Battle in space
I have seen many Sci-Fi movies featuring space battle sequences. Many of them are completely fantasy like Star Wars. On the other hand, some nearly realistic movies as Star Treck. But I've never seen avery realistic one.
Most of those space battle scenes were using some laser beam or some kind of unknown energy beam weapons. Most of the starship is able to maneuver freely like the aircraft. Recently, I have been thinking that how you fight the real space battle in a realistic environment and realistic technology which we are able to foresee. It must be interesting to speculate what it will be. Before I start describe, maybe I should put some condition on it.
Fighting ship:
Battleship has been designed and built by known or possible technologies and should be controlled by human races not by an alien from outer space. It doesn’t matter if it’s intercontinental war orcolonial or civil war but any way no aliens.
The size of a battleship or a cruiser equipped with conventional thruster. No warp drive. Maneuver is possible with vector thruster.
Gravity control, basically no.
Sensors:
Radar and optical sensor
What else? Gravity anomaly detector? Hum…..
Weapons:
Magneto electric rail gun
Conventional cannon
Some said that if you fire gun in space, it may cause vacuum deposition phenomenon(what?) and it make the gun jammed. I have never heard or seen someone fired gun in space in a long history of US space project. Or would no gunpowder isignited in the ultra-low temperature of the universe? Maybe NRA knows that?
High power laser cannon
Guided Missile (Torpedo) with restricted maneuverability
Multiple Launch Rocket System
Other
Stealth capability, cloaking and countermeasure system
Well, let’s start
Target detection and designation
Combat Range
Possible combat range in real space battle should be limited by its sensor capability and effective range of the weapon. The conventional warfare used fought on the surface or sea hasn’t been bothered by the response time of using sensor system.
In the aerial combat on the earth, the response of the radar or laser is instant. Even in a sea sub combat, the sound speed is much faster than that of in the air and the speed of the weapon like torpedo is rather slow than any other surface or an aerial weapons. Unlike the battle on planet surface, the possible combat range in real space battle would be limited by its sensor capability. The speed of electro magnetic radiation such as light, radar beam would be the factor to determine the battle range. For example, if you fight the foe in the distance of earth and moon, the dot on your radar scope is about 3 seconds old. That time rag might be the fatal in the future combat scene. Computer may continuously calculate the possible enemy position instantly but still it may be limited by its distance anyway. Also the stealth capability, somecloaking device and counter measure might make the battle range closer. No enemies might be appeared as it is in the battle condition. Like every soldier wears a camouflage uniform and hides behind the cover. Every fighter plane deploys chaff and flares. Every submarine launch counters measure and go silent mode. So, why not for space battle? Complete pitch black back ground of star field should be easy to hide the matte black painted hull and the future radar stealth technologies might easy to make whole battleship vanished.And of course, decoys. Thousands of decoyswill be deployed at the moment they come in range of the sensors. Thesefactors of battle would be concluded that the battle in space will possibly befought in close quarters or point blank range. Close enough to verify anddesignate the enemy vessel by Mk.1 Eye Ball Sensor. The first shot would be the key to victory. If you missed the first shot or fired upon a wrong target, you will be counter attacked immediately. After that, the battle moves to hit enemyas much as possible and to withstand to be hit. You may have to have many and valuable high power weapons.
Here in a space, to hit the target is rather easier than that of the planet surface. You don't have to consider about the drag of air, humidity, bullet drop and ballistic even a firing ranges. Once the bullets leave the muzzle, it will neither be getting slow nor dropping down. Never ever. The bullets keep the power forever. The ballistic computing will be easy enough even for the hand held computer. Time to impact target and lead angles and that's all. Sniper in space is going to be a boring occupation.
Oh, yes, you should think about the recoils. Thus the laser cannon would be one of the ideal weapons for this kind of battle if it has an enough power to penetrate the armor plates of the enemy vessel. When you fire the physical bullet, you'll have to face the action and reaction issue. But that's not the major problem at all. Put the weapons on a big and heavy platform like old WW2 battleship and some ah.. Good stuffing or something like automatic counter thrust system might absorb the recoil. …I guess..
Also you may need to cover the vessel with thick armor plates. It’s heavy and cost you to build and bring it up to space ship yard but hey, it’s the things in the future. The government will find new financial resources. Just raise our tax.
Of course, you can be equipped with some guided weapons like missile or torpedoes. However, as you know the maneuverability of those projectile or flying objects may be very restricted in the space. Control wings like rudder or aileron won't work. Only some vector thruster will be effective to guide them to the target.
The most effective tactic is simple. The concentrated barrage fire in a close distance.
You see the opponent coming closer head on in a rather faster velocity.
When in range, blow counter thrust and kill the speed.
At the moment you are passing through opposing side by side.
You open fire.
Thousands of bullets and rockets fill the space between each other.
View from the third person perspective, hell of a furious firefight in complete silence.
View from the first person perspective,canned in a drumming thunder.
When you passing by, gain speed as quickly as possible and take enough spacing to turn around and get back to the second match.
The real space battle would be silently but more dramatic and dynamic than I thought at the first place. It may remind me the great fleet battle happened in WW2. 'Battle of Tassafaronga' November 30 1942.
Thanks for reading.
KF