I’m thinking the sub-sonic speed and larger than usual size for a tactical target resulted in the programming of the missile to slightly miscalculate the fusing and detonation sequence, so the missile overreached across the nose of its target before completing that detonation sequence.
“I’m thinking the sub-sonic speed and larger than usual size for a tactical target resulted in the programming of the missile to slightly miscalculate the fusing and detonation sequence, so the missile overreached across the nose of its target before completing that detonation sequence.”
Or... horse puckey.
Good point. Could be it was so close the missiles boater was still burning. Some missiles guidance software is only designed to work with a coasting (decelerating ) intercept. If it was still accelerating it might have introduced errors in the intercept solution. Maybe. I dunno.