Blackhawk missiles emerging from the box launcher on an orbital defense platform
The Blackhawk Missile is a heavy guided missile used by Earth Fleet fighters and defense platforms against enemy starfighters and starships. Equipped with a booster rocket and a sustainer ion engine, it first accellerates to attack speed, coasts most of the way to target on a ballistic trajectory, and then uses the sustainer engine for final approach to target and high-gee terminal maneuvers. This combination gives it an exceptional effecive range, although unless the launching platform is already headed towards the target with a high closing velocity, this missile will still be slower and easier for point defense to take out than a true Lance Torpedo. The Rota-class destroyers also were fitted with several launch tubes for Blackhawk Missiles modified for use from a coilgun launch tube, giving them an extra initial impetus for a slightly higher terminal velocity, but this system was not judged to be particularly effective in combat and it was not repeated on any other class. The Blackhawk Missile is built in Phoenix by the Blackbird Yards subsidiary of Harrington Industries.
Behind the Scenes[]
The name comes from a term Martin used to use for missiles built with black LEGO pieces way back in junior high.