Theemile wrote:On Keyhole: Keyhole has evolved through many iterations off screen to get to where it is currently. The original design was a 20 K-ton offensive link only version with only LS fire control links. The current 60 (KH1) and 120 (KH2) K-ton modules currently add PDLCs, free flight, self power, and the ability to act as a retransmit and receive point for all of a warship's external communications an sensors. All Keyholes were at their hart offensive minded - KH2 added Apollo to the mix. The Battlecruisers still carry KH1 modules, with no Apollo capability.
Including PDLCs may require an onboard reactor to power them - increasing the size of each Keyhole. Beyond that, if a module can be built to control 45 salvos of 400+ ship killers in a salvo out to ~90 MKM on a 20 K-ton platform, I don't see why you can't squeeze the capacity to control ~30 CM x11 salvos out to 4 MKM, in a slightly smaller design, giving the possibility of some PDLCs in the same mass.
Also for reference, from House of Steel:
Ferret-class light attack craft
Mass: 20,750 tons
Dimensions: 72 × 20 × 20 m
...
Forward: 4M, 4CM, 6PD
Aft: 4CM, 6PD
A light warship, DD/CL/CA needs to control more missiles than a Ferret or Shrike, but it won't have many occasions to control the 400+ missiles an SD does. It won't need a LACs life support tonnage or magazine space (all missiles come from the mother ship or consorts/pods) but it will need more control links and CM Links. It will need the sensors and PDLCs of KH I and II units, although possibly not as many or work in conjunction with forward deployed RDs for sensor data (FTL datalink to drones?)
FTL control links apparently double the mass of LS-only KH. A light warship doesn't really need FTL missile control links.
So...
tl:dr What capabilities would you put in a KHL (Keyhole Lite) of 20-30 Ktons, and where would you mount it?
