Mr. Nathan Okun, noted naval weapons expert, recently commented on using SAMs in SSM mode. In Harpoon, all SAMs are assumed to airburst when they are close to their target. Mr. Okun has different information: "When in Surface Mode, the rather simple fuzing circuits of SM1 missiles are modified to try to prevent premature explosions on the water prior to a direct hit on the target. SM2 missiles have much more elaborate internal digital computer logic. Also, firing angles and trajectory ballistic constants fed to the missile are adjusted to optimize the chance of a direct hit. It is not easy for an AA missile designed for proximity-fuzed action (direct hits are accounted for, but rather rare against any kind of hard-to-hit target) to be adjusted to hit something on the ocean's surface directly, even if stationary and at point-blank range!" So it's not an airburst, but a direct hit, and it isn't the itty-bitty 5 kg warhead that's going to do the damage but the Mach 3 20-foot spear. Considering the range, the motor is probably still firing, so we're probably getting a fire as well when the airframe breaks up. We'll be working on this... BT Back to The Naval Sitrep #18 Table of Contents Back to Naval Sitrep List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by Larry Bond and Clash of Arms. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com