Input Desired on Tech and Strategy for a Sci-Fi Story

[stevenyeadon]

Hi, I am writing a science fiction war story. I would love any helpful input at all regarding the strategy and technology of a war on the lunar surface.

The second space race, a kind of new cold war, is multi-generational, and I follow a family from America that endures through it all until the solar war settles things geo-politically in the late 22nd century. The background is still in development, but this is a war between a fully mature China technologically and militarily with its international allies against the US and its allies in the early 22nd century.

These two spheres of influence collide into conflict several times. However, like the wars between the Ottomans and the Russians over the Black Sea, they last for decades, are limited in scale and objectives, and are not decisive. This is yet another indecisive war over Helium 3 mining on the moon. The Chinese and their allies are trying to gain space superiority in lunar orbit, while keeping competitors from having access to the solar system and a fuel source for compact fusion reactors.


Lunar Military Assets on Both Sides at the Lunar War’s Onset

The International Treaty Organization (ITO), a defensive pact between liberal democratic states that was truly global and supplanted NATO, and the Chinese with their allies each controlled constellations of satellites in lunar orbit, two lunar space stations each, and five lunar ground installations each at the start of the lunar war. This was hideously expensive to accomplish but was deemed sufficient by both sides in case of a war.

The Chinese determined the final number of space stations and ground installations since they were unwilling to budget any more money into protecting their mining assets on the moon and projecting force against the ITO. The ground installations were hundreds of meters under the lunar surface and possessed three armored companies, a squadron of attack reconnaissance dropships, and a squadron of utility dropships each. They also possessed two platoons of special operators each for taking enemy underground installations.

This mixture of forces evolved out of Chinese strategic logic and the tactical technologies that existed at the time. The Chinese estimated such forces could ambush and destroy the ITO lunar presence or at least force them entirely underground. Allowing special operators transported by dropships to take enemy bases. That or use many massive penetrating bombs to destroy a base.

The ITO, fearing a first strike wagered that a deterrent force equal to the Chinese presence was sufficient. Especially one whose ground presence could still strike after the ITO orbital assets were wiped out in a first strike. Fearing the possibility of a first strike, the ITO always stationed a small fleet of outer space warfare ships in a nearby LaGrange point in case of hostilities. The goal being to wipe out Chinese lunar orbital assets and force Chinese forces underground until ITO reinforcements could be sent. Additionally, both sides always had some armored units deployed using stealth technologies and strategic cannons to keep a forward and effective deterrent in place. Just before the first Chinese offensive, a fleet of outer space warfare ships were sent to the opposite LaGrange point to the moon from the ITO fleet for training exercises.

Ultimately the Chinese and their allies and the ITO were anticipating a ballet of Fires, aviation, and space superiority since the lunar surface is small compared to the ranges of both weapons and spacecraft.

 

[stevenyeadon]

Lunar War Ground Vehicles and Dropships Before the Third ITO Counteroffensive


Lunar Strategic Tank - A heavy-armored war machine used despite the expense of getting heavy equipment to the lunar surface. The tank is meant to guard strategic tanks in the event of a shooting war on the moon. There are still three personnel in the hull (Driver, Gunner, Commander) with an automated turret. The tank has a complex suite of sensors that deliver information quickly in an easily digestible form to its operators using augmented reality interfaces.

As for armament the turret is armed with two weapons, an electromagnetic railgun that can fire rounds at 3.5 kilometers per second. This allows the tank to fire into space to hit targets in lunar orbit or up to 2000 km away on the lunar surface thanks to the greatly reduced lunar gravity. This is a strategic tube artillery, that can use a variety of large-caliber precision-guided rounds to include “bunker buster” munitions, anti-personnel cluster munitions, anti-tank cluster munitions, electronic warfare munitions, anti-radiation munitions, high power radio frequency munitions, and anti-space munitions.

The secondary weapon is a coaxial flak cannon like those used on outer space warfare ships. It can fire hundreds of medium-caliber hypervelocity autocannon rounds a minute using electrothermal-chemical technology. These rounds are inert unless exposed to high-energy plasma and possess a variety of warheads to include high power radio frequency rounds, jamming rounds, high-explosive anti-tank rounds, armor-penetrating rounds using depleted uranium, air defense rounds, and a “flak” round. “Flak” rounds are a type of canister shot round that fires a mass of small cluster munitions with a wide spread that can detonate to create a wall of hypervelocity tungsten shrapnel. “Flak” rounds can also detonate their cluster munitions a preprogrammed distance from the tank.

The tank uses a number of hydrogen fuel cells, given the availability of hydrogen in mined lunar soil, that are arranged front to back on the bottom of the tank hull. The fuel cells produce very little thermal energy compared to a more conventional turbine, and they allow for storing excess energy in batteries. Electric energy is used to rotate the drive shaft of the tank for movement. In addition, behind the crew is a compact fusion reactor the size of a turbine engine with a few grams of Helium 3 and Deuterium. The device is capable of providing hours of energy to use the electromagnetic railgun that operates at 50 megajoules per shot. The compact fusion reactors are left off until shooting the electromagnetic railgun. These fusion reactors produce a lot of heat giving away the position to orbiting assets scanning the lunar surface for thermal signatures. This doesn’t matter in battle since the position of a strategic tank is given away when the strategic cannon is used due to orbiting radars.

As for defenses the tank has a low profile. The tank has special paint that both absorbs radar emissions and can change color to act as a camouflage so effective it defeats orbiting optical scanners. All lunar strategic tanks have launchers that can launch flares able to adjust their thermal signature to better confuse precision-Fires. Strategic tanks have chaff launchers, smoke grenade launchers using grenades adapted to vacuum, and decoy launchers that mirror the tank’s emissions in the electromagnetic spectrum. These vehicles have active defenses using both ballistic countermeasures and small rocket-based kinetic interceptors to shoot down incoming Fires, although the number of rounds for either defensive system are limited. The tanks have thermal tiles that can change temperatures to blend the tank in with its frigid surroundings. Although, when using the compact fusion reactor the tank produces far too much waste heat to hide in the infrared spectrum. Strategic tanks do not communicate actively unless needing to or engaged in battle. This is so that their electromagnetic spectrum emissions will not give away their position.


Lunar Air Defense Tank - A heavy-armored war machine used despite the expense of getting heavy equipment to the lunar surface. The air defense tank uses the hull of the lunar strategic tank with a different turret. There are four personnel in the hull (Driver, Gunner, electronic warfare officer, Commander) with an automated turret. The tank has a complex suite of sensors that deliver information quickly in an easily digestible form to its operators using augmented reality interfaces. Two new sensor technologies are, first, an air search radar that is only used in a battle and is turned off otherwise to avoid electromagnetic spectrum emissions giving away the location of the tank. Second, an electronic warfare suite and signals equipment to detect and attack enemy electromagnetic spectrum emissions. Both the radar and electronic warfare suite are handled by the electronic warfare officer.

As for armament the turret is armed with air defense weapons. These include two high-energy lasers in megajoule range able to destroy any incoming Fires if given enough time to las the target. This even includes destroying rounds fired from enemy strategic tanks using strategic cannons. There is also a high power radio frequency emitter able to destroy any ordnance using electronics. These vehicles have active defenses using both ballistic countermeasures and small rocket-based kinetic interceptors to shoot down incoming Fires, although the number of rounds for either defensive system are limited. The air defense tank has multiple launchers for infrared guided missiles called swarmers that easily track and destroy objects generating or that have recently generated any type of thrust. Best used against dropships, they are best fired in volleys at a time due to effective countermeasures possessed by dropships, hence their name. Although they can be used for missile defense once other magazine-based active defenses are expended.

The tank still uses a number of hydrogen fuel cells, given the availability of hydrogen in mined lunar soil, that are arranged front to back on the bottom of the tank hull. The fuel cells produce very little thermal energy compared to a more conventional turbine, and they allow for storing excess energy in batteries. Electric energy is used to rotate the drive shaft of the tank for movement. In addition, behind the crew is a compact fusion reactor the size of a turbine engine with a few grams of Helium 3 and Deuterium. The device is capable of providing hours of energy to use the energy-thirsty air defense equipment the tank possesses. These fusion reactors produce a lot of heat giving away the position to orbiting assets scanning the lunar surface for thermal signatures. This doesn’t matter in battle since the position of a nearby strategic tank is given away when the strategic cannon is used due to orbiting radars.

As for defenses the tank has a low profile. The tank has special paint that both absorbs radar emissions and can change color to act as a camouflage so effective it defeats orbiting optical scanners. All lunar air defense tanks have launchers that can launch flares able to adjust their thermal signature to better confuse precision-Fires. These tanks have chaff launchers, smoke grenade launchers using grenades adapted to vacuum, and decoy launchers that mirror the tank’s emissions in the electromagnetic spectrum. The tanks have thermal tiles that can change temperatures to blend the tank in with its frigid surroundings. Although, when using the compact fusion reactor the tank produces far too much waste heat to hide in the infrared spectrum. Air defense tanks do not communicate actively unless needing to or engaged in battle. This is so that their electromagnetic spectrum emissions will not give away their position.


Lunar Unmanned Multi-purpose Vehicle - These drone armored vehicles are unarmed, unmanned, and are smaller than either strategic tanks or air defense tanks. They can haul 10 tons of logistic supplies, including precious ammunition and fuel for the tanks, while providing the ability to recover damaged or destroyed tanks as a wrecker.

These unmanned multi-purpose vehicles have the same defenses as a strategic tank. These include a low profile, special paint that both absorbs radar emissions and can change color to act as a camouflage so effective it defeats orbiting optical scanners. Launchers that can launch either flares able to adjust their thermal signature to better confuse precision-Fires, chaff, smoke grenades adapted to vacuum, and decoys that mirror the vehicle’s emissions in the electromagnetic spectrum. They have thermal tiles that can change temperatures to blend the tank in with its frigid surroundings. These armored vehicles do not communicate actively unless needing to or engaged in battle. They have artificial intelligence enough to act as a loyal pack animal to the strategic and air defense tanks. This is so that their electromagnetic spectrum emissions will not give away their position.

These vehicles still use a number of hydrogen fuel cells, given the availability of hydrogen in mined lunar soil. The fuel cells produce very little thermal energy compared to a more conventional turbine, and they allow for storing excess energy in batteries. Electric energy is used to rotate the drive shaft of the armored vehicle for movement.

 

[stevenyeadon]

Attack Reconnaissance Lunar Dropship - A dropship able to scout, conduct air raids, serve in an ASAT role, while providing armed escort of utility dropships. These dropships can travel from orbit or a military base to anywhere on the lunar surface multiple times with one refueling. That’s because these nimble spacecraft are able to reach lunar orbit and return to the lunar surface multiple times with one refueling. They possess one compact fusion reactor that creates a partially-contained nuclear fusion reaction to generate thrust by expelling high-speed, high-energy plasma through the use of electromagnetic nozzles. This drive system also generates megawatts of electricity.

Attack Reconnaissance lunar dropships are armed with two high energy lasers operating in the megajoule range. They possess a high power radio frequency emitter able to destroy electronics, an electronic warfare suite with advanced jamming capabilities, an advanced targeting system, an advanced communication system with quantum entanglement transmissions, and an internal weapons bay able to hold 30,000 pounds of bombs and missiles. 30,000 pound bunker-buster bombs have been designed against enemy installations.

These weapons mean that attack reconnaissance lunar dropships can fight space drones, other dropships, destroy satellites, attack surface targets, scout, and defend themselves from various threats to carry out their missions. They are usually deployed in pairs with multiple pairs of dropships used during a military operation.

These dropships are protected by a shape that is low observable to radar, and a smart skin able to change color to evade optical detection. In addition, they possess flares able to adjust their thermal signature to better confuse precision-Fires by mirroring the signature of the dropship. Attack Reconnaissance lunar droships also have chaff as well as decoys that mirror the vehicle’s emissions in the electromagnetic spectrum. However, like all spacecraft with engines, thermal imaging sensors see them with ease. There is no true stealth in space using high-energy exhaust.

The attack reconnaissance lunar dropship has an array of advanced sensors on par with the very best military space probes and satellites. An important sensor resource should the satellite constellations around the moon get destroyed by ASATs. These spacecraft have powerful and advanced radars, but they carefully control their EMS signatures to avoid detection. Satellite constellations in orbit around the moon can usually provide radar detection of enemy threats, but this resource is likely to be destroyed early in a shooting war. Although, outer space warfare ships can travel to lunar orbit, and they come equipped with powerful radars while being a very difficult weapon system to destroy.


Utility Lunar Dropship - A dropship designed to transport troops, ground vehicles, equipment, or weapon payloads from orbit or a military base to anywhere on the lunar surface. They can carry up to 48 exoskeleton-equipped infantry in a specialized module, deploy one lunar tank with a specialized module, transport a heavy cargo module with up to 60 tons of cargo, use a module that drops equipment or troops directly to the surface using 36 lunar-drop pods, or use a module that can carry up to 120,000 pounds of precision-guided bombs or various types of missiles. Modules can be changed within a couple of hours at a ground installation or space station.

Utility lunar dropships, as their name indicates, have broad utility and can conduct a great variety of missions including lunar bombardment operations. They are able to engage space, air, and surface targets using a variety of weapons. Although, they should always have escorts regardless of mission due to concerns about survivability. This is because their thrust to weight ratio is significantly less than an attack reconnaissance dropship. These utility dropships employ an advanced targeting system, an advanced networking system, and have a quantum entanglement transmitter.

Additionally, a lack of protection against air defenses means that dropping from lunar orbit directly onto enemy units using lunar-drop pods is a highly risky tactic. Instead such drops are best used when air defenses are degraded so as to mitigate the threat to the payload. These dropships should also only be used in a space-assault or air-assault role once enemy air defenses are degraded.

Utility lunar dropships possess two compact fusion reactors that create a partially-contained nuclear fusion reaction to generate thrust by expelling high-speed, high-energy plasma through the use of electromagnetic nozzles. This drive system also generates electricity.

Like attack reconnaissance lunar dropships, these utility dropships are protected by a shape that is low observable to radar, and a smart skin able to change color to evade optical detection. They possess flares able to adjust their thermal signature to better confuse precision-Fires by mirroring the signature of the dropship. They have chaff as well as decoys that mirror the vehicle’s emissions in the electromagnetic spectrum. However, like all spacecraft with engines, thermal imaging sensors see them with ease. There is no true stealth in space using high-energy exhaust. Utility lunar dropships are armed with two high energy lasers operating in the megajoule range for defense and offense. They possess a high power radio frequency emitter able to destroy electronics and an electronic warfare suite with advanced jamming capabilities.

 

[Preceptor]

Thread locked. See Forum Rule #19.
-Preceptor