Destroying scouts before they can report the fleet

A scout destroyed before transmitting a position cannot direct strike aircraft toward the fleet. Repeated losses would eventually suggest enemy activity in an area, but headquarters would first have to distinguish those losses from engine failures, radio problems, or other accidents. That delay could give the fleet time to complete operations before its position became clear. The example assumes a Talos interception at roughly 50 nautical miles and around Mach 2. The discussion estimates about two and a half minutes for a flight of roughly 100 kilometres, with the scout receiving little warning before impact. Early-war aircraft lack the warning receivers assumed in modern missile encounters, and contemporary manual weapons and powered tracking mounts are judged unable to counter such a fast target effectively.