Homing Pod
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The Homing Pod is the default homing signal ammunition type available for the standard and improved Narc Missile Beacons.
Description[edit]
The original standard Homing or Narc Pod is effectively an SRM whose explosive warhead has been replaced with a 20 cm diameter homing beacon, mounted behind a magnetic head, which broadcasts a signal across nearly the entire electromagnetic spectrum except for visible light; originally the pod did include strobe lights powerful enough to mark a target even in broad daylight, but before mass production began this feature was removed because it also served to warn the target they were being tracked. SRMs and LRMs whose guidance systems have been modified can home in on this signal, resulting in improved accuracy.[1] The Narc system is superior to the similar Artemis IV FCS in that the target lock is never broken because the homing beacon is attached to the target, and that other friendly 'Mechs can fire SRMs and LRMs equipped to follow the signal without carrying their own Narc beacons.[2][3]
The original homing pod did have one drawback though, in that its range was half that of LRMs. This required either for a spotter to mark the target or for the mounting unit to get dangerously close to launch the beacon before attempting to fall back. When ComStar developed the iNarc launcher, they created a larger homing beacon which had half again the range of the original and produced a more powerful signal. Because it was larger though, this improved beacon could be removed by enemy units equipped with arms.[4][3]