wastedfly wrote: SO why the bloody Hell would they not simply put MK-16G's in said Gryphon as said missile head is a Capital grade missile head equivalent to what was originally SHOT OUT OF SAID SDM GRYPHONS TUBES! At least then all they would have to do is modify the launch tubes, assuming even that would be needed. More likely is that the missile que TOOOOOOO the launch tubes would need modification and the launch tubes which are encased in armor would not need modifying at all.
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We've been told that refitting missile tubes that were designed to fire capacitor birds into tubes that can handle fusion birds is a massive undertaking. The missiles may have close to the same physical dimensions with the Mk-16 being slightly bigger, but the tubes for the fusion birds have to be much tougher and wired extremely differently to handle a light off a fusion reactor in the tube.
I don't know if your Legacy refit of Gryphons to Mk-16G capability passes either the engineering/economic test or provides enough benefits over building new NIKES.