LA-117 Macero Theatre Ballistic Missile


STATS:

Length: 5 m
Diameter: 610 mm
Weight: 1,633 kg
Guidance: GPS/INS, Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CdZnTe) EO/IIR, 94 GHz MMW, modular BMS interface
Range: 300 km
Speed: 1.8 km/s
Operational Ceiling: 45,720 m
Ideal Target: Air and Missile Defense Weapons, Surface to Surface Missile Sites, Fixed- and Rotary-Wing Aircraft at Airfields, Command Posts and Communications nodes, Troops in Concentration Areas, Critical Civilian Infrastructure Facilities
Launch method: TEL box launch
Propulsion: Single-stage, Solid Fuel, "Low Smoke" Ammonium Perchlorate Composite Propellant Rocket
Warhead: 400 kg PBXN-103 HE, or W80 (5-150 kT) "dial a yield" Thermonuclear warhead
CEP: 10 m

UNIT PRICE: 820,000 standard dollars

DPR PRICE: 8,200,000,000 standard dollars

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WRITE-UP:

The LA-117 Macero was designed to go after high value targets, as well as other targets that pose a threat to friendly forces; destroying them with either a 400 kg high explosive warhead, or with a 5-150 kT Thermonuclear warhead. This is also expected to ease the workload of multi-role or fighter-bomber aircraft, allowing them more time to concentrate on the Air to Air role, while still leaving the commander the flexibility to call in air strikes, if they are needed.

For control, the missile has four flip-out wingtips at its rear which have a wingspan when flipped out and locked into position of 3 meters. These wingtips come in addition to thrust-vectoring, allowing the Macero great mobility at high speeds. The high speed and maneuverability of the missile allow it to have a shoot down percentage of only 25-50%, while cruise missiles can have a shoot down percentage as high as 95%.

The Macero is powered by a single-stage solid fueled Ammonium Perchlorate Composite Propellant Rocket. The fuel contains 78% Ammonium Perchlorate, 20% Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene, and 2% Aluminum. This is a "low-smoke" mixture, making it harder for the enemy to trace the firing location of the missile via the smoke trail, and does not degrade rocket motor performance. This solid fuel rocket allows the Macero to reach speeds of 1.8 kilometers per second.

Another popular feature of the Macero is the modular construction of the missile. The LA-117 follows a relatively simple three element design, comprising the warhead and the Cadmium Zinc Telluride EO/IIR guidance unit in the fore section, propulsion unit, which includes the solid fuel rocket motor with the thrust-vectoring nozzle. The nozzle is encircled by the navigation, flight control and guidance unit, which includes the integrated avionic guidance and flight control section, tail control surfaces, actuators, related antennas and connectors. This simple and modular design contributes to very reliable operation and simple logistics, since all necessary activities can be handled by the avionic unit.

CdZnTe EO/IIR homing is used in the terminal phase of the missile's flight, in conjunction with 94 GHz MMW. This dual mode seeker makes it harder for enemy ECM to degrade the performance of the missile, helping to ensure that the target is hit. CdZnTe is a direct bandgap semiconductor, consisting of a compound of Cadmium, Zinc, and Tellurium. It can be used in Electro-Optic Modulators, and the band gap varies from approximately 1.4 to 2.2 eV, depending on composition. CdZnTe was used on the Nag ATGM, and the technology has since been used on both the LA-419 Arcus, and (now) the LA-117 Macero.

The missile uses Indium Gallium Arsenide in it's circuitry, which provides protection against EMP, while making the missile more expensive. It had been decided that the protection from EMP was worth the monetary cost increase imposed by it's use.

A GPS/INS unit is also used in the Macero, allowing the missile to tell where it is in relation to the target. The target's location is programmed into the GPS/INS unit before missile launch, and the GPS/INS system also allows the missile to be fired from unprepared positions within ten minutes. Beyond improving the accuracy of the missile, the unit can act as a guidance system of it's own. The missile also has a modular slot, allowing the insertion of elements of the purchasing nation's BMS architecture. All of these guidance methods working together allow the Macero to achieve a CEP as low as ten meters.

The Macero can be fired from both stationary positions, as well as from a modified M985 HEMTT truck that can hold four ready-to-fire missiles. The modified launch vehicle has a crew of three. The missiles come in hermetically sealed launch canisters, removing the need for continuous maintenance as long as the canisters are stored sensibly. These launch canisters can hold the Macero for seven years before major maintenance becomes an issue.

Special permission must be obtained from LAIX Arms before the nuclear armed version of the LA-117 Macero can be obtained. It should be stated that only those states in a position of trust with the Free Republic of Lamoni will be granted the rights to purchase the nuclear armed variant.