Sensor Drones and Misssiles in Starcruiser 2300AD

Most of the space fleets in Starcruiser have sensor drones.  These can be used both offensively and defensively.   They can be sent out ahead of the fleet in order to use their passive and active sensors to detect opposing ships, etc.  When their active sensors are emitting they can also be used to help screen ships from being detected.  Active sensors add the equivalent of four light seconds of distance to the detection range of opposing sensor detection attempts if they are with a friendly ship(s) or directly between the opposing sensor and the friendly ships. 

Sensor drones could also be used as a decoy.  If they are designed and equipped with additional reflective surfaces or fixtures they can made to appear as a full size ship to active sensors.  Also, if strong enough, their radiated signature may appear to be the same as a regular ship.

As I noted in a previous post, I re-designed the missiles to increase their velocity.  I only did this with the French, German, and American missiles as these are the ones being used by the main combatants in Human Space.   Those used by the Kaefers only had their velocity increased instead of being completely re-designed.   As far as I know design information for the Kaefer's has never been released, though there has been some additional in later books. 

The following tables have the revised statistics for the American (Federation) SIM-14, French (Panthari Imperium)Ritage 2,  and the German (Domain) SR-10, and Donnerwetter missiles.  The formula for the volume of a missile bay is (diameter)x(length)x2x(number of missiles per bay)meters cubed  The surface area of the exit port for a missile is (diameterx2)meters squared.  All missiles are considered to be cylinders.

Design parameters

Missile	Sensor	Attack	Power Plant	Drive	Cost
Federation	20p	10x2	0.5FC/NM	0.5NM	2.0mcd
Panthari	10P	10x2	0.5FC/NM	0.5NM	2.0mcd
Domain	1P	4x3	0.5FC/NM	0.5NM	1.8mcd
Domain exp.	6P	10x3	0.6FC/NM	0.6NM	2.4mcd

Sensors are passive.  FC is fuel cell.  NM is new military.  mcd is million credits.  costs were rounded up slightly to account for hull material and fuel.  Cost per missile is about four to five times that of the original designs.

Dimensions and velocity

Missile	Diameter	Length	Volume	Mass	Velocity	Duration
Federation	2m	2.75m	5.5mc	7.84t	14	80min
Panthari	2m	2.75m	5.5mc	7.84t	14	80min
Domain	2m	2.5m	5.0mc	7.04t	14	80min
Domain exp.	2m	3.4m	6.8mc	9.42t	14	80min

Volume is meters cubed.  Note: The Domain missile can have a velocity of 15 by replacing the power plant and drive with 0.6mw units and increasing the length to 5.5m  this would also increase the volume of the missile bays.  Cost would increase to 2 million credits

Bays

Missile	Bay Volume	# per Bay
Federation	55mc	5
Panthari	44mc	4
Domain	120mc	12
Domain exp.	163.2mc	12