Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I always assumed it worked just like any other missile guidance system. It has a set series of parameters it looks for (heat signature, passive/active radar, etc) The wielder merely needs to point it in the general direction of an enemy and launch. The guidance system, while described as a drone, I think as more of a terrain following feature found on many modern missiles. Missile is uploaded a map of the area and based on GPS and an altimeter it can literally follow the terrain until it reaches its destination. Most modern missiles also have target solution algorithms that help with if they lose their target, based on how the target was moving when it was lost the missile will calculate where that target *should* end up. Multiply all of that by a salvo of missiles such as what is fired by the SMS and you have a VERY high chance of hitting your target. Oh plus we have missiles that can network together and share targeting data to accomplish different things using flight patterns. So they should (IMO) be more accurate than simple gun drones

Given that Markerlights exist, I would say they usually end up being more accurate. Or have a negligible accuracy difference.

 lord_blackfang wrote:
People keep saying the drone AI can't aim because it has a harder job. So why not strap a missile AI to a drone, let the drone AI fly and the missile AI shoot?

I imagine it's because the Tau want a 100% effective IFF system on the smart missiles, which means the reason some fail to hit is because the missile self-destructs if it isn't 100% certain the target is enemy.