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Title Posted
Does the Manticoran Peerage allow Proxy Voting Dec 2002
Why doesn't Elizabeth <em>pack</em> the Lords? Dec 2002
Administrative and tactical organization of the RMN Dec 2002
Fission/fusion power reactors Dec 2002
Counter-missile canisters Dec 2002
Counter-missile fire control issues and counter-missile pods Dec 2002
"Buckshot" missile defenses Jan 2003
Effectiveness of cruisers-vs-battlecruisers Feb 2003
<em>Wayfarer </em>and camouflaging itself as a merchantman Feb 2003
Gun control in the Star Kingdom of Manticore Feb 2003
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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.

Posted by David at 12:00am

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."