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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ouroboros" data-source="post: 95425" data-attributes="member: 1171">If I remember correctly, this is an electrically driven weapon, so has the possibility of being retrofitted onto existing Phalanx equipped ships that possess sufficient electrical power. This also being yet another driver for all electric ships. Of course, there is the attractive option, depending on approach vector, to have multiple Phalanx's cooking a seaskimmer so individual target destruction times drop. Though you could help with that by having a smaller orbiting surveillance UAV with a good radar rig and data link (gyrocopter, helicopter, or tiltrotor?).Considering the power consumption of all electric ships and electric weapons systems, fuel starts to put a dent in both range and power projection. If railguns are employed, you have additional limitations on effective offensive capability.  I wonder if there will be renewed interest from the Navy and DoD on small modular nuclear reactors, the end goal being to put a single small reactor on smaller surface combatants? There are practical limits on how many gas turbines you can squeeze into a ship, and their fuel efficiency is not so hot.I also wonder when we will see the introduction of anti-laser options for missiles, if this and the JSF laser weapon come online? Ablative skin coatings and a BBQ roll program in the guidance system is a cheap solution. More advanced options could be something like an an airborne Shkival torpedo, using a nose plasma emitter to coat the missile. A real edge case being coating the surfaces with some sort of metamaterial to make it effectively invisible at the laser frequency.</blockquote>

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