NationStates Jolt Archive

In light of the recent expansion and establishment of a Marine force to the Imperial Layartebian Navy, the need for a strategic sealift ship has been realized. The former Watson Class Ro/Ro, albeit spacious and well suited for the job, had several problems. First off, the Watson had very little defensive capabilities, namely man-portable, surface-to-air, missiles, mostly Stingers. In addition, the conventional power provided limited range and only medium speed.

The ILN needed a new ship to go further, faster, and carry more than the Watson, as well as provide limited self-defense. What transpired was the Wilson Class LHSR (large, high-speed, ro/ro).

The Wilson Class is, dimension wise, the same size as the Watson Class. She is 950 feet long, 106 feet wide, and drafts 37 feet. However, internally, she is very different. The Wilson Class offers 7,000 ft² more than the Watson in a total 400,000 ft² for cargo. In this area she can hold up to 800 vehicles, 1,200 soldiers, and a massive amount of cargo. In total, she can carry up to 15,000 tons of cargo.

Like the Watson Class, the Wilson is crewed by 30 civilians, merchant marines. 3 officers and 30 enlisted men make up the military contingent.

Displacing 75,000 tons, the Wilson is powered by two SNR-5 nuclear reactors for a total power output of 100,000 shp, 36,000 shp more than the Watson. In addition, she can sail 6 knots faster at 30 knots maximum speed and does not need refueling for 10 years. She retains the same propellers as the Watson, both 24 foot, controllable pitch propellers providing up to 110 rpm at full power. Like the Watson, she is equipped with bow thrust units.

On her deck, the Wilson can accommodate a single SH-97B Serpent transport helicopter, which can lift up to 20 soldiers as far away as 490 nautical miles.

For self-defense, the Wilson carries a small VLS system on the bow. The system is not unlike that on the Enterprise and is below the actual deck. A reinforced, sliding mechanism retracts the actual deck and exposes the 64 cell system, group into an 8 by 8 system. Standard load includes 128 RIM-162B Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles for medium range air defense, quad loaded per tube. For land-attack capability, the Wilson carries 64 RGM-165A Standard Land-Attack Missiles, double loaded per tube. Point defense is provided by a pair of Mk 15 Mod 2 Phalanx CIWS guns with 15,500 rounds per weapons, mounted port and starboard at the main tower. Two RIM-116 RAM mounts with 21 missiles each are situated, facing forward and aft, on the main tower. On the stern, two Mk 141 Harpoon quad-launchers are situated facing port and starboard with four RGM-180F Harpoon II missiles. 4 Wizard MANPAD launchers are held on the ship with a total of 48 rounds capable.

Each one is costed at $250M and the ILN plans to field 124 hulls, four per Wasp Group and one per Nimitz, Vampire, and Enterprise group. The addition will replace the one Watson Class moving in with Wasp Group.

The Empire of Layarteb will authorize exportation of the Wilson Class. Harpoon II missiles will be replaced with RGM-84G Harpoon missiles and Wizard MANPAD launchers will be replaced with FIM-92E Stinger-RMP Block I launchers and missiles. The VLS system will be downgraded to only 32 cells, loaded with 128 RIM-162B Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles. Export price is $300 million.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/images/takr-300-BobHopeClass.jpg
Concept art of the Wilson Class.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/images/takr-300-bobhope4.jpg
Wilson on maneuvers.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/images/takr-311-sisler2.jpg
Wilson on maneuvers.

OOC: Would you be willing to upgrade the Watsons you just sold us to have the power plant and defenses of the Wilson? We'll pay a hefty sum.

OOC: Would you be willing to upgrade the Watsons you just sold us to have the power plant and defenses of the Wilson? We'll pay a hefty sum.

We could upgrade them in a limited way. Changing out the propulsion would be very difficult and probably too costly. We could retrofit the self-defense package onto each one for $75M each. You would lose space for cargo, probably downgrade it to just 800 vehicles total not 900 plus the tanks and tracked.

Republican Department of Defense
To: Purchasing Department, Imperial Layartebian Navy

Greetings,

The Republican Department of Defense, Naval Division, wishes to purchase 100 of these 'Wilson' Class RORO vessels for the amount of $300 Billion USD. The funds have been appropriated and transferred into your accounts via the Republican DoD Funding Department - Transaction Number #8776-564-990.

- Major Wilhelm Dander

Republican Department of Defense
To: Purchasing Department, Imperial Layartebian Navy

Greetings,

The Republican Department of Defense, Naval Division, wishes to purchase 100 of these 'Wilson' Class RORO vessels for the amount of $300 Billion USD. The funds have been appropriated and transferred into your accounts via the Republican DoD Funding Department - Transaction Number #8776-564-990.

- Major Wilhelm Dander

OOC: Skinny, what's up man. How's it been going?

The Layartebian Defense Corporation has accepted your order and given it top priority. We thank you for your business and please, given mass production rates being what they are, expect all ships within a period of 10 NS years (10 RL days).

Thank You

OOC: Nice design mate, exactly what I need for my navy. Haven't been upto much- You got msn?

OOC: Nice design mate, exactly what I need for my navy. Haven't been upto much- You got msn?

Nope, just AIM really. I have ICQ but I rarely use it. Good to hear man, that is a blessing for me as well so it looks like it'll be a hit.

We could upgrade them in a limited way. Changing out the propulsion would be very difficult and probably too costly. We could retrofit the self-defense package onto each one for $75M each. You would lose space for cargo, probably downgrade it to just 800 vehicles total not 900 plus the tanks and tracked.

Very well. We will undergo the self-defense upgrade, costing $8,100,000,000. Payment will be wired upon confirmation.

OOC: Don't wanna clutter up your thread, and I'll change this later - but what exactly is a MANPAD missile? My planes are getting knocked down by 'em in Haven, but what exactly are they?

Very well. We will undergo the self-defense upgrade, costing $8,100,000,000. Payment will be wired upon confirmation.

Excellent. This will delay the arrival of your ships but not by long. Whilst we are producing ships for Skinny87, it is possible to do these retrofits at other ports and should not take very long, perhaps 3 NS years for all 108.

OOC: Don't wanna clutter up your thread, and I'll change this later - but what exactly is a MANPAD missile? My planes are getting knocked down by 'em in Haven, but what exactly are they?

Man-portable, air-defense missile. Basically a shoulder-fired surface to air missile. The SA-7, SA-14, SA-16, and SA-18 are Russian examples. The Redeye and Stinger are American examples.

They quite effective at low-level and are murder to aircraft and helicopters. That is why you will see A-10s and helicopters dropping flares over the battlefield in real life, because you never know when they will launch. Given they are IR guided, they emit no warning on your RWR and there is no infrared detection system because IR is a passive detection system. Simple IR jammers like on the Apache can work to confuse and distract them with good success.

Kazakh Provinces wishes to purchase fifteen of the export Watson Class ships, for a total of $4.5 BN. Can we ask, however, if there is a price drop if weapons are not included in the price. We wish to install them ourselves, especially the missiles.

The Empire of Cotland would like to take this opportunity to purchase from our Layartebian allies a total of 60 Wilson class Ro/Ro vessels for our Amphibious Battlegroups (3 vessels per Battlegroup). We would like for the CIWS mounts to be left unmounted, since we employ 30mm CIWS instead of the 20mm Phalanx CIWS (as you know) that will be added to the vessels when they are handed over. The total price is $18 billion, but we are not certain whether the standard 20% discount we enjoy with the Empire of Layarteb applies here. If it does, then $14.4 billion will be wired. If not, $18 billion will be wired. We await your confirmation.

Kazakh, confirmed.

Cotland, no the 20% only applies at the main storefront so it shalt be 18b.

The Empire of Cotland would like to purchase an additional 50 vessels of the Wilson class, as a supplement to our Navy. $15 Billion has been wired.

The Empire of Cotland would like to purchase an additional 50 vessels of the Wilson class, as a supplement to our Navy. $15 Billion has been wired.

Confirmed.