One thing we enjoy about Armored Core are the parts, and how closely some they remind us of an existing analog in the real world.
For this post, we’ll be talking about anti-missile defenses – those wondrous little extensions that are oftentimes the only thing standing between you and an abrupt, fiery demise. The fact that they were so KISS-convenient to use was what made them rock – so long as you kept your AC pointed in the direction of your enemy, your little friends did the rest. So convenient in fact, that you’re probably wondering whether such a system is too good to be true.
Enter the U.S. Army’s Raytheon Quick Kill active protection system, a missile defense package that bears a striking resemblance to its AC kin. The Raytheon works by scanning the surrounding area using radar. Once it detects an enemy missile, the system automatically tracks and calculates its trajectory, and launches its own counter-measure missile to intercept.
These missiles use a shaped charge warhead to either prematurely detonate the enemy missile, damage it enough to render it safe, or deflect it off course. The system uses two projectiles: A smaller, faster missile for intercepting RPGs and other light anti-tank weapons, and a heavier missile meant for taking out bigger threats, such as vehicle-launched missiles.
It sounds good enough on paper, but it looks even better when viewed for real:
Now, try comparing it to how your typical EEX-AM45 AMS from AC2 works:
The irony is that the Raytheon one-ups the AC version with its ability to cover the vehicle in a 360-degree umbrella. That’s right – you didn’t have to be facing the threat for the system to work.
Granted the Raytheon only carries 16 missiles, but keep in mind we’re talking about a full missile defense net intended to be mounted on a light vehicle, like the Stryker. So while having your own bipedal machine of death isn’t quite in the horizon yet, you can be rest assured that it won’t be instantly vaporized when some joker sends a Titan your way.