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Title Posted
Variable geometry starships Sep 2004
Recon LACs Sep 2004
Strategic map as of <em>Shadow of Saganami</em> Sep 2004
LACs towing counter-missile pods Oct 2004
Why does Mesa still exist? Oct 2004
The status of the Lynx System Oct 2004
The Union of Monica Oct 2004
<em>Roland</em>-class destroyer Oct 2004
Compensator failure Oct 2004
"Paintball"-style projectile weapons training Nov 2004

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Pearls of Weber

A collection of posts by David Weber containing background information for his stories, collected and generously made available Joe Buckley.

Missile orientation during flight

  • Series: Honorverse
  • Date: October 22, 2002

Missiles in the Harrington universe are virtually all seeking weapons. Their sensor heads are required to maintain lock on their targets (at least once they are beyond effective, real-time telemetry control from the ship which launched them). This means that they keep the throats of their wedges oriented on their targets, which is why it is possible for point defense lasers to kill them at extended ranges. There is no sidewall or wedge protecting them from the fire or the ship they are attacking; their wedges do, however, protect them from the defensive fire of other ships which might attempt to engage them from "above" or "below."