Sarzonia
03-08-2005, 16:05
With the ever-increasing proliferation of superdreadnoughts from new countries providing competition and threats to the Portland Iron Works and the Incorporated Sarzonian Navy, the Portland Iron Works has announced a major refit to its Vigilant-class superdreadnoughts that it says will give the class a new lease on life.
The changes, including lengthening the hull by 12 metres and increasing the displacement by 200,000 tonnes, but more importantly, add new weapons capabilities to the class. Namely, the number of VLS tubes increases dramatically from the 384 of the original design to 1,152 Mark 136 tubes, capable of firing the very large 'Scourge' and 'Scorcher' ASW missiles. Another noticeable change for the class is the addition of new naval guns, the Mark 71 naval guns designed by Dat' Pizdy Corporation in Soviet Bloc, which bring a dramatically increased rate of fire and allow the 30 inch guns of the Vigilant to fire at a rate comparable to many superdreadnoughts with 25 inch guns.
Further changes include 90 mm guns to combat "fast ships" and supercavitating guns below the surface as a CIWS system to combat torpedoes. In addition, the 650 mm torpedo tubes have been modified to allow them to easily launch the 324 mm SarzTorp to provide additional anti-torpedo defence. Another top priority for PIW designers was to increase the aircraft outlay, and that mission has been accomplished with the aerial complement increasing to 132 short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft.
Armour has increased dramatically in response to the protection scheme afforded the Neptune-class vessel co-designed by the Silver Sky and the Portland Iron Works, and the Pebblebed nuclear reactors have been given a minor upgrade to allow the ship to travel at the same top speeds the original version could despite its increase in size to accomodate the new systems and weapons. A company spokesman said the ship would cost an additional $20 million to procure and an additional $10 million per year to operate, and announced that sale of the Vigilant would be highly restricted.
The first ship to be built to the specifications of the refit, the ISS DontPissUsOff will begin her first shakedown cruise with the First Fleet. Sources tell us that Admiral of the Navy Marcus Patinkin has agreed to come out of retirement to command the fleet while the ship goes on its shakedown mission, then he will turn the ship over to Admiral Stephen Marcus, the usual commander of the First Fleet.
Vigilant-class command battleship (refit)
Length: 972 m (wl); 996 m (oa); Beam: 241 m; Draught: 27.1 m
Displacement: 3.05 million tonnes full load
Armament: 5 x 4 762 mm Mark 71 naval guns (A, B, C, X, Y positions);
6 x 1 203 mm naval railguns guns port and starboard;
6 x 2 153 mm Mark 71 naval guns port and starboard;
10 x 1 90 mm Mark 71 naval guns port and starboard
12 x 96 cell Mk 136 VLS launchers;
8 x 660 mm TT;
10 x 100 mm supercavitating guns for anti-torpedo CIWS
16 x 'Hornet' SAM launchers;
30 x 'Rattlesnake' CIWS
Protection: 1,800 mm - 2,400 mm advanced armour composite (titanium, vadium, aluminum, amorphous steel; ballistic ceramics) on Trimaran hull construction. Double-bottomed, reinforced keel with void spaces including KERI foam; support provided by honeycomb frame. Composite rods and ceramic kinetic reducing plates provide additional protection against KE attacks.
Propulsion: 12 x Pebblebed nuclear reactors with 14 propulsors and eight internalised waterjets. Compulsators provide power to railguns from primary power system. Each reactor surrounded by thermal insulation to reduce noise emission and infared signature. Six diesel turbines provide emergency propulsion. 31.2 knots maximum. 28.4 knots maximum cruise.
Aircraft: Capable of carrying and launching 110-132 STOL aircraft from two full runways near the outriggers. Also carries 12 medium helicopters for ASW patrols.
Electronics: AN/SLY-2 (V) Advanced Integrated Electronics Warfare System; AN/SPY-4 MFR and AN/SPN-23 navigational radars; AN/SQR-6 (B) passive towed array and AN/SQS-57 dual-mode mounted digital sonar array; A/P Mounted Sonar: AN/SQS-57 active/passive, preformed beam, digital sonar providing panoramic echo ranging and panoramic (DIMUS) passive surveillance.
Countermeasures: Decoy: AN/SLQ-25 Nixie.
Complement: 12,600 + 490 aircrew
Price: $375 billion
Running Cost: $50 billion.
The changes, including lengthening the hull by 12 metres and increasing the displacement by 200,000 tonnes, but more importantly, add new weapons capabilities to the class. Namely, the number of VLS tubes increases dramatically from the 384 of the original design to 1,152 Mark 136 tubes, capable of firing the very large 'Scourge' and 'Scorcher' ASW missiles. Another noticeable change for the class is the addition of new naval guns, the Mark 71 naval guns designed by Dat' Pizdy Corporation in Soviet Bloc, which bring a dramatically increased rate of fire and allow the 30 inch guns of the Vigilant to fire at a rate comparable to many superdreadnoughts with 25 inch guns.
Further changes include 90 mm guns to combat "fast ships" and supercavitating guns below the surface as a CIWS system to combat torpedoes. In addition, the 650 mm torpedo tubes have been modified to allow them to easily launch the 324 mm SarzTorp to provide additional anti-torpedo defence. Another top priority for PIW designers was to increase the aircraft outlay, and that mission has been accomplished with the aerial complement increasing to 132 short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft.
Armour has increased dramatically in response to the protection scheme afforded the Neptune-class vessel co-designed by the Silver Sky and the Portland Iron Works, and the Pebblebed nuclear reactors have been given a minor upgrade to allow the ship to travel at the same top speeds the original version could despite its increase in size to accomodate the new systems and weapons. A company spokesman said the ship would cost an additional $20 million to procure and an additional $10 million per year to operate, and announced that sale of the Vigilant would be highly restricted.
The first ship to be built to the specifications of the refit, the ISS DontPissUsOff will begin her first shakedown cruise with the First Fleet. Sources tell us that Admiral of the Navy Marcus Patinkin has agreed to come out of retirement to command the fleet while the ship goes on its shakedown mission, then he will turn the ship over to Admiral Stephen Marcus, the usual commander of the First Fleet.
Vigilant-class command battleship (refit)
Length: 972 m (wl); 996 m (oa); Beam: 241 m; Draught: 27.1 m
Displacement: 3.05 million tonnes full load
Armament: 5 x 4 762 mm Mark 71 naval guns (A, B, C, X, Y positions);
6 x 1 203 mm naval railguns guns port and starboard;
6 x 2 153 mm Mark 71 naval guns port and starboard;
10 x 1 90 mm Mark 71 naval guns port and starboard
12 x 96 cell Mk 136 VLS launchers;
8 x 660 mm TT;
10 x 100 mm supercavitating guns for anti-torpedo CIWS
16 x 'Hornet' SAM launchers;
30 x 'Rattlesnake' CIWS
Protection: 1,800 mm - 2,400 mm advanced armour composite (titanium, vadium, aluminum, amorphous steel; ballistic ceramics) on Trimaran hull construction. Double-bottomed, reinforced keel with void spaces including KERI foam; support provided by honeycomb frame. Composite rods and ceramic kinetic reducing plates provide additional protection against KE attacks.
Propulsion: 12 x Pebblebed nuclear reactors with 14 propulsors and eight internalised waterjets. Compulsators provide power to railguns from primary power system. Each reactor surrounded by thermal insulation to reduce noise emission and infared signature. Six diesel turbines provide emergency propulsion. 31.2 knots maximum. 28.4 knots maximum cruise.
Aircraft: Capable of carrying and launching 110-132 STOL aircraft from two full runways near the outriggers. Also carries 12 medium helicopters for ASW patrols.
Electronics: AN/SLY-2 (V) Advanced Integrated Electronics Warfare System; AN/SPY-4 MFR and AN/SPN-23 navigational radars; AN/SQR-6 (B) passive towed array and AN/SQS-57 dual-mode mounted digital sonar array; A/P Mounted Sonar: AN/SQS-57 active/passive, preformed beam, digital sonar providing panoramic echo ranging and panoramic (DIMUS) passive surveillance.
Countermeasures: Decoy: AN/SLQ-25 Nixie.
Complement: 12,600 + 490 aircrew
Price: $375 billion
Running Cost: $50 billion.