RE: [HoE] Re: Tech Level

["Pat Phalen" <pphalen@mail.gti.net>]

>   Their goal was very small: in a
> > combat situation, the M-16 has about a 5-10% effectiveness.  They
> > wanted to raise that to 15% and are just starting to come close to
> > that.
>
> 	Not really on topic, but I'm just curious: exactly how
> is the combat
> effectiveness of a weapon determined? Obviously it's ability
> to stop the
> enemy, but what else goes into that; propensity to jam, ammo capacity,
> etc. Not important, just curiousity at an early hour.

I mostly worked on "Smart" Anti-Armour munitions which were of the
"Shoot-to-Kill" variety (Some sort of hot metal slug would be fired at the
vehicle if the sensors (IR, Radar, Radiometers, etc...) detected the
vehicle)  In that case effectiveness is:

E(k) = Reliability P(h)*P(k/h)

E(k) = effectiveness
P(h) = Probability of hit (i.e., how often do we hit the target in this
scenario)
P(k/h) = Probability of kill given a hit (Using statistical analysis to
determine a likely hit location and cross-referencing it with a target
vulnerability map)

Note that there are different types of kills:  Mobility kill (take out
tracks, engine, etc...), Firepower kill (take out turret, cannon, etc.)

As far as what they actual meant about effectiveness for the combat rifle, I
don't remember if they were talking about "defeating" or merely
"Incapacitating"  the enemy.

Patrick