Introducing the Chain gun
We are happy to introduce our first close range weapon system, which will be used by our first fighter models in the game – The Chain gun!
What is a Chain gun?
A chain gun is a type of machine gun or autocannon that uses an external power source for cycling the weapon’s action. Unlike most automatic firearms, it doesn’t use any power from the gas or recoil of the cartridge after it has been fired (blowback). The weapon is called a chain gun due to its motorcycle-like chain connected to an electric motor that cycles the weapon.
Examples
Gas operated blowback mechanism:
Chain operated mechanism:
Why the Chain gun?
The Chain gun weapon system has a couple of benefits that make it the perfect choice for space combat.
Reliability and durability – Chain gun weapon systems are incredibly reliable as they do not depend on the firing of a cartridge to power the cycle of the action. Therefore, if a round is misfired, it doesn’t stop the functioning of the weapon, it will just be ejected, and a new round will be loaded.
Controllability is another advantage of the chain gun over the blowback mechanisms. It is possible to vary the motor speed in order to control the rate of fire. This feature helps obtain the maximum rate of fire that is safest for the gun at a given moment, helps with heat management and extraction of fumes.
In a famous test conducted by the US Navy, over 100,000 rounds were fired by an EX-34 Chain gun, and the operators were not faced with even one jam or stoppage due to loss of round control in the gun or feeder mechanism.
For these reasons, we believe that the Chain gun will be highly suited for space fighters. A stoppage or jam of their primary weapon can render the fighter useless in combat or force it to return to its carrier. The controllability allows it to maximize its firepower, increasing its chances of survival and the ability to win the fight.
Ammunition
Ammunition is a significant part of any weapon system. In the end, this will be what hits and destroys the target
It makes sense to have different types of munitions for different roles, but as our first milestone is to create a dog-fight between two space fighters, we should start with ammunition that will be best fitted for this role.
Therefore, it was decided that the first ammunition type that we create will be the Airburst ammunition.
What is Airburst ammunition?
An airburst round is a type of ammunition that detonates midair instead of upon contact with the target. The detonation midair causes an air burst effect and damages the target with fragmentation. A fire control computer or sighting system is used to program the round to explode at the required range.
This round has benefits in both anti-air and anti-personnel systems:
- Anti-personnel – In addition to the better dispersion of the fragmentation, using an airburst round provides the ability to penetrate or fly over hard cover and hit the target behind it. For example, a target hiding behind a concrete wall.
- Anti-air – The round will explode near the aircraft/missile and increase the chance to hit the target with fragmentation. Obviously, this use is more relevant to our case.
Why Airburst?
As you can see in the video above, Airburst can provide a huge advantage when trying to hit a flying target. We believe that directly hitting a fast and highly maneuverable space fighter could be a very challenging task. Therefore, by using airburst rounds and the ship’s firing computer, the fighters can shoot rounds that will explode in proximity to their target. We can assume that these rounds will not be able to damage larger and more armored ships, but they would be perfect for taking down the smaller and less armored space fighters.