NationStates Jolt Archive

[OOC: This isn't ready for sale yet... so that's why this is OOC/semi-secret IC. Revisions are likely to come. Constructive feedback is welcomed.]

[Semi-secret IC: Working in concert with the Imperial Praetonian Shipyards (http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=332455), the Portland Iron Works (http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=345001) is in the process of developing a trimarian-hulled gunboat armed with railguns. The Tiger-class trimarian gunboat is intended to be a more economical alternative for nations concerned by the proliferation of Trimarian-hulled super dreadnaughts.

The vessel is ideally suited for coastal defense purposes and the fore and aft railguns can cause significant damage to an opponent's blockade efforts.

Both the Portland Iron Works and the Imperial Praetonian Shipyards will offer this product for sale, and purchase is subject to approval by both storefronts and/or an extensive background check. Both shipyards reserve the right to refuse the sale of this vessel to anyone for any reason.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Measurements: Length: 106 m; Beam: 47 m; Draught: 7.5 m.
Displacement: 12,055 tons full load
Armour: Unique armour scheme featuring enhanced ERA, reinforced titanium, ballistic ceramics, aluminum alloy, and hardened steel; double-bottomed with limited void spaces for additional protection against weaponry. Hardened cross beams built across the bulkheads provide additional protection against missile attack.
Engines: Single nuclear reactor, 150,000 hps
Speed: 25 knots (emergency); 21 knots (normal maximum); 18 knots cruising
Primary armament: 4x204 mm naval railguns fore and aft in dual turrets
Secondary armament: 8x Testudo CIWS port and starboard; 8x 20 mm cannons; 2x ASW torpedos belowships.
Price: $2.45 billion (proposed).]

Novatopia Materials Laboratory

The Novatopia Materials Laboratory Presentation Centre was full to the rafters. A huge array of Praetonian politicians, scientists and Navy Officials and Officers, including Navy Commander in Chief, Grand Admiral Tiberius Polanus. This presentation was the conclusion of seven months of research into an armour scheme for the new Tiger Class Railgun Gunboat.

"Quiet please," said the Provost of the facility, "Quiet down." The room fell silent except for the scratching of two technicians assembling the array of webcams to broadcast the presentation to Sarzonia. The lights dimmed as the last lense was slotted into place. The provost was standing at the front on a large stage, backed by a projector screen. "Ladies and Gentlemen, here at this facility we have been working on the armour scheme for the new Tiger Class Gunboat. At the beginning of this project our objectives were to produce an armour scheme which, with only five inches of armour, can stop most anti-shipping missiles. This includes the Harpoon, Exocet, Ottomat and the ever popular Yakhont-III. Ladies and gentlemen, that is exactly what we have achieved."

The first slide came up, showing the following diagram:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v387/Praetonia/TigerArmour.gif

"As you can see, the armour scheme features an outer layer of enhanced ERA. This will act to slow down projectiles, reducing their penetrative strength. It can knock projectiles off course causing them to either miss or hit the armour at an angle and at a sdecreased speed, again greatly reducing their penetrative strength and increasing the effective strength of the armour. It can also prematrely detonate explosives, causing absolutely no damage to the hull.

"Directly behind that is an approximately one inch thick layer of reinforced titanium. Whilst titanium is not as strong as is widely believed, this layer is still strong enough to deflect small to medium sized projectiles and is very effective against shaped charge explosives.

"This is backed by an approximately half inch thick layer of ballistic ceramics, an exceptional material that can stop shaped charge or HEAT style projectiles in their tracks. It is not exceptionally strong, but since anything that reaches this layer has to have passed through both the ERA and an inch of reinforced titanium.

"Behind the ceramic layer is the primary defence against kinetic energy weapons such as armour piercing shells and missiles. Two and a half inches of aluminium alloy. This material is currently the strongest out there and so provides excellent kinetic defence. The lessons learnt from the Falklands War have, however, been incorporated here. The aluminium layer is sandwidged between two other layers of material, meaning that any explosive which manages to get past the previous three layers is not then able to start fires which will then spread to the rest of the ship.

"Behind the aluminum layer is an approximately one inch thick layer of hardened steel. Not only does this have a good tensile strength and heat resistance, but it is relatively cheap and prevents oxygen from reaching the aluminium layer. Now, a demonstration..."

The lights switched off entirely and the projector started to whir. A image of a 5 inch thick slab of armour roughly 10 metres long and 5 metres high was being held in place by two reinforced concrete struts and the bottom which was cemented into the ground. Behind it stood the Provost who has stood to one side to allow the audience to see the pictures. The Camera turned to show a Yakhont-III missile in it's launcher. The image zoomed out to display the missile, the slab of armour and the provost standing behind it.

"You will not see what happened when I put my life in it's hands," he said. There was a two second pause and then the missile sprung to life, hurtling from it's launcher at high speed, "we used an electromagnetic accelerator to bring the missile up to supersonic speeds in the short distance," in an instant the missile had slammed into the slab of armour, there was a huge bang and flash of light as the Provost in the film tensed and ducked instinctively. As the light from the explosion dimmed a small amount of molten metal dripped from the small hole blasted in the armoured slab. The camera view moved, jolting up and down with the footsteps of the camerman, to see the unharmed Provost and the completely solid back armour plate.

"As you can see, the armour we have constructed can fully protect the ship behind it from the most popular missile in service with today's navies, the Yakhont-III. Any questions?"

EDIT: OOC: Many thanks for Greenmanbry's help in constructing the armour scheme.

Hmm.. I believe everything has been covered with regards to the ship's armour. You have acknowledged each material's purpose, and chosen wisely for that matter.

You have combined the best materials on the market today, some that are heat-resistant, some that are strong, and others that are excellent deflectors.

Very believeable... Can't wait to see details on the armament and eventually a full picture of the gunboat..

Kudos to you two.. :)

The Confederacy of Marketability is interested in being the first to purchase this gunboat. We will buy 1, and will pay when item has been received.

OOC:An exceptional armour scheme, and in some respects reminds me of the Doujin's own composite layered scheme. Well chosen materials, an excellent mixture of strengths that would serve the ship well in its enviroment.

In reality though, the sheer mass and speed of the Yakhont missile would cause the material to buckle inwards, though the armour itself would not be penetrated. What you would have, particularly with a traditional bulkhead structure, is a deep dent and black scouring, though the armour would just about hold up and protect the ship. The only improvement I would suggest is to install hardened cross beams across the bulkheads to make sure the armour has significant backing strength against a missile impact.

The Confederacy of Marketability is interested in being the first to purchase this gunboat. We will buy 1, and will pay when item has been received.

[OOC: Woah, not so fast! You don't really know the details about the gunboat yet IC (It's in the final planning stages). There is a possibility that orders will be subject to a background check before approval (though since you're really new to NS that background check may be reading your nation's profile page). OOC, there are still some details about the ship itself that are going to be worked on before they're made available on the storefronts.

Thanks for being so quick to express interest though. :)]

Well.. you just received The Freethinkers' "seal of approval" ...

teehee.. *plants huge kiss on Praetonia's cheek*

Sarzonia-Praetonia: We would also like to express our interest in acquiring this gunboat as soon as it is deemed fit for international export.

Well.. you just received The Freethinkers' "seal of approval" ...

teehee.. *plants huge kiss on Praetonia's cheek*

Sarzonia-Praetonia: We would also like to express our interest in acquiring this gunboat as soon as it is deemed fit for international export.

[OOC: We're not even finished and we already have two prospective buyers. How cool is that?!]

OOC:
now if it didn't use a rail gun then i might have been interested...

perhaps one super gun?


other wise very nice indeed, i like the armour its like mine but only... detailed ;)

OOC:
now if it didn't use a rail gun then i might have been interested...

perhaps one super gun?

other wise very nice indeed, i like the armour its like mine but only... detailed ;)

[OOC: I knew you'd comment about the railgun. Somehow. ;)

If you want to replace the railguns with superguns, you can once you get it, but that would defeat the purpose of the Tiger in my opinion.

The armour scheme is very nice. Kudos to Praetonia and Greenmabry! :D]

*bump*

The scene in the Science Academy in Woodstock was one of rapt attention. Vice President for Technology Tracy Obenga and Navy Chief John Newman were in attendance watching the presentation webcast from Praetonia.

"Impressive," Newman said with a slight smile. The medication he was taking after multiple orders from Hybalt, IPS, and the RSIN Corp was preventing him from making a spectacle of himself, but he was still pleased with what he saw.

"I'll say," Obenga said. "An armour scheme that protects a ship without spending exorbidant amounts of money on heavy armour."

"Exactly," Newman said. "This gunboat has enormous potential for doing its job." Newman turned to the aide who was there.

"Contact Praetonia and Greenmabry and let them know we're pleased with this armour scheme."

"Understood, sir," the aide said. He thought to himself, "I wonder who's actually going to order this from the Portland Iron Works?

Commodore Barbara Tucker (ISN-Ret.), the managing director of the Portland Iron Works was also in attendance. She smiled broadly when she saw the presentation.

"This could be huge for us," she said to Commodore Jamie Wilson (ISN-Ret.), the managing director of the Wilmington Shipyard Corporation. Wilson smiled.

"It will be huge, I have a feeling," he said.

ooc: That is one huge, expensive gunboat.

ooc: That is one huge, expensive gunboat.

[OOC: True, but it's meant to be a low-cost alternative to buying a super dreadnaught. It's for countries that are scared of ships like the Doujin but can't afford to buy one.]

[OOC: True, but it's meant to be a low-cost alternative to buying a super dreadnaught. It's for countries that are scared of ships like the Doujin but can't afford to buy one.]

ooc: Ah. I was seeing it as more of a Coast Guard boat. Oh well. I have Doujins, I'm not afraid of them, but I'll still probably acquire some of these anyway.

8" railguns are kind of overkill for a coast guard boat... it also isnt that big, as the railguns dont require powder magazines. Still the size will probably increase and the displacement will probably reduce. The price might come down Im not sure...

8" railguns are kind of overkill for a coast guard boat... it also isnt that big, as the railguns dont require powder magazines. Still the size will probably increase and the displacement will probably reduce. The price might come down Im not sure...

ooc: Very true. I meant I was thinking of a Coast Guard style boat when I saw it called "gunboat". I guess that's the correlation I make.

Ah I see. Actually I might use this hull to make a coast guard boat...

[OOC: I knew you'd comment about the railgun. Somehow. ;)

If you want to replace the railguns with superguns, you can once you get it, but that would defeat the purpose of the Tiger in my opinion.

The armour scheme is very nice. Kudos to Praetonia and Greenmabry! :D]

Damn! i'm beign predictable again

actually on rethinking the super gun idea it probabaly wouldn't be feasible after all you would simply end up with a single doujin gun (or smaller) that can only be aimed by moving the boat...

i think i'll just biuld soem coastal mounted vertical guns (maybe tilted to the optimum 85 degrees) in some stupid calibre.

Praetonia, check TGs.

[OOC: Here's a preliminary drawing that Praetonia came up with: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v387/Praetonia/Leopard.gif