW platform would outlast the overall cost for development, with enemy fleets, even with full logistical support, requiring dozens of interactions in sorties before a working system would be deployed.

FINAL STATEMENTS:

. . . . .Project LONGBOW's initial approval date was 5/24/826 A.S., but the Feasibility Study was postponed due to developments in the Gallic-Bretonian Conflict. With LONGBOW being designed under the guise that the Gallic Royal Navy was to be the primary targets for the platform, the political breakup of the Gallic States and the new Liberty political aura prevented the secondary goal of the LONGBOW system. With these events in place, LONGBOW will still be approved for the original budget, and has already been assigned to the Research and Development teams at Radford, Willard, and Juneau.