High Speed V/s Maneuverability

[PanzerFaust]

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Have read a lot of debates around and in this forum about supersonic and hypersonic cruise missiles, brahmos is one of them.

Now most of debates end up which two sides of the coin...


The for argument for high speed says,

--- it reduces reaction time

---- it increases kinectic energy hence total amount of damage

---- High speed enhances 'LO' characteristics

---- High speed enables usage of Ram and Scram jet engines



The against arguments for high speed cruise missiles says:


---- Increased speed reduces maneuverability hence giving edge to anti missile systems.

---- The cost and effort of development is not worth it.

---- Hypersonic flight would require huge metallurgical advancements hence huge amount of money and research.



Please take time to add to these lists ...




Guys, my take is that the for argument is stronger, and a recent dive test of brahmos proves the fact however i am open to a debate, keeping it civil and technical.

Technical gurus are required for inputs for pro's and con's.

[Isaq Khan]

As a missile is also a aircraft you wanna say that subsonic aircrafts are better then supersonic once??????????

So should we go back to that era?

[PanzerFaust]

As a missile is also a aircraft you wanna say that subsonic aircrafts are better then supersonic once??????????

So should we go back to that era?

No i didn't say subsonic is better that supersonic, but i did say seeing the trend from supersonic now going to hypersonic, that is it worth the effort?

Cruise missiles by there nature are meant to maneuver, hence they can guide themselves to the target in case of moving target , they also employ various evasion tactics like sea skimming modes, changing glide paths, evading obstacles, changing altitude etc,

now increased speed means increased G's needed to pull those maneuvers, making those difficult by just aero-foils.

Less the maneuvers , more it becomes like ballistics, hence more the future flight path can be predicted( i know a vague statement but i believe communicates the thought process)

If only High speed is the answer than why ABM systems exist since 1970's , with BM's speed reaching hypersonic ranges?

[trident2010]

What about the both?

http://www.defence.pk/forums/india-d...ld-record.html

[XiNiX]

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An Old Post of Mine...

How do you compare a Horse with a Camel ?
Camel can walk in Desert ; a Horse cant.

But a Horse is fast, and if its supersonic, can be rarely shot.
Babur is slower than a Mirage 2K!!!

Brahmos+MKI+Supersonic Speed=Any Target within Pakistan without any Counter after Release.
Babur-PAD-Slowness=Intercepted and Destroyed.

Babur's Strength is its weakness..
why ?
if it were to hit 800KM Target, it will have to remain for a Longer duration of Time in Air, Giving EXtra Time to be Intercepted.
And considering that its subsonic, things go really easy for the interceptors.

The major issue is about the detection of the Criuze Missiles as India already has S-300 ( Deployed Around several major cities including Mumbai , and new Delhi ) , PAD and AAD ( Under Development ), Detection rather Interception is a greater concern.

But with 6 Falcons , The best of AWACS , in place detection too cannot be difficult for a subsonic Missile.