Sensors would give us production models of the prototype extension net and shallow penetration suite, but it would also give us prototypes of distributed/extended arrays and signal processing systems. Extended arrays increase the range they can detect objects with minimal detail by one step.
It also gives us access to prototype signal processing systems, which provide a +2 to all sensor related checks at the expense of doubling the DMs other ships have for jamming a ship equipped with them.
I was hesitant re. SPS, since it makes us more vulnerable to jamming and I suspect the enemy is very good at it since they're a higher TL.
Perhaps we could instead do Sensors & Command? It'd mean our ships are still stuck with prototype LMDCs, and we are using dispersed PD weapons instead of PD bays, but neither is particularly critical in the short term. Getting access to prototype plasma guns would be okay, but I think LMDCs are better, if I understand correctly; we're not going to use prototype particle bays; and meson guns would be VERY forbidden. There's not a lot of stuff at TL11 for weapons, so if we can accept using prototypes, I think it's fine.
Hell, I managed to cram all the sensor gimmicks onto a 17 ton hull with a M-6 drive once I omitted everything we need for crew or survivability. If we want to sensor-max, we'd throw those out and get them to transmit data to our flagship; while each one has a low chance of observing something, putting the entire system under constant surveillance means we'll pick up the random transients that let us piece together a better sensor picture.
End of the day, I could go either way but getting the capability to turn our carriers into pure drone carriers would be neat. Plus getting our own EWAR programming will, I think, help counter stealth as well.
If we can, we should also try to get one of their ships relatively intact - or at least smash and grab to get prisoners and data cores.
I'd also be a little wary about bombarding Menorb; it's a potentially hostile port, but no idea if the locals are actually willing assistants or just being held at metaphorical gunpoint, considering their lower TL. Might be better to authorize orbit to ground bombardment if they start lobbing ground to orbit missiles at us.
I agree on capturing the ships intact.
I am EXTREMELY wary when it comes to raiding and bombarding Menorb. If they're neutrals who lack the ability to defend their own orbitals (believable, since they're apparently a roughly ~1980s "tech level" against super-advanced opponents they probably can't even see at all), us barging in, blowing up their space stations, and then dropping orbital artillery on their command centres (which are presumably in heavily populated areas) is, like, turbo pearl harbour. At present they don't have the capability to fight us, but that's because they're low TL. I think pissing them off with what, from there perspective, might be a bolt-from-the-blue attack might motivate them to fix that, and then we'd have a problem.
[X] Plan: Target Identification
-[X] Electronics and Sensors
-[X] Command & Control
-[X] Write-in: Reach out to Menorb to determine their status as best as possible and ideally prevent their interference. If conditions encourage it, HSWS forces are to conduct a hit-and-run raid targeting the two ships parked in low orbit. Non-lethal methods (decoys, jamming, etc.) are to be used to degrade Menorb's ability to attack us during the raid, with retaliation against Menorb (should they respond) to be primarily concerned with ensuring the HSWS' force survival and proportionate to actions that have been explcitly identified as being perpetrated by Menorb. The purpose of the raid is to either rescue the ships if they are friendly or capture an Unknown Northern Aggressor spacecraft following crippling by ion torpedoes if possible, and if not, destroy or damage the ones that are present. Following the raid, HSWS forces are to depart the system if they are in a state capable of doing so.
-[X] Assign a moderate escort to enable the mission.
-[X] Write-in: Upgrade ships under construction with new sensors and command systems
