Poll: Space Warfare

Do the movies have it right when they have huge motherships spawning short-range fighters as the primary form of space battle? Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and numerous other films and books seem to prefer large ships spawning smaller fighters. Seems incredibly unlikely to me, given the advances of weapons technology. Curious as to other thoughts to amuse me this Friday afternoon. Outlandishness responses are highly encouraged.

Boz

Larger vessels will probably be more prone to boarding vessels and bombers, so having fighters to defend them seems plausible.

Outlandishness responses are highly encouraged.Bozanimal

You will regret this.

Their is very little concievable use for starfighters in space warfare. Much less starfighters piloted by humans. Space warfare is going to be dominated ultimately by the bigger ship. The thing that makes it very difficult to apply flying, one man attack vehicles in space is the fact that... the objects they are attacking are ALSO flying. Weight also isn't a factor in space, (though mass and interia still are) so ships would be free to mount obscene amounts of weapons facing on all angles. As well as having far greater movement options.

http://www.projectrho.com/rocket/rocket3at.html

http://www.projectrho.com/rocket/rocket3x.html#fighters

In combination point defense systems, missiles, and anti-missile systems, the smaller vessel is not the vessel with the advantage in space combat.

In Star Wars' defense, while it depicts the use of starfighters, it very rarely depicts them being used without capital ship support. The attack on the Death Star was one, but that was primarily because the first Death Star lacked any serious light craft defenses. Though it's still retarded both the Impierals and Rebels don't use droid starfighters like the Seperatists.

If you're talking about sci-fi spaceships and laser beams then no.

If you're grounded in reality and talking about missiles located in space and the militarisation of space then it began a long time ago, by unsurprisingly the USA, one of the few nations who don't adhere to a "no militarisation of space ethos". Also China recently developed missile technology which could take a satellite out in orbit with deadly accuracy. A test was done to show the Americans that if the US wants to militarise space then the Chinese have the capability to de-militarise it.

If you're talking about sci-fi spaceships and laser beams then no.

If you're grounded in reality and talking about missiles located in space and the militarisation of space then it began a long time ago, by unsurprisingly the USA, one of the few nations who don't adhere to a "no militarisation of space ethos". Also China recently developed missile technology which could take a satellite out in orbit with deadly accuracy. A test was done to show the Americans that if the US wants to militarise space then the Chinese have the capability to de-militarise it.

Hoobinator

So, to deter the militarizing of space, the Chinese contribute to it?

Very nice.

Not sure. Really dosn't make a difference does it? They're just movies.

Not sure. Really dosn't make a difference does it? They're just movies.

metallica_fan42

all i really need is a deathstar. i fleet of smaller ships is just gravy.LoG-Sacrament

That's no moon..

[QUOTE="Hoobinator"]

If you're talking about sci-fi spaceships and laser beams then no.

If you're grounded in reality and talking about missiles located in space and the militarisation of space then it began a long time ago, by unsurprisingly the USA, one of the few nations who don't adhere to a "no militarisation of space ethos". Also China recently developed missile technology which could take a satellite out in orbit with deadly accuracy. A test was done to show the Americans that if the US wants to militarise space then the Chinese have the capability to de-militarise it.

The_Ish

So, to deter the militarizing of space, the Chinese contribute to it?

Very nice.

Nice. How about we just all agree that all countries are big, hypocritical meanies?