10 replies to this topic

[CommieGIR]

Lets talk technology!

I work on aircraft avionics: Radars, Radios (Communications or Navigation) and other systems.

What does this have to do in MWO? Lets discuss radar and radio technologies we see in the game and their real life equivalents.

Discuss! Questions? Throw them this way!

[Feralsquirrel]

As nobody else has said anything, how about you compare what you know to relevant technology within the game? Either referring to Battletech references or otherwise.

Edit: Actually, rather than being so broad, let's narrow that down.

Is there a -particular- technology you'd like to compare?

Edited by Feralsquirrel, 20 July 2012 - 06:41 PM.

[Machalel]

I'd like to know how Battletech radar can detect mechs on the other side of hills and buildings...
o_O

Edited by Machalel, 20 July 2012 - 06:45 PM.

[CommieGIR]

You can see in game:

IFF: The simple radio system that allows us to identify friend or foe on radar, you can see this on modern aircraft and in game
Search and Scan radar: Of course you can see this in the game.
C3: Simple command and control systems, the USAF uses these to help coordinate in air refueling, transportation, and combat sorties. In Battletech, you of course have C3, allowing you to pass information from a command mech (Cyclops for instance) to other mechs.
TAG: Targeting laser designator, which of course you can see in real life and game as both TAG and the Artemis IV missile guidance system.

Machalel, on 20 July 2012 - 06:45 PM, said:

I'd like to know how Battletech radar can detect mechs on the other side of hills and buildings...
o_O

Simple, think about it: Mechs are powered by massive fusion generators, a fusion generator generates both radioactivity and massive EMF spikes. All you have to do is calibrate a simple detection system to pick up large EMF spikes (think "Enemy powerup detected") and track said spikes. Smaller ECM mechs like the Raven mask their EMF through the use of smaller engines and Electronic Countermeasures to make the engine blend in with background EMF.

Edited by CommieGIR, 20 July 2012 - 06:47 PM.

[Brenden]

We should have a device that allows us to tap into the enemy comm for thirty seconds, but doing so we have to be within 400 meters of them, or the singal will become weaker.

[CommieGIR]

Brenden, on 20 July 2012 - 06:47 PM, said:

We should have a device that allows us to tap into the enemy comm for thirty seconds, but doing so we have to be within 400 meters of them, or the singal will become weaker.

It would be a neat device, but then you don't take into account (in the game at least) clans using Teamspeak or Mumble.

Also, in the world of the game, you'd have to think: Different units may use different encryption systems or use something like HAVE QUICK anti-jamming where the radio channel bounces from several pre-assigned channels at certain specified times to prevent interception or jamming.

[Donovan Jenks]

What about the Beagle Active Probe? How is that able to detect mechs that are shut down thus lacking radion or EMF signature?

[Ranger207]

Machalel, on 20 July 2012 - 06:45 PM, said:

I'd like to know how Battletech radar can detect mechs on the other side of hills and buildings...
o_O

MagScan sensors?

[Feralsquirrel]

Donovan Jenks, on 20 July 2012 - 06:58 PM, said:

What about the Beagle Active Probe? How is that able to detect mechs that are shut down thus lacking radion or EMF signature?

I suppose in theory, at least, it would be a more complex, sensitive system designed to pick up residual EMF/Radiation signatures, thereby pointing to said Mech locations.

[CommieGIR]

Donovan Jenks, on 20 July 2012 - 06:58 PM, said:

What about the Beagle Active Probe? How is that able to detect mechs that are shut down thus lacking radion or EMF signature?

Just guess: Something like a mech is going to appear as a big chunk of metal compared to its surroundings, all you have to do is setup a system that can detect fluctuations in magnetic impulses, after all large buildings even with a metal structure will not be as dense as a armored metal machine.

EDIT: Beaten by Ranger, it makes perfect sense that way.

Edited by CommieGIR, 20 July 2012 - 07:01 PM.

[Nebfer]

I'm assuming we can use a more in B-tech description of the gear?

The source is from Era Report 2750

NARC missile beacon
These use a broad spectrum homing beacon that lights up much of the EM spectrum, allowing missiles equipped to look for these emissions to home in more easily. An optical Strobe was discarded from the majority of mass production types.

Streaks
Use a multi-lens compound eye sensor (I'm assuming of different sensor types) combined with a Microwave targeting laser and a lock system that only fires the system has at lest a 90% positive return, with the missiles in flight getting constant updates to the target.

AMS
The AMS uses a similer system as the Streak dose. At lest the Starleague era ones do.

Beagle Active Probe
in response for the needs of a system that could cut through the back ground electronic warfare of the day the BAP Is a add on package that upgrades the units computing systems as well as augmenting the units on-Bord sensors
It's basically a 1.5 ton package that includes a powerful computing core with extra Radar elements, Optical, IR and seismic sensors.

As a unit scans an object the data is cross referenced by the BAP which then uses it's own sensors to compare the data, removing clutter and interference from electronic warfare and local terrain, flagged objects are subjected to more thorough sensor scans to identify what it is. This proses is done every millisecond. This requires massive computing power and in turn cooling (not to mention combat hardening).

Note a Battlmechs sensors typically are comprised of
Thermal imaging, light amplification, radar, laser tracking, uv tracking, and magnetic anomaly sensors, often supplemented by seismic, motion detectors, chemical analyzers, microwave tracking, and so on.

CASE
It seems the systems we use today for this are not viable with B-tech tech, partly due to the armor and the need for better sealing systems (one thing to note battlemechs are rated for space and under water combat), so instead of blow away panels they used "bomb bags" to contain the force of the blast. This system used armor that is related to regular armor (though likely more closer to Ferro-Fibrous)

Guardian ECM Suit
Basically a system of sensors that detected incoming EM signatures, cataloged them and adapted it self to counter them, and then sent a powerful EM "pulse" to the offending system, which either confused or misdirected the system or caused it to reboot. The same sources mentioned that some Periphery units facing Star league units said it was like fighting sensor ghosts, the GECM is a response to the BAP...

TAG
Is three systems in one
It is in response for the need for a smart targeting laser to get around the countermeasures in use at the time...
It seems by the time Mankind expanded into space they had devised a fiber optic countermeasure to TAG lasers then in use, this system it would detect the laser "dot" and then send out multiple identical "laser dots" to nearby terrain thus confusing the system.

So the current TAG system was based around a multi frequency laser to paint the target, a second laser to communicate with the weapon it self and a sensor to detect if the target was trying to counter the targeting laser, if so the system would change it's frequency often and randomly to avoid countermeasures all the while telling the weapon in flight what the new frequency is.

Edited by Nebfer, 20 July 2012 - 09:25 PM.