I had to edit this since Jimmy made an awesome post more or less stating the same thing, but better than I was writing.
I would like to elaborate more on some of the things Uso said though.
Is about the same size as a present-day fighter craft?
And also larger in size to the setting's contemporary Gunboat, which is supposed to be one of the bigger units out there. As Jimmy stated, miniaturization etc..
Has about the same DR raiting as a comparable submission (shredder)
Has less but still similar DR output than a comparable submission (Shredder). Far less if you don't use the dumb nukes. The actual laser system has less total DR output than even the V6 fighter.
Your laser package also doubles in its main purpose as an optics sensory package. Which, if I remember correctly, the lenses for a weapons-grade laser and an imaging device are
extremely different. Why not simply make another article for the weapon, and leave the sensors alone?
Also, did you compare the articles?
Shredder
Main heavy aether turret (SDR 3/ADR 15)
Two twin anti-armor plasma turrets (SDR 1/ADR 5)
Six underside launchers for bombs, mines, sensor drones, or excessive amounts of mini-missiles
24 mini-missiles per launcher allow firing up to 144 missiles at once…and it has room for multiple reloads. Each mini-missile = ADR 2.
Can be arranged in a combination (eg 4 mini-missile launchers and two napalm bomb launchers)
Whereas, your submission can mount:
Na-FA4-E3200 DESCO Laser Array SDR: 3, Range: .1au
Large Internal Weapons Bay (x2)
2 N-F2 (SDR:3 for Ramming ADR:4 and 2 for corresponding Mass Drivers)
12 Unguided Nukes (SDR: 2)
Small Internal Weapons Bay (x2)
1 N-F2 (SDR:3 for Ramming ADR:4 and 2 for corresponding Mass Drivers)
12 Unguided Nukes (SDR: 1)
The Shredder mounts only ONE SDR 3 weapon. Your submission can have up to FOUR, with three one-time munitions, TWO to have TWELVE more SDR 2 weapons to add on.
Your submission has a lot more firepower than the Shredder, lets face it. Its SP and Armor is also ridiculous.
Hull: 30 ADR (Translates to: 6 SDR)
Shields: 30 [SP] (Threshold 3)
Versus the Shredder's:
Yamatium Hull: 5 SP (starship scale)
Shields: 5 SP (starship scale)
It appears to me as if your submission far outclasses the Shredder in shielding and armor.
A Heavy Fighter's SP, according to the
Damage Rating Article is 25. Your shields are apparently SP 30, and therefore not a fighter, but something a bit larger. It also violates the maximum shielding it can have for its class, I believe.
Is it Starship Scale SP 5 like the Shredder? Or more? Less? If it is, why isn't it in SSP in the first place? Readers shouldn't have to muddle around trying to convert the numbers. Can you make it clearer?
In summary: It does more potential damage for the Shredder, its armor appears to be in excess of the Shredder, and its Shields appear to be in excess of the Shredder AND in violation of its class rules.
I've also stated my opinions on the Dumbfire Nuke system, as well, and you haven't said or done anything that convinces me a government would produce such an ineffective weapon. Uranium is still expensive, even in the future, so why should they waste their resources on building nukes that probably won't reach their target?
Uranium is a heavy element created when truly MASSIVE stars go supernova. It's rare and expensive, so why would a government spend those resources on this delivery system when it won't even reach the target, in all likelihood?
In space, even as fast as your weapon is going, you're fighting without even seeing each other. That's thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of KM distant. If you're off by the slightest degree, you're munition is going to miss by hundreds (if not thousands) of KM. It's also firing at a
moving target, which can vary between being a bit slower to being much, much faster.
But let's say it's going to hit, unless something changes its course. At long range, its velocity isn't going to change. It's coming in from one direction, and this will allow the enemy's Point Defense computer(s) to see, identify, and eliminate it as soon as it comes into range.
At short range, your fighter is going to be within range of these same PDS systems, and be swatted (probably) before you even fire the munition. If you do: Yes, it'll hit. Wonderful. But it's only one bomb, and you lose a fighter in the process. I would think the fighter is a bit more expensive than the bomb, and so this renders the weapon systems cost-ineffective.
Simply adding a way for the missile to change velocity, or for multiples of smaller nuclear weapons (I like the former, not the latter, but both could work.) to be fired would make the system appeal more to the taxpayers of Nepleslia.