056 class FFL/corvette
- Thread starter dingyibvs
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I don't know why the bottom thing stretching the whole length of the launcher should be a reinforcement that this is some kind of radar. I think it's more likely that the AC unit simply stretches the whole length of the launcher so as to provide adequate cooling along the entire launcher rather than just the rear end of the launcher.
Probably a small short range K-band type, but no its likely a refrigeration unit intended to keep the seeker heads cold, with the ducting routed entirely to the front of the launcher so the seeker heads get the maximum brunt of the coldness. Infrared seekers have their maximum efficiency when the heads are kept very cold. The rest of the missile is probably kept at a controlled temperature to improved storage life but not as cold as the seeker heads. When operated, the launcher should open, pointed at the target, the seekers will try to get a lock on on the target, either by its radar emissions or by its infrared signature, then fired when lock on is attained. It is for this reason why you don't VLS this kind of missile, as it works closer to a short ranged AAM than a conventional SAM.
Something is needed to queue the missile launcher towards the target which should be sea skimming over the water, and then queue the seeker heads to the target so they could lock on to it. But now I think its cooling unit for the heads, something else is needed to do that.
Your sea skimmers are flying like 10m to 5m, maybe even lower. The position should be towards the front of the launcher, whether its on top, left, right or bottom, so it can freely scan vertically top to bottom without having to depress the whole unit. Corner left or right are good also. Ideally, the best should be in the center, with dual launchers set on the sides of the radar. If radarless, the job would have to be done by a separate radar somewhere in the ship.
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