[Q] Comm and weapon question.

[kritter]

What is the coloration to weapons to comms?
Does each missile take a comm to operate or one comm many missiles? if so how many missile per comm?
Can I use other comms with more channels in the same group or is the weapon tied to the exact comm?
I could not find any detailed explanation anywhere, so any insight would be appreciated.

[Dimitris]

That's a very broad question. Some weapons don't have (and don't need) a comm device at all. For others, a comm connection is mandatory and bad things start to happen if they lose it.

[kritter]

Yes I know a lot of weapons don't need comms.
But the ones that do:
Does each missile take one comm to operate or one comm many missiles? if so how many missile per comm?
Can I use other comms with more channels in the same group or is the weapon tied to the exact comm?

[Dimitris]

Does each missile take one comm to operate or one comm many missiles?

Each weapon that needs a connection takes up one channel.

if so how many missile per comm?

A comm device has a channel number which limits how many weapon entities it can service concurrently. You can observe this most clearly with sonobuoys.

Can I use other comms with more channels in the same group or is the weapon tied to the exact comm?

I don't understand this question.

[kritter]

Each comm has a type and there are multiple comms in that type.

for instance:
UGM-109J Tomahawk Blk Vb JMEWS uses the Tomahawk Missile Datalink which has 1 channel.
However there is also the Tomahawk Command Datalink which has 160 channels in the same type.
If I have Tomahawk Command Datalink in my comms will it use those channels as well or is the weapon tied to the Tomahawk Missile Datalink only.

There is something strange because if I have only one comm I can launch more than one missile but there is a limit.
If I add more comms I can launch more missiles so it doesn't behave like one to one which is why I am confused about the numbers.

[Dimitris]

UGM-109J Tomahawk Blk Vb JMEWS uses the Tomahawk Missile Datalink which has 1 channel.
However there is also the Tomahawk Command Datalink which has 160 channels in the same type.
If I have Tomahawk Command Datalink in my comms will it use those channels as well or is the weapon tied to the Tomahawk Missile Datalink only.

In that case the 160-channel comm device is for the guidance provider (either the launching platform or a third-party platform). So that platform has the ability to connect to up to 160 missiles concurrently and provide mid-course guidance to them.

[kritter]

So the missile datalink and the command datalink serve the same purpose?
What is the difference? Is this true for similar weapons?

[Dimitris]

Command datalink: The comm device usually fitted to the guidance provider (typically the launching unit but may also be someone else). Usually has numerous channels, to guide multiple weapons simultaneously.

Missile datalink: The comm device usually fitted to the weapon. Typically single channel. Has to be compatible with the command datalink (same protocol) in order to connect properly.

[kritter]

So if I understand the answer correctly the command datalink needs to be on ship for instance so it can handle more missiles fired.
The missile already has a comm for the datalink.

[thewood1]

The missile needs to have a datalink and the ship needs to have a datalink. There are hundreds of datalinks. I'm not sure how many more ways it can be explained.

[kritter]

Does the ship need the missile datalink or just the command datalink, the missile has the missile datalink and if I understand what you have said the ship just needs the command datalink to talk to the missile.