Originally Posted By: GrayGhost

@Hpasp: Because PATRIOT uses link-16, in theory you could use an 'off board source' for MCUs, ie. receive position from datalink, then generate the missile MCU transmission. There may be reasons why you want to do something like this, but given that all the long-ranged PATRIOT missiles are SARH/TVM anyway ... what's the point


Since SARH/TVM FCRs and illuminators are still limited by LOS, I think it would behoove an IADS to fully utilise the range advantage they have against targets that are flying below the radar horizon (assuming a ship-board radar for example, a target flying about 500ft above the deck could probably only be detected and engaged <40nm out using the ship's own sensors). For instance with some airborne radar (be it AWACS or some form of aerostat) you could probably station your SAMs closer to your shore and engage sea-skimming cruise missiles further out with ARH SAMs like 40N6 or ERAM SM-6.