The invention of the trans-phase (and it's slightly less effective Dino equivalent the multi-phase) missile has revolutionalised space warfare over the last few years. Trans-phase missiles render shielding useless by changing their phase to one different to the current space-time phase and then re-phasing when they reach the target. As trans-phase missiles can use any random phase then changing the phase of your shields is not a defense (unless you are lucky) as you need to be the exact same phase to stop the missile. As there are billions of possible phases the chances of getting it right are remote.
However after several years hard work (and probably some espionage) it appears the HCS have developed their own analogue to trans-phase missile technology. Their experimental SM-X is multi-phase like the Dino missile (though with a lot less possible phases - perhaps as few as 64 compared to the over 1000 the Dino missile is possible of) but is a start, and a new headache for the DDS. Even though the SM-X is limited to its phases it still could penetrate DDS shields.
However to combat Dino multi-phase missiles the DDS have been working on layered shield technologies. The outer layer detects the missile's phase and then changes the inner layer to match. Its unknown when this shield update will be ready to enter service. The HCS will begin field trials of SM-X later this year. The HCS said a 256 phase varient will come online before the end of the decade with 512 and 1024 phase versions soon after.
