NationStates Jolt Archive

(LNN) The Imperial Layartebian Navy, today, commissioned its newest class of warship, a heavy cruiser. This new class of warships will be called the Unforgiven Class heavy cruiser. The ILN announced plans to build some one hundred and twenty-eight ships and the Imperial Layartebian Coast Guard announced plans to build some twenty-four ships, bringing the total to one hundred and fifty-two. At the cost of one and a half billion dollars per ship, the one hundred and fifty-two ships will cost a total of one two hundred and twenty-eight billion dollars. Money from arms sales from the Layartebian Defense Corporation and budget will pay for them.

The ship is 750 feet long, has an 80 foot beam, and drafts 35 feet. Fully loaded, it displaces 28,000 tons. She is powered by a pair of 50,000 horsepower nuclear reactors, with a ten year endurance, and can push the ship up to 40 knots. The two engines drive three shafts with three rudders.

The cruiser is crewed by 370 enlisted personnel and 37 officers. In addition, there is the capability for the carriage of two SH-97 Serpent helicopters, for anti-submarine warfare and transportation purposes.

Though its combat systems are classified, they are rumored to be more capable than the powerful AEGIS system employed on the Twin Towers Class and the Ticonderoga Class. Armament is provided for by a series of systems. The Unforgiven Class retains the age-old gun system, in the form of an advanced 5 inch, 62 caliber Mark 45 Mod 4 with 680 rounds. Missile armament is covered through vertical launch systems and other systems. There are a total of 232 vertical launch cells placed forward, center, aft, and on the sides of the ship. Eight armored box launchers placed forward and center allows for even more weapons carriage. Standard loadout for the vertical launch cells is: 32 RGM-165A Land Attack Standard Missiles, 4 RGM-176A-2 Tomahawk II nuclear missiles, 16 RGM-176B Tomahawk II anti-ship missiles, 24 RGM-176D Tomahawk II cluster munitions missiles, 12 RGM-176E Tomahawk II incendiary munitions missiles, 36 anti-ship missiles*, 64 RIM-162A Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles, 34 RIM-66M Standard SM-2MR missiles*, 58 RIM-156A Standard SM-2ER Block IV missiles*, and 16 RUM-139A ASROC missiles. For air defense purposes, there are six Phalanx mounts and four RIM-116B RAM mounts, with twenty-one missiles a piece. Other anti-ship defense is provided for by four quad-launchers for RGM-180 Harpoon II missiles. The Armored Box Launchers will be loaded with 32 RGM-176C Tomahawk II land-attack missiles. For anti-submarine operations, the ship is loaded with six torpedo tubes with 24 Mark 50 Advanced Lightweight Torpedoes. The last bit of air defense is covered by a Wizard turret, equipped with a pair of M31 Heavy Machine Guns, loaded with 1,000 rounds and another 5,000 stowed. In addition, there are 8 Wizard surface-to-air missiles at the ready, the ILMs replacement to the Stinger. There are another 40 missiles stowed.

The ILN plans to sail two of these cruisers with each battlegroup. The ILCG plans to use four per province and autonomous republic. The Navy and Coast Guard plan to display the newest ships at the Navy Sea Show in Layarteb City next year.

http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/f124/images/f124_1.jpg
Artist impression of Unforgiven Class.

http://www.defence.gov.au/news/navynews/editions/4704/IMAGES/02-airwarfare%20middle%20right.jpg
Unforgiven Class making its way to the Atlantic Ocean from construction yard.

http://www.richvr.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/Foreign/281104%20%20FGS%20Sachsen%2002.jpg
Unforgiven Class re-entering harbor.

* = These are the RGM-193A Relic, RIM-184B Standard SM-4MR, and RIM-185B Standard SM-4ER but since it is top secret IC, it won't be mentioned here.

The Imperial Navy (INA) has expressed interest in this new heavy cruiser. Seeing as many of our acquisitions have been from Layarteb, and that the quality was always as we expected, we wish to buy this beautifull cruiser for our navy. If it is for sale, then we would like to buy 80 Unforgiven Class heavy cruisers. I believe the price would be 120 billion for the lot. If our offer is accepted please let us know and we will wire the money.

While the EOL enjoys its arms sales and relationship with Calpe, these ships shalt not be for sale. We thank you for your interest and your comments though. It is an honor that you requested so many.

We understand, and we will continue to do business with Layarteb. If this cruiser will ever be on the market, we will buy it then, or choose another ship from your offer to suplement our navy.

(LNN) Today, in a test of the Unforgiven's surface-to-air system, the ship preformed perfectly. The ship was placed in the Atlantic, sixty-two miles off the coast of Dnalkrad. Some eighty-four aircraft were launched against a single ship. The Unforgiven proceeded to engage all of them with long-range and medium-range surface to air missiles, destroying all but four. Those four were destroyed before they came within range of GPS guided munitions.

The Unforgiven has also performed excellently in submarine tests, forcing subs into a ten nautical mile area to engage. "Submarine masking systems are working effectively," a senior naval official commented. "We couldn't be happier with the way it is performing. Two submarines were sunk and a third badly damaged. Countermeasures prevented a pair of torpedoes from hitting the hull."

Tomorrow, the Unforgiven will be tested with a full attack from air, land, and sea...