Ion Engine Baffle Dispersion System
Ion engines propel ions, electrically charged particles, to relativisitc velocities and
release them, thereby creating forward thrust. Ion engines are very reliable, efficient, and
by far the most common way to propel a starship through space at subluminar speeds.
However, this also leaves a trail behind a passing starship of ionized particles. While space
in itself is full of charged particles, the concentration is much denser and more distinct
after an accelerating starship. This trail is one of the easiest ways to detect the presence
of a starship.
So in order to minimize the ion trail, starships who rely on stealth will both utilize
"silent running" tactics, which involves such things as running all systems on minimal power,
including the ion engines, as well as rely on only inertia to propel them towards their
target when applicable. Silent running tactics can be employed by any starship.
Some ships have built-in passive stealth systems, and this often include an engine baffle
system which can reduce the ion trail. While the engines still must release the same amount
of ions, the principle is a system of baffle rings around each engine nozzle that uses use
a electromagnetic field to disperse the ions after discharge, which means the ions released
will disperse much faster than from a normal ion engine. This rapid dispersement means that
the ion trail will become more of a thin ion cloud, making it difficult to pinpoint the ship
only going by the ion trail. Additionally, the ion cloud can be easily confused for a
normally occurring ion cloud, alleviating detection of the starship completely.
When different stealth measures are combined, they keep adding together towards perfection
but never quite reach it. An example would be the common conbination of stealth armour
(85% efficiency rating on average) and an ion engine baffle system (30%). Together they form
(a + (1-a) x b) = 89,5% stealth efficiency). This means that a ship that would normally be
detected at 31 lightseconds (passive sensor range of a DP20), would now in theory remain
undetected at a range of 3.255 lightseconds. Active search will increase the range and local
spacial anomalities such as ion storms or gaseous nebulas will decrease it.
Name/Type: Ion Engine Baffle Dispersion System
Designer/Manufacturer: Many
Designation: Active Stealth System
Efficiency Rating: 30 %