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Question: The heat of fusion drives for defense (lemmy.blahaj.zone)

submitted 1 week ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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If fusion drives are described as being hot enough to melt space ports if you point them the right way, why don't ships use them for self defense? Point them at a missile and melt/vaporize it before it can detonate? Melt PDC fire etc?

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Probably would be a very complex series of maneuvers with less chance of success compared to more traditional evasive maneuvers / defense.

Pretty much all PDCs shown have a lot of freedom of movement, and there are typically multiple cannons on a ship; those can all fire and aim independently. To try to melt those in the drive plume would be nearly impossible.

Don't missiles also typically target the drives? Either to disable them or to blow up the reactor (depending on plot needs)? Those get really close to the plume and seem to be fine.

The only instance I can recall where the fusion drive was used offensively/defensively was when they lured the ptotomolocule hybrid out of the Roci with the nuclear warhead and burned it up in the drive plume. That was also a static target.