MLSS-21 (repost)

[V12]

The Aerospace Logistics has finally made the decision to offer for sale its latest line of versatile missiles, MLSS-21.

This product has been in use for some time, but until now was only sold to select allies and partners, such as Allanea, Lyras, Kampfers, and others. In its years of service, this missile family has accumulated an excellent service record. Its performance has proven to be so good, actually, that three nations have adopted it as their standard missile, replacing multiple different missile types with MLSS-21.

The reason its sale was restricted is the unique resistance of MLSS-21 missiles to interception in general and CIWS in particular. Its new kind of airframe construction and an extremely insensitive explosives allow the missile to withstand direct autocannon hits. Combined with its stealth capabilities, and a unique targeting system, countermeasures are rendered much less effective, making this missile a dangerous product to sell without proper oversight, as even one of them can be a threat despite CIWS protection.

However, the recent financial difficulties have forced ALC to expand its customer base. The missiles will still not be sold to nations failing to meet certain standards, however, such as ones known to engage in slave trade, genocidal actions, terrorism against civilians, and other crimes against humanity.


A complete description of the technology will follow below. Here is a brief overview of the highlights and the models offered.

MLSS-21 is a family of missiles, consisting of 20 models in total, each of which can be configured against different targets by installing different guidance heads. It can be retrofitted to older designs, or incorporated into new ones.
All missiles can be launched from aircraft, land vehicles, static installations, or naval vessels, using cold launch, hot launch, or direct launch.

The key advantages of MLSS-21 over the majority of missiles offered on the market are:
* Durability. All MLSS-21 missiles, built as mostly solid cylinders of a load-bearing explosive that is stronger than concrete, are highly resistant to damage, be it from CIWS attempting to stop them or just rough handling. With the simplicity of their mechanics, they need less maintenance, and have a longer service life.
* Safety. The concrete-like explosive used in MLSS-21 doesn't detonate from bullet hits, incendiary charges, or even nearby explosions. They also uses a highly safe fuel that doesn't ignite in the air, only in their rocket engine. This means that stockpiles will never explode from a shell hit or a fire. On naval vessels, these missiles can even serve as additional armor, if placed peripherally.
* Versatility. The same missiles can be used on different platforms, and quickly configured against any target by changing the guidance system. This greatly simplifies logistics and maintenance. Repairs become quicker, availability higher, delivery more reliable.

Apart from these unique advantages, the MLSS-21 missiles also have all the capabilities expected from a modern missile. They incorporate stealth features, have countermeasures-resistant guidance, can work in coordinated packs, prioritizing targets and maximizing the damage.

Here are some variants that are offered:
[table]



Additional information can be found here: http://z3.invisionfree.com/HighTech/index.php?showtopic=57

Detailed description

The new approach

Constantly stiffening competition has prompted growing costs of armament. Aerospace Logistics has long followed this trend, which reached its pinnacle in 2005-2006 with introduction of a $25,000 assault rifle and a $17,500,000 artillery shell. But a stronger threat came from below: highest performance on the market and even justified cost were no longer sufficient to overcome the cost barriers set by most customers. During the equipment replacement after the Iragian War expenses, this fact was given more attention, shaking all personnel positions and prompting a doctrine change.

While the light missile development was nearing the end, and was expected to finish with the old doctrine, another event has forced a major redesign. In March 2007, using the war disturbance which made ALC draw the fleet away from supposedly safe local waters, a large pack of GNAVT torpedo and missile speedboats raided a small convoy from the Free Republic of Hotdogs. In a massive attack, two Aerospace Logistics escort destroyers sustained heavy damage; while their high-quality hulls and trained crews indeed proved to be make the ships virtually unsinkable, they lost all sensors and failed the mission. Through the smoke of battle, GNAVT boats approached and captured two fast transports carrying the equipment for carbon nanomaterials factory and forty thousand tons of produced high-quality materials. In a day, Aerospace Logistics became in short supply of advanced carbon fiber and lost tens of billions spent in attempt to establish local production. The shortage forced to slow down even aircraft production, completely ruling out the use of advanced carbon fiber for the new missile.

In the climate of war expenses and the light of this defeat from the far less advanced GNAVT fleet, April brought major changes to the Light Missile Division. The financial director Yoshii Hayataka and head engineer Johann Takaname were replaced by Farid Hasan Imad, dissident economist rescued in Iragia, and former civil engineer Alexis Trouchelle. As a result of these factors, the development of MLSS (or, more precisely, MLSS-21, for “Missile, Light, Surface-Surface, launch platform 2, model 1”), designed to be carried by relatively inexpensive vessels, rapidly changed the direction towards improving the performance without cost and complexity increases over previous designs.

Airframe

Lower cost, higher durability

As the first change, the traditional approach to airframe construction, based on lightweight, high-precision aluminium-lithium alloy structure, was renounced. The alternate approach, used in MLSS (nicknamed “Melissa” within the team), utilizes the physical properties of the SLX 5.4 compound, originally developed for the VSM-3X anti-shipping missile and LRS-3 HAND cannon shell, in a full-volumetric structure. SLX 5.4 is a concrete-like composite material, combining particles of varying size and hardness held together by friction forces and the bonding agent, self-polymerizing in a few days after the mixture is poured. While the explosive properties of the compound leave much to be desired, it has controllable viscosity, and is not prone to detonation unless heated above the glass transition temperature of the bonding agent and subjected to sufficient pressure to compress the active particles, making it easy to work with and significantly reducing the personnel requirements. The missile is produced in multiple size variants, the most common being MLSS-21-315, with a maximum diameter of 315mm.

Radially, the missile is separated into two general parts, fuel chamber and outer shell, by a 224mm diameter steel tube. This structure goes for most of the missile, apart from engine and head components.
Longitudinally, there are three main parts – the engine part, the body and the head. Both the engine and the body are an integrated block, composed of monolithic thick-shell structure, but separated by mostly hollow double curved cone forming the air intake. The head is manufactured separately and installed seamlessly using male thread, after the fuel bladders are set in place. It contains almost all serviceable components, including the fuel control system and the frontal control surfaces.

Structurally, within the monolithic thick shell part, the tube serves as the key support for the missile, and is covered with spikes welded to it in staggered pattern, forming the radial pillars of the reinforcement structure. All ducting is installed at this stage, and, after it's complete, glass fiber is woven around the spikes in a random pattern, forming a volumetric web. The final reinforcement is a pre-made mesh of aluminium rebars welded to the ends of the spikes, forming triangular structure. Glass fiber is woven again in loose spiral pattern around the rebars, and longitudinal weave completes the mesh. To prevent this from resulting in a flat tubular surface, large circular knots are stitched around it on the outside. All of these processes are simple and automated on the pipeline, where the missile is supported by a shaft inserted into the main tube. As the workers manually finish welding the aft section, the structure is complete.

After it's done, the reinforcement structure is put into a polygonal tube, the ends are sealed, and SLX 5.4 is poured in between, seals compressing it and providing vibration for faster hardening. This new compound, developed for the MLSS-21, differs from SLX 5.3 in higher plasticity and lower hardness, designed to absorb damage better, and lower metal content, focused towards greater detonation speed over heat effect.
Since the insensitive load-bearing explosive doesn't require separate airframe, the missile can absorb significant damage, such as 30-40mm rounds, without detonating or cracking due to aerodynamic forces. If the head is destroyed, the missile loses active guidance and has to rely on previous data. The missile can detonate upon hit as long as either the head or engine sections is functioning.

A downside of using insensitive explosive is range limitation. At short range, the missile isn't heated enough to be able to detonate, and has to make circles to heat the explosive, if such short-ranged attack is necessary.

Lower RCS

A major decision was to make the airframe not circular or spline-shaped, but irregular decagonal instead, eliminating the need for precise machining of the rings or complex weaving of fibers. Above this structure, a flat panel of carbon fiber reinforced plastic is applied, with non-woven fiber outermost layers, as the controlled radar wave reflector. 20 layers of radar absorbent material coated aramide film are rolled above it, finally covered with flat panels of syntactic foam with carbonyl iron coated microspheres, strengthened with glass fibers and forming the missile's outside. Due to flatness of the surfaces, ensured by stiff underlying structure rather than free support as in classic construction, minor inaccuracies are unimportant at this stage. High-temperature polymer bonding agents are applied to keep the structure stiff.

This faceted airframe, while simpler to build, offers almost as efficient RCS reduction as the most complex weighed b-spline designs, though compromising the aerodynamics and structural properties compared to them. Multiple layers of low-cost radar absorbent materials have proven to perform better than single high-quality coating, and better in thickness-efficiency as structures appropriate for a missile. The missile's aftmost section with extending tail covers its engine and hot exhaust, leaving very little for the radar to pick.

The result is a munition with detection range about 6-8 times lower than conventional missiles, extending the stealth envelope and reducing interception chance.

Fuel system

While the initial design assumed turbopump-driven liquid fuel system, this was ruled out quickly due to cost concerns. Rising costs of solid fuels, their insufficient performance and high environmental impact, however, weren't acceptable in the design either.
Among the first options considered was hybrid fuel, which was close to being implemented, but increased complexity over the classic solid fuel solution. Unimaterial construction was also rejected due to fire safety concerns, increased damage in case of interception, and uncontrollability of combustion. The solution came from a rocketry club in Gecko City, which had long used self-pressurized liquid bipropellant rocket engines for amateur satellite launches.

The construction of self-pressurized liquid fuel engine is based on volatile fuel or oxidizer, evaporating in an airtight environment, pressing upon the bladders containing the propellants. Unlike the simplest variant with single bladder, the Aerospace Logistics EMBAS-FS contains both propellants in their bladders, thus not depending on tank integrity. Changes were introduced into the pressurization system, which instead evaporates each propellant in its respective bladder, thus controlling its combustion rate.

Bladder construction has also changed from the civilian designs, replacing shell bladders with reinforced foam containers, for which a low-cost process has been developed.. Such container's skeleton is formed from aluminium shavings, typical waste of aluminium machining in the form of long, helical, very thin and narrow stripe of metal. These helical shavings are bent and deformed until a structure is formed with the grid forming multiple volumetric cells. The structure is put into a tank lined with polyethylene mesh, fuel or oxidizer with ionized polymer particles suspended inside is poured inside, while the tank and the shavings are connected as the cathode and the anode. Low voltage is applied between them, forcing the polymer particles to form into layers around these shavings. After the power is turned off, the opposite ions are released from solid state by heating, gradually connect to the negative polymer ions, with the polymerization and fluid surface tension completing cell walls.

Fuel and oxidizer, placed in such foam containers, are delivered to the engine by evaporation of the contents – when the engine consumes fuel, pressure in the fuel tank drops, and more fuel or oxidizer expands. For more precise control, the missile has valved frontal air intakes in the head section, providing additional pressure on the tank when needed. The cells are opened simply by melting from the contact with the wall heated by the engine. The fuel normally takes 70-95% by weight, depending on the flight profile optimization, as, once the cruising speed is reached, most of the oxidizer is provided from the air intakes. Oxidizer injection is used for ignition, lower or higher speeds, and fuel consumption rate control.

Engine

MLSS-21 newly developed engine, designated EMBAS (Engine, Missile, Bipropellant, Airbreathing, Self-pressurized), is a simple combustion chamber with integral de Laval nozzle, optimized for efficiency at low altitudes. The chamber itself is manufactured by pressing from a tri-layer sheet, with two nickel superalloy layers sandwiching magnesium sheet for stiffness and liquid cooling for high-temperature areas. To prevent buckling under melting, the sheet is punctured with rivet-spikes which are welded to the airframe rebars and keep strong adhesion to the explosive. The simplicity of manufacturing technology keeps cost of this engine only slightly higher than for a normal conical nozzle for light military solid rockets.

EMBAS has no full thrust vectoring, being secured inside the cast airframe. To control thrust direction, a shockwave-based vectoring system is in place, with six magnetically controlled beryllium spikes entering the nozzle, breaking normal airflow. It can only be used shortly and doesn't allow for precise control, only abrupt and discrete redirection of thrust in one of the twelve directions. All more precise control functions are contained in the warhead, in order to minimize the amount of internal wiring needed – this particular control is provided by outermost layer reinforcement wires, while the core tube is used as the common ground.

Internal control circuit of the engine is based on discrete semiconductor and passive elements, which easily tolerate temperatures of 400-450K, found in the engine section. It has a 110-transistor main circuit at 200 kHz and 64 bytes of capacitor memory for up to 20 commands. Each command is primed with 3 bits to switch between “vector”, “power”, “detonate” and “delay types”. For every type, the next 20 bits can hold:
011, Vector: 6 bits, one for each thrust vectoring pin, 5 bits for 32 possible wing operations, 9 bits for 1-512 millisecond delay;
110, Power: 5 bits for 32 fuel valve states, 4 for 16 oxidizer valve states, 2 for 4 air intake states, 9 bits for 1-512ms delay;
101, Detonate: 6 bits, one for each detonator activation [partial activation can direct the explosion], 9 bits for 0-2.56 millisecond precise detonation timing, in 0.005 millisecond increments, providing 50mm precision, 3 confirmation bits (101 means detonation without hit, 010 after hit, anything else hit), 2 internal XOR bits;
000, Delay: 20 bits in 0.005-millisecond increments, for 0.005 to 5240 millisecond delay.
The last bit is the XOR redundancy bit.

On the average, this circuit can provide the missile with instructions for 8-12 maneuvering changes and precise detonation, which is sufficient to bring it to the target even if the guidance head is destroyed. Blindness and aerodynamic changes (while the head breaks clean, other sections can't), however, drop the precision. While functional, the head constantly updates the memory with new instructions.


Engine specifications:
EMBAS-01
Engine, Missile, Bipropellant, Airbreathing, Self-pressurized, model 1

Performance:
** Weight (full): 20kg max.
** Maximum thrust: 220kg min.
** Cruise thrust: 80kg

Fuel system: EMBAS-FS-1
** Fuel: 1,2-butadiene
** Oxidizers: Atmospheric oxygen, hydrogen peroxide
** Specific impulse, chemical: 387s theoretical
** Specific impulse, full mass: 102s theoretical
** Specific impulse, fuel: 1006s theoretical
** Specific impulse, effective, max speed: 740s min.
** Specific impulse, effective, cruise: 1510s min.
** Specific impulse, penetration mode average: 1100s

Thrust control:
** Control points: 6
** Possible states: 4096
** Effective states: 120
** Circular precision: 0.26 radian (15 degrees)
** Radial deflection: 0.0-0.52 radian (0-30 degrees)
** Radial precision: 0.10 radian (6 degrees)

Guidance

To save on costs, it was decided that each missile will only carry one type of sensor/guidance head, or a special head which serves as a hub for information exchange.
All heads utilize low-cost hardware, Arroyo-Klamath Consortium manufactured 32-bit RISC integrated circuits with 500 to 8,000 MFLOPS main IC and one to four 16-megabyte memory IC, depending on the model. Normal heads only have three redundant chip+memory PCB, while command heads are equipped with 12 boards, 8 of them working in SMP with the rest 4 redundant; extra PCB switching to the redundant team as active ones are lost.

The possible guidance types and system masses are listed below. Cost for all systems, where not stated, is included in the appropriate missile cost. Otherwise it adds to missile basic cost, being based on different hardware.

Weights of the systems are stated to help understand the limitations of smaller versions. The 315mm missile, offering 40kg for guidance, can carry any of these systems. Other missiles have a reduced guidance system mass:
125mm missile - 2 kg
160mm missile - 5 kg
200mm missile - 10 kg
250mm missile - 20 kg
Heavier versions, like the 400mm with 80kg load, are designed to carry multiple guidance systems.

Sensors+controllers, Arroyo EM-4000 series:
** LPI RADAR – 40 kg, N$200,000
** X-band Imaging RADAR – 20, 40 kg
** C-band RADAR – 40 kg
** Synthetic aperture RADAR – 40 kg
** Wideband RADAR – 40 kg
** V-band RADAR – 10, 20 kg, 40kg for imaging
** Passive RADAR – 2, 5, 10 kg variants
** RF emissions homing – 1kg
** RF emissions scanner – 5kg
** Infrared, monochromatic – 1kg
** Infrared, trichromatic – 2kg
** Visual, bichromatic – 2kg
** Visual+IR, pentachromatic (deep IR, shallow IR, yellow, blue, UV) – 10kg
** Laser receiver (requires laser highlighting) – 1kg
** Laser detection and ranging – 5, 10 kg
** Visual or IR pattern recognition, monochromatic – 5kg
** Visual pattern recognition, pentachromatic – 10kg
** Visual pattern recognition, pentachromatic, laser-illuminating – 20kg
** Visual pattern recognition, pentachromatic, multiband laser illuminating – 40kg
** Sonic scanner – 20kg
** CIWS attack warhead (muzzle flash detector, emission scanner) – 2kg
** Electronic countermeasures – 5..40 kg
** Simple countermeasures (chaff, flares) – 2..40kg
** Additional systems easily installed into warheads if needed.

Command systems (w/o sensors):
** Arroyo EM-5101...EM-5105 control hub – 2, 5, 10, 20, 40 kg
** Symmetriad Oriens I advanced control system – 20kg, N$250,000
** Symmetriad Oriens II advanced control system – 40kg, N$500,000

Link nodes (provide communication and data distribution):
** Arroyo EM-5121...5123 link node – 2kg, 5kg, 10kg
** Arroyo EM-1001...1015 GPS+LightCom receiver – 1 (one type only), 2, 5 kg
** Arroyo EM-1102, 1103, 1104 full-duplex LightCom link – 5, 10, 20 kg
** Arroyo EM-1203, 1204 wideband radio communication – 10, 20 kg

Additional electronics can be installed for the leading missile in the group, at the expense of a reduced explosive load:
** NCR Heavy Industries MDA-6, versatile 2.5D radar+visual target recognition processor, can integrate a pack of missiles into a formation. Weighs 40kg, installed on the 315mm missile. Cost N$200,000.
** Symmetriad Occidens, binocular trichromatic visual 2.5D analyzer, with a 120 GFLOPS, 32-bit, 4-processor array. Weighs 40kg. Can be installed on 315mm and above versions. Cost N$1,250,000.
** Symmetriad Occidens II, triocular pentachromatic visual 3D analyzer, 500 GFLOPS, 64-bit, 8-processor redundant array. Weighs 120kg. Can be installed on 400mm and above versions only. Cost N$2,500,000.

The Occidens system employs a quasi-AI routine, using an array of RISC processors. It takes input from multiple RADAR bands, weather data, emission scans, laser returns, infrared and visual light, and forms what is an equivalent of a color three-dimensional image. Data is taken from multiple missiles, to provide a stereoscopic effect. Matching all sensor data, it can unmistakably identify the targets from decoys, find their critical points, and locate interception measures. The information is then transferred to other missiles.
Occidens is only needed on one missile in a pack, except for redundancy purposes. It replaces the sensors, so the equipped missile must rely on others for radar and other data.


One missile can normally carry one sensor system of its nominal head weight class, two systems one class lower, or three systems two weight classes lower each.

While the capabilities of every head are extremely limited compared to all other Aerospace Logistics missiles, automated flying laboratories, their strength forms when linked together. Scanning every possible trace of the target and its detail, a pack of 20 or more missiles, including at least one analyzer, possesses binocular vision, a capability not matched by any other missile known to ALC intelligence*.
Large packs, if equipped with Symmetriad control system and analyzers, are capable of perceiving full three-dimensional environment, with wavelengths from low radar frequencies, through microwaves, to visual and UV light spectrum. For each frequency data are gathered from multiple sources for three-dimensional vision, combining both passive and active scan, thus forming image with data well beyond human perception, including multiple properties, such as diffusion, reflectivity, roughness and luminance in each wave band, for each surface. Using such thorough target model, the leader analyzes the optimal way to deal the requested effect, and guides the missiles to strike at particular areas of the target, such as radar domes, CIWS systems, weapons, based aircraft, command center, and other preferable hit zones.

Terminal behavior

Carrying no separate warhead, the MLSS utilizes its airframe as the active mass. Since SLX 5.4 is normally inert, 5 sets of six charges of TATB secondary explosive are used to start the main mass detonation. The detonation order of these charges determines the missile's explosion properties.

** In the normal mode, all detonator charges are detonated simultaneously, producing a high-brisance explosion. This mode is most efficient when attacking volumetric targets or ships with successfully pierced armor. As the only fragments come from rebars and remains of internal components, it behaves similarly to a bomb or Penguin missile, relying on the shock wave to deal damage.
** Airframe's separation into pre-intake and post-intake parts, together with insensitivity of the explosive, allow for a special detonation mode, named staggered detonation. The engine section detonates first, propelling the rest of the missile forward at an increased speed. A few milliseconds afterwards, after the penetration, the main section detonates. While this loses 30-35% of explosive to the acceleration, additional heating and deformation slightly improve main explosive efficiency.
** If, on the contrary, the armor is already penetrated, and damage should be dealt in the plane normal to the flight direction, bipolar detonation is possible. All main body detonators are disabled, and only the warhead and the rear engine detonator are used. When the detonation waves meet, a disk-shaped shockwave forms, keeping 80% of energy in its plane.
** In case when no method helps, in naval use the missile can be programmed to dive and explode underneath the target, like a torpedo. Structural resilience permits water entrance at up to 300m/s speed without previous damage, or 50-150m/s with significant damage.

Effect of MLSS-400 hitting a destroyer

Specifications

MLSS-21, 315mm
Missile, Light**, Surface-Surface, launch platform requirement 2 (light vehicles), model 1

Main dimensions:
** Mass: 400kg max.
** Diameter: 315mm max.
** Length: 4000mm max.

Launch method:
Vertical launch system:
** Cell size: 450x450x4500mm max.
** Cell mass: 160kg max.
** Type: Electromagnetic launch
Mudkip-mounted:
** Block size: 4 cells
** Dimensions: 990x960x4600mm max.
** Empty mass: 500kg max.
** Launch time, first missile: 0.8 second max.
** Launch time, fastest total: 15.8 seconds max.

Component mass:
** Engine and steering: 40kg max.
** Sensors, communication: 24kg (up to 50 on demand)
*** 20kg head weight class
** Active airframe: 200kg min.
** Fuel: 75-90kg
** Oxidizer: 5-20kg

Performance:
Speed:
** Nominal: 300m/s class
** Stall: 110m/s (Mach 0.3) max.
** Minimal cruise: 210m/s (Mach 0.6) max.
** Maximum cruise: 520m/s (Mach 1.5) min.
** Most efficient cruise: 290-305m/s (Mach 0.9).
** Terminal, at engine burnout: 650m/s (Mach 1.8) min.
** Terminal, with staggered detonation: 980m/s (Mach 2.9) min.
** With vertical fall: 750m/s (Mach 2.3) min.
Range:
** Nominal: 300km class
** Minimum (detonation failure risk otherwise): 50km max.
** Effective (cruise+acceleration): 320km
** Air-launched maximum: 430km min.
** Ship-launched maximum: 360km min.
** At maximum cruise speed (520m/s): 240km min.
** All-profile: 305km min.

Damage effect:
Explosive: SLX 5.4 – Stabilized Load-bearing compound, stability class 5, type 4
** Detonation energy, specific: 4.4MJ/kg at 300K, min.
** TNT explosive efficiency, cold (250K): 0.70 min.
** TNT explosive efficiency, normal (300K): 0.85 min.
** TNT explosive efficiency, heated (400K-600K): 0.90 min, 1.15 max.
** Sensitivity: Negligible
Active components: 220-350kg
** Explosive energy, SLX 5.4 load: 880MJ min.
** TNT equivalent, SLX 5.4 load: 160kg min.
** Explosive energy, normal or bipolar detonation: 850MJ min., 900MJ max.
** TNT equivalent, normal or bipolar detonation: 170kg min., 190kg max.
** Explosive energy, staggered detonation : 550MJ min., 650MJ max.
** TNT equivalent, staggered detonation: 110kg min., 150kg max.

Armor perforation:
With normal head:
** Normal, hit at engine burnout: 90mm of RHA
** Staggered detonation: 120mm of RHA
With a 40kg tungsten penetration cap:
** Normal, hit at engine burnout: 550mm of RHA
** Staggered detonation: 700mm of RHA

Other:
** VLS requirements, electric: 4MW or more vessel power
** VLS requirements, water: 5 liter/day, 50 liter/launch
** Unit cost, export, normal: N$550,000
** Unit cost, export, large orders (100,000+): N$500,000
** Unit cost, special discount: N$450,000


Alternate sizes:
** 125mm, 25kg [under development]
** 160mm, 50kg [under development]
** 200mm, 100kg
** 250mm, 200kg


Notes.
*1. To our best knowledge.
**2. “Light” might be misleading for those unfamiliar with Aerospace Logistics products, especially since MLSS-21 is the heaviest missile with its dimensions, and this 315mm one can easily make a destroyer two.
Put simply, “Light” is applied to simpler equipment, versatile and moderately performing, while “Heavy” only denotes the most powerful and specialized products. The misleading is partialyl intentional.
In a combined attack, MLSS-21 would destroy light ships and take out battleships' CIWS and sensors, leaving VSM-3X to sink the heaviest ships themselves.


P.S. Launch system not included in the package. Add $85,000 per missile if needed.

[V12]

Specifications for different versions:

MLSS-21-160

Main dimensions:
** Mass: 50kg max.
** Diameter: 160mm max.
** Length: 2000mm max.

Launch system, individual fiberglass tube:
** Dimensions: 200x2120mm max.
** Booster charge: 4kg min.
** Loaded mass, launcher: 63kg max.
** Control system mass: 7kg max.

Launch system, vehicle-mounted, 4 cells:
** Dimensions: 400x400x2120mm max.
** Empty mass, steel: 125kg max.
** Empty mass, aluminium: 100kg max.
** Empty mass, fiberglass: 80kg max.
** Loaded mass: 325, 300, 280kg

Performance:
** Nominal speed: 300m/s class
** Maximum terminal speed: 910m/s (Mach 2.8)
** Nominal range: 220km class
** Active airframe mass: 25kg min.
** Explosive energy: 100MJ min.
** TNT equivalent: 20-25 kg

Armor perforation:
** Mechanical, hit at engine burnout: 215mm of RHA
** Mechanical, staggered detonation: 310mm of RHA
** Shaped charge effect: Sufficient against any MBT

Unit cost:
Call your dealer.



MLSS-21-200

Main dimensions:
** Mass: 100kg max.
** Diameter: 200mm max.
** Length: 2500mm max.

Launch system, individual fiberglass tube:
** Dimensions: 250x2650mm max.
** Booster charge: 10kg min.
** Loaded mass, launcher: 125kg max.
** Control system mass: 8kg max.

Launch system, vehicle-mounted, 4 cells:
** Dimensions: 500x500x2650mm max.
** Empty mass, steel: 224kg max.
** Empty mass, aluminium: 180kg max.
** Empty mass, fiberglass: 140kg max.
** Loaded mass: 624, 580, 540 kg

Performance:
** Nominal speed: 300m/s class
** Maximum terminal speed: 920m/s (Mach 2.8)
** Nominal range: 250km class
** Active airframe mass: 50kg min.
** Explosive energy: 200MJ min.
** TNT equivalent: 40-50 kg

Armor perforation:
** Mechanical, hit at engine burnout: 300mm of RHA
** Mechanical, staggered detonation: 400mm of RHA
** Shaped charge effect: Sufficient for any anti-tank use

Unit cost:
Call your dealer.





MLSS-21-250

Main dimensions:
** Mass: 200kg max.
** Diameter: 250mm max.
** Length: 3150mm max.

Launch system, mudkip-mounted, 4 cells:
** Dimensions: 800x800x3550mm max.
** Empty mass: 320kg max.
** Launch time, first missile: 0.8 second max.
** Launch time, fastest total: 8.0 seconds max.

Launch system, vehicle-mounted, 4 cells:
** Dimensions: 630x630x3350mm max.
** Empty mass, steel: 400kg max.
** Empty mass, aluminium: 320kg max.
** Empty mass, fiberglass: 250kg max.
** Loaded mass: 1200, 1120, 1050 kg

Performance:
** Nominal speed: 300m/s class
** Maximum terminal speed: 930m/s (Mach 2.9)
** Nominal range: 280km class
** Active airframe mass: 100kg min.
** Explosive energy: 400MJ min.
** TNT equivalent: 75-100 kg

Armor perforation:
** Mechanical, hit at engine burnout: 420mm of RHA
** Mechanical, staggered detonation: 540mm of RHA
** Shaped charge effect: Sufficient for any tank or ship armor perforation

Unit cost:
Call your dealer.


MLSS-21-315



All models:
* Unit cost for allies, partners, or with special conditions: Down to $0, depending on the situation*


*IC: Well, if you're our ally in a war, we'll even add free brandy!
(By request, tea and candy.)

Really, with wartime-ramped production and certain simplifications, these costs can drop greatly, unlike with something like Harpoon. Except for the few key chips in the head, there's nothing here that can't be built on normal factories and assembled in workshops, assuming enough hands and time. No high-tech turbines, fuel pumps, precision mechanics, complex electronic circuits, elaborate airframes, making up most missiles. Rephrasing, we needed a missile that can be built by workers in a foundry, not technicians and robots in clean rooms.


Additional versions.

1. Exercise version:
SLX-5.4 replaced with inert high-strength concrete. Industrial grade electronics, reduced quality control, iron ball RAM only, low-cost mechanics, compartmentalized rubber bladder instead of reinforced foam tank. Cost is 1/3 of full version. Reproduces actual missile performance, but with reduced reliability.

[ 1.1. This is also basically the hasted warfare production version, replace concrete back with explosive. But this fact is, of course, not disclosed, because the greed might take the better of you and you'll decide it will suffice. Because it will - but the missile is cheap already, so there's no point in wasting expensive space aboard launch platforms ($10 million per missile) to save 50% of ammunition cost. ]

2. Training version:
One-layer steel reinforced concrete airframe, non-airbreathing engine without thrust vectoring, steel wings, GPS and beacon guidance only. 1/8 full version cost. Used in training only.

3. Short-range versions: read below




You might notice I've changed armor penetration to armor perforation. The issue is that non-hypervelocity but heavy projectiles don't penetrate well (dig into a solid brick), but they do perforate well (pierce through a plate). Since the task is to perforate, I've specified the perforation value. Well, technically, perforation alone accepts the case of missile getting partially stuck in the armor, but it's gonna be even more fun inside if it explodes that way (basically a free fragmentation shell). Of course, usually penetration and perforation are mixed up in daily usage, and, as for modern fast penetrators the figures differ maybe a few millimeters, that's not an issue. They're radically different, though, if you try to calculate sledgehammer's penetration into glass (answer: ~1mm).
So suddenly my head scratching "WTF doesn't it want to penetrate even being faster than AP shell?" came to end; it's an armor-piercing missile. Against life-sized ships, of course. But note that staggered detonation loses 1/3 of explosive for extra perforation, so unarmored ships still get it well worse.

For shaped charge explosion, there are two reason why I don't specify specific penetration figures. The first reason is that asking on Tanknet yielded no formula, but I've learned these events are well modeled by fluid dynamics, so I'll have to get an ANSYS model of the penetration process; will also help in tank armor design. The second reason is that all tanks are wanks I have no interest in the "who claims more ridiculous RHAe protection or penetration figure" competition (you know it is when the same armor in NS is rated twice more than IRL), but what's sure is that you won't get out of a MBT hit by 25-kg shaped charge from good angle, hank or wank.


Also, the larger version I've mentioned before:

MLSS-21-400

Main dimensions:
** Mass: 800kg max.
** Diameter: 400mm max.
** Length: 5000mm max.

Launch system, mudkip-mounted, 4 cells:
** Dimensions: 1120x1120x5300mm max.
** Empty mass: 1000kg max.
** Launch time, first missile: 1.0 second max.
** Launch time, fastest total: 30 seconds max.

Launch system, vehicle-mounted, 4 cells:
** Dimensions: 1000x1000x5300mm max.
** Empty mass, steel: 1600kg max.
** Empty mass, aluminium: 1250kg max.
** Empty mass, fiberglass: 1000kg max.
** Loaded mass: 4800, 4450, 4200 kg

Performance:
** Nominal speed: 300m/s class
** Maximum terminal speed: 1050m/s (Mach 3.0)
** Nominal range: 350km class
** Active airframe mass: 400kg min.
** Explosive energy: 1600MJ min.
** TNT equivalent: 300-400 kg

Armor perforation:
** Mechanical, hit at engine burnout: 710mm of RHA
** Mechanical, staggered detonation: 950mm of RHA
** Shaped charge variant: Sufficient for any tank or ship armor perforation

Unit cost:
Call your dealer.




Besides, all missiles have "K" versions. These stand for Kurz (short), because "S" is reserved for an another variant.
K versions are two steps shorter in the ISO 3 R10 series. These series, constantly used in this missile, are 1.0, 1.25, 1.6, 2.0, 2.5, 3.15, 4.0, 5.0, 6.3, 8.0, all *10^n, and make scaling extremely convenient.
K versions are shortened in the central section and warhead, replacing a half of it with explosive. The engine is shortened. As a result, they have, approximately:
* 63% length
* 71% weight
* 80% explosive load
* 40% range
* 80% penetration capability
* Half guidance system weight
* 63% cost
Cost drop is possible because guidance system is the most expensive part).




There's also one extra-short-range version, designed for talking as a tank to a tank. Made ultra-compact for that. It flies at considerably higher speed, but has less than 20% range of normal one. Lots of explosive instead, as you can guess. Since the explosive is dense like concrete, the missile is even heavier than its full-sized counterpart. Well, and because it has a solid rocket booster included.
Please don't compare it to ATGM. It's not an upscaled ATGM with its dumb solid fuel motor, but a downscaled AShM, and, with all its simplicity among "mature" missiles, it's still more complex and expensive than ATGM. Since tank APS are much weaker than ship CIWS, the explosive has been made not as insensitive, but better exploding, especially if heated enough with high-speed flight.

Due to the heat coming from the booster, the VLS have to be made of steel or titanium to be reusable. Fiberglass tubes are "self-discarded": they will burn out during the launch.



MLSS-21-160KTT (tandem explosive plus shaped charge)
MLSS-21-160KTK (kinetic penetration)

The KTT version first separates the guidance head with a small explosive charge, to distract APS and defeat ERA, then delivers the shaped charge and engine part.

Main dimensions:
** Mass: 56kg max.
** Diameter: 160mm max.
** Length: 1400mm max.

Launch system, vehicle-mounted, 4 cell VLS:
** Dimensions: 355x355x1500mm max.
** Empty mass, steel: 100kg max.
** Empty mass, titanium: 75kg max.
** Loaded mass: 325 or 300kg
Horizontal tube, 1 missile:
** Dimensions: 200x200x1400mm max.
** Empty mass, fiberglass: 24kg
** Empty mass, steel: 44kg
** No vertical use

Performance:
** Nominal speed: 1000m/s class
** Terminal speed: 1100m/s
** Staggered detonation: 1400m/s (Mach 3.8)
** Nominal range: 40km class
** Active airframe mass, KTK: 30kg
** Active mass and liner, KT: 32kg
** Explosive energy: 150MJ
** TNT equivalent: 32-40 kg

Armor perforation:
** Counter-ERA EFP included in the warhead
** Mechanical, staggered detonation, KTK: 700mm of RHA
** Shaped charge: Sufficient against any MBT

Unit cost:
Call your dealer.





Compatibility:
315mm version is fully compatible with Mk.41 Tactical or Strike VLS.
400mm variant compatible with Mk.41 Strike VLS.
250mm quad-stackable in Mk.41.
Full electromagnetic launch compatibility - can keep VLS very light, eliminates heat and smoke during surface launch.
Air-launch ready.
Capable of bomber launch by dropping from the bomb bay - high strength allows to avoid the associated problems. The bomber should be equipped with twisted wire connection to the missiles for data transfer prior to launch.

[V12]

[table][tr][td]Model[/td][td]

Primary.Application

[/td][td]Diameter[/td][td]Length[/td][td]Launch mass[/td][td]Range[/td][td]Armor Penetration[/td][td]Price (regular)[/td][td]Price (allies)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-125KSM[/td][td]Precision submunition[/td][td]125 mm[/td][td]800 mm[/td][td]15 kg[/td][td]12 km[/td][td]110 mm[/td][td]$55,000[/td][td]$50,000[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-125[/td][td]Long-range precision strike[/td][td]125 mm[/td][td]1,600 mm[/td][td]28 kg[/td][td]200 km[/td][td]170 mm[/td][td]$80,000[/td][td]$70,000[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-125ATS[/td][td]Anti-tank shaped charge[/td][td]125 mm[/td][td]1,100 mm[/td][td]30 kg[/td][td]30 km[/td][td]1100 mm[/td][td]$100,000[/td][td]$90,000[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-160ATK[/td][td]Anti-tank kinetic[/td][td]160 mm[/td][td]1,400 mm[/td][td]56 kg[/td][td]40 km[/td][td]700 mm[/td][td]$160,000[/td][td]$140,000[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-160ATS[/td][td]Anti-tank tandem shaped charge[/td][td]160 mm[/td][td]1,400 mm[/td][td]58 kg[/td][td]40 km[/td][td]1700 mm[/td][td]$180,000[/td][td]$160,000[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-160[/td][td]CIWS suppression[/td][td]160 mm[/td][td]2,000 mm[/td][td]50 kg[/td][td]220 km[/td][td]215 mm[/td][td]$125,000[/td][td]$110,000[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-200[/td][td]Light anti-ship[/td][td]200 mm[/td][td]2,500 mm[/td][td]95 kg[/td][td]250 km[/td][td]400 mm[/td][td]$280,000[/td][td]$250,000[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-250[/td][td]Light anti-ship[/td][td]250 mm[/td][td]3,150 mm[/td][td]198 kg[/td][td]280 km[/td][td]540 mm[/td][td]$500,000[/td][td]$450,000[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-315[/td][td]Medium anti-ship[/td][td]315 mm[/td][td]4,000 mm[/td][td]400 kg[/td][td]300 km[/td][td]700 mm[/td][td]$900,000[/td][td]$800,000[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-400L[/td][td]Land attack[/td][td]400 mm[/td][td]5,000 mm[/td][td]820 kg[/td][td]350 km[/td][td]N/A[/td][td]$1,100,000[/td][td]$1,000,000[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-400[/td][td]Medium anti-ship[/td][td]400 mm[/td][td]5,000 mm[/td][td]820 kg[/td][td]350 km[/td][td]950 mm[/td][td]$1,600,000[/td][td]$1,400,000[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-500[/td][td]Medium anti-ship[/td][td]500 mm[/td][td]6,300 mm[/td][td]1,700 kg[/td][td]400 km[/td][td]1200 mm[/td][td]$2,800,000[/td][td]$2,500,000[/td][/tr][/table]

The H-series units below are outside the standard range, and incorporate additional improvements in propulsion, guidance and penetration systems. They do not match the exact schematic detail. All are sea-launched, for anti-ship use. Land attack versions offered on request. Missiles can be built to a larger size, or
[table][tr][td]Model[/td][td]

Primary.Application

[/td][td]Diameter[/td][td]Length[/td][td]Launch mass[/td][td]Range[/td][td]Armor Penetration[/td][td]Price (regular)[/td][td]Price (allies)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-630H[/td][td]Heavy anti-ship[/td][td]630 mm[/td][td]8,000 mm[/td][td]3,500 kg[/td][td]550 km[/td][td]1400 mm[/td][td]$5,500,000[/td][td]$5,000,000[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-800H[/td][td]Heavy anti-ship[/td][td]800 mm[/td][td]10,000 mm[/td][td]7,200 kg[/td][td]700 km[/td][td]1700 mm[/td][td]$9,000,000[/td][td]$7,000,000[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]MLSS-21-800HTS[/td][td]Anti-battleship tandem charge[/td][td]500 mm[/td][td]10,000 mm[/td][td]9,000 kg[/td][td]700 km[/td][td]2700 mm[/td][td]$11,000,000[/td][td]$10,000,000[/td][/tr][/table]

Nations purchasing more than 100,000 units, or more than 20,000 H-series units, are offered a bulk purchase discount, receiving equipment for the same price as allies. For allies purchasing in bulk, a further discount will be decided on individually.

Domestic production rights and necessary technology may be purchased for:
- Any single model: N$100 billion each
- All existing models, except H-series: N$300 billion
- Full package, including H-series, all future models, and design of custom models with any size and purpose, immediately or whenever requested: N$450 billion
- Reselling rights: Discussed individually.
Nations requesting production rights may be subject to additional internal and external policy inquiries.

Customers that do not need unlimited domestic production rights, but do not wish to be limited by the quantity ordered, may sign a contract for unlimited supply. Under such contract, no less than 100,000 units (combined) should be purchased immediately, and for all future needs, our sales department will be working with individual divisions of your armed forces. Equipment will be shipped as they require and billed automatically, without a need for negotiating additional purchases. Ultimate quantity is not limited, and the model selection is not restricted to those purchased initially.