Scorpion missile
| Scorpion | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Air-to-surface missile Surface-to-Surface missile |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2005 |
| Used by |  Belfrassee operators |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | BAU Systems |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 52 kg (115 lb) |
| Length | 1.8034 m (5.917 ft) |
| Diameter | 0.1778 m (7.00 in) |
| Warhead | HEAT Tandem Warhead |
Detonation mechanism | Impact fuze |
Operational range | 12+ mi (20+ km) from fixed wing 7.5 mi (12 km) from rotor wing/ground/ship |
| Speed | exceeds 1,006.62 mph (1,620.00 km/h) (Supersonic+) |
Guidance system | Milimetre wave radar and semi-active laser tracking |
Launch platform | Fixed-wing aircraft Rotor-wing aircraft Ship-launched Vehicle-launched (mounted) |
The Scorpion is a versatile, multi-role missile introduced by BAU Systems in 2005 for service with the Republic Air Force. While originally intended to act as a fire-and-forget missile against mass formations of enemy armour, the weapon has been further developed for a wide array of purposes without needing separate weapons. Whilst originally designed with a radar homing system for it's first purpose, the weapon now contains abilities to be guided onto a target with a laser designator and a smart discriminatory system to prevent collateral damage.
Best described as an "Advanced, multi-role precision strike weapon", the Scorpion is capable of providing operators with a weapon capable of going from a laser-guided infrastructure/strategic target killing weapon to a weapon capable of being fired in salvos against swarms of enemy armour or fast attack craft. Tests against unmanned water craft showed the Scorpion was capable of being fired from a static target to hit mobile vessels in evasive maneuvers within a defined kill box whilst avoiding hitting other unmanned craft in the same area designated as civilians by the operator prior to launch. These tests have already proven to the Republic Navy that the weapon has enough promise for orders to be placed and delivered.
Design
The Scorpion was designed as a natural successor to previous air-to-ground missiles carried by the Republic Air Force. At first, the laser seeker previously used that caused aircraft to have a designation system either aboard the plane or on the ground was replaced by a milimeter-wave seeker. The reintroduction of a laser guidance computer happened during development to enable it to still be used with both existing craft and ground warfare doctrines.
Designed as a fire-and-forget missile, the weapon is loaded with information from both the crew of the system launching it and the sensor readouts of that platform, allowing it to be programmed and adapted to evolving mission requirements. This capability allows the Scorpion to, should its target be destroyed before impact, to locate a secondary target in the area from both its own on-board computer and information it received from the launching platform prior to launch. A discriminatory system aboard the missile allows it to tell friendly and hostile units apart and adjust its approach to ensure its blast is projected away from friendly forces. Finally, the weapon is designed to self destruct with the detonation of it's secondary charge should it be unable to find a target prior to entering an area of collateral damage.
Using the same system that tells the missile how best to attack a target to prevent collateral damage to civilians or friendly forces, the missile is also capable of judging how best to attack the target for the most damage or best chance of eliminating the target in one strike. The advanced sensor package that both allows it to track targets and judge how to interact with them also includes a general awareness system, allowing the missile to judge how and where exactly to hit it's target should it be moving. Firings of the weapon have proven that the missile is capable of tracking and deciding how best to strike an unmanned target traveling at speeds over 70 MPH. The awareness system is also designed to memorize targets being selected by other missiles of it's launching system prior to it's own launch in order to prevent a two missiles hitting the same target either simultaneously or without the firing systems intention.
The weapon is equipped with a tandem-shaped charge warhead, meaning that upon reaching the target two tiers of explosions occur. A first, smaller detonation is meant to initiate reactive armour of a target prior to the second, larger detonation that is meant to penetrate and defeat under armour systems. Tests verified that the missile was up to three times more likely to defeat a modern tank than it's predecessor and almost ten times more likely to defeat hardened static targets. The shaped charge nature of the weapon means that not only is it much more likely to penetrate armour with the explosive force being projected immediately forward, but it also means that the explosion itself is contained to roughly a meter around the weapon itself.
The launching system is capable of modifying the attack profile of the weapon prior to launch. Allowing the missile to be fired directly or indirectly at either a single target or in a salvo against a multitude of targets within a user-defined 'kill zone'. The latter predetermines which target each missile will head for with a small list of secondary targets should the first be rendered unattackable whilst in transit. This allows the missile to have contingency plans whilst in flight prior to having to self destruct due to a lack of a new target. Following launch, the firing system is then able to turn it's attention aware from the target to seek out another target for a second strike.
The missile is typically loaded onto systems on 'tri-rails', meaning that a single system of the weapon carries three missiles. For example the Republic Air Force utilizes weapon aboard the Majestic Viper - A domestically produced variant of the Arthuristan Dynamics Tempest - typically with six systems per pylon for a total of eighteen Scorpion missiles. The aircraft could carry a maximum of 39 missiles at the loss of any kind of air-to-air ordnance, fuel tank, or targeting pod.
