Short-Range Missile
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Description
First introduced in 2365, and mass produced in 2370 by the Terran Hegemony[1], Short Range Missiles are direct-fire missiles that sacrifice range for hitting power. Adapted towards the profusion of electronic jamming on the battlefield and the effectiveness of current armor designs, these self-guided missiles are unique for using a special armor-piercing explosive warhead. The development of a metal composite/high explosive mixture allowed for the warhead to be made entirely of high-explosive material; this same feature was later used to construct the missile's frame as well. The result were warheads which had the same destructive capability as older warheads that were four times as long, allowing for more missiles to be carried and fired. SRMs are less sophisticated than Long Range Missiles and are particularly effective against infantry and combat vehicles. Clan SRM launchers compare favorably to Inner Sphere designs by being more compact and of lighter weight. SRMs are highly upgradable, able to fire a variety of warheads and benefit from devices such as Artemis IV FCS.[2][3]
Prototype SRM missiles (built between 2365 and 2370) have trouble with target acquisition and as a result tend to get less shots on target on a result of a successful hit. Otherwise they function as normal for a SRM. Prototype missiles only carry three quarters of their normal allotment of ammo per ton.[4]
Variants
Short Range Missile technology has been expanded upon since it was first introduced, most notably the Streak SRM guidance system introduced in 2647. Other variants include Advanced SRMs, infantry support SRMs, and battle armor versions.