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Title Posted
Artificial divisions within the SLN Mar 2004
The Battle of Farley's Crossing Mar 2004
<em>Gauntlet</em>'s weapons fit Mar 2004
Erewhon and the inertial compensator Apr 2004
Battleship and SD(P) comparisons Apr 2004
System control ships Apr 2004
Grav pulse comm post <em>Ashes of Victory</em> Apr 2004
Artificial intelligence and nanotechnology Apr 2004
Shipyard types Jun 2004
<em>Medusa-Bs</em> Jun 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."