Quality, Quantity, And Surprise! Trade-Offs In X-Raser ASAT Attrition

Michael B. Callaham; Frank M. Scibilia

doi:10.1117/12.942482

28 August 1984 Quality, Quantity, And Surprise! Trade-Offs In X-Raser ASAT Attrition

Michael B. Callaham, Frank M. Scibilia

Proceedings Volume 0474, Electro-Culture 1984; (1984) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.942482
Event: 1984 Technical Symposium East, 1984, Arlington, United States

Abstract

In order to characterize the effects of technological superiority, numerical superiority, and pre-emption on space battle outcomes, we have constructed a battle simulation in which "Red" and "Blue" ASATs, each armed with a specified number of x-ray lasers of specified range, move along specified orbits and fire on one another according to a pair of battle management algorithms. The simulated battle proceeds until apparent steady-state force levels are reached. Battle outcomes are characterized by terminal force ratio and by terminal force-exchange ratio as effective weapon range, multiplicity (x-rasers per ASAT), and pre-emptive role are varied parametrically. A major conclusion is that pre-emptive advantage increases with increasing x-raser range and multiplicity (x-rasers per ASAT) and with increasing force size. That is, the "use 'em or lose 'em" dilemma will become more stark as such weapons are refined and proliferated.

Citation Download Citation

Michael B. Callaham and Frank M. Scibilia "Quality, Quantity, And Surprise! Trade-Offs In X-Raser ASAT Attrition", Proc. SPIE 0474, Electro-Culture 1984, (28 August 1984); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.942482

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