Sarzonia
07-04-2006, 18:47
Background With the Perseus class river monitor serving a niche as a heavily-armed warship capable of bringing devastating fire to bear on opposing armoured positions or riverine combatants and smaller craft such as the Maidstone class gunboats providing support, the ISN's brown water operations were considered to be in good hands for years to come. With the rollout of the new IPS-built Terror class monitor designed for the deep water rivers of Praetonia, the Incorporated Sarzonian Navy took stock of its design when it considered either adopting the Terror as a more heavily armed combatant or opting to continue to use the Perseus. The ISN ultimately decided the 14 inch ETC guns on the Perseus provided the Sarzonian-designed warship with a faster rate of fire and more convenient logistics than a new design based on a larger calibre of gun.
However, the gap between heavy monitor and the Maidstone concerned the ISN. Even if the recently designed Pickering class corvette/high endurance cutter were modified for a riverine combat role, it still would not provide a sufficient alternative when brown water conditions rendered the use of a Perseus impossible. Thus, the Portland Iron Works was asked to provide an alternative that could bridge the gap more effectively and bring a still potent weapon into riverine operations. Thus, the Dahlgren class light monitor was devised.
The Dahlgren was named after Rear Admiral John A. Dalhgren (USN-Ret.), who developed the Dalhgren gun used by the United States Navy during the Civil War and toward the end of the 19th century. Dahlgren also commanded the Washington Navy Yard and was instrumental in the Union's victory over the Confederacy.
Armament Compared to her contemporaries, the Dahlgren's armament outlay is arguably closest to her most famous ancestor's in layout. The Dahlgren sports two 203 mm Mark IV ETC guns in the A position fore in a turret that allows a 300 degree rotation. Other armaments included in the Dahlgren are two 155 mm howitzers amidships; one port and one starboard; six 35 mm autocannons, and four of the highly-successful Yellow Jacket mini-SAMs. Thus, the Dahlgren is intended to be a worthy foe of nearly anything a potential enemy can send onto a river.
Protection The standard Sarzonian armour scheme (an alloy of titanium, vanadium, aluminum, amorphous steel, and ballistic ceramics) rests on a double-bottomed, reinforced keel with void spaces and hardened crossbeams installed along the bulkheads. The protection scheme allows the Dahlgren great survivability against nearly any weapon that can be fired in a riverine combat situation. Its low freeboard also allows the Dahlgren to present a very difficult target for potential enemies. However, that low freeboard also results in a ship with poor seahandling abilities. Thus, it has been constructed to allow for easy disassembly and reconstruction whilst a logistics fleet is underway.
Even with increased automation akin to that employed by arsenal ships, crew accomodations are often cramped. Thus, the Perseus is not an ideal station for most enlisted rates or officer rankings, but its potential to provide great service as a combatant is seen as potentially offsetting its disadvantages in creature comforts.
Dahlgren class river monitor
Length: 122 m; Beam: 21 m; Draught: 2.7 m
Displacement: 5,100 tonnes fully laden
Armament: 2 x 1 203 mm Mark IV ETC guns in A position; 2 x 155 mm howitzers port and starboard; 6 x 35 mm autocannons; 4 x Yellow Jacket mini-SAM
Protection: 370 mm-580 mm advanced armour composite (titanium, vanadium, aluminum, amorphous steel, and ballistic ceramics), double-bottomed, reinforced keel with void spaces; hardened crossbeams installed across bulkheads.
Propulsion: Two hybrid gas-electric turbines; two shafts. 21 knots maximum.
Complement: 140 plus one platoon Naval Infantry or two sections of special operations forces.
Electronics: Sensors: AN/SPY-3B MFR multi-function radar; AN/SPS-64(V)10 navigational radar; AN/SQS-56 (K) hull mounted sonar;
Electronics Warfare Suite: AN/SLY-2 (V) Advanced Integrated Electronic Warfare System (AIEWS); Decoys: AN/SLQ-49; AN/SLQ-25 Nixie; MK-53 Nulka DLS; Fire Control: MK-99 FCS missile fire control; Gun fire control: MK-88 GFCS (System calculates ballistic gun orders, The GFCS conducts direct firing attacks against surface radar and optically tracked targets); Countermeasures: Towed array sonar utilizing a hull transducer or a towed active transducer or both. It is an integrated ASW, Mine Avoidance and Torpedo Defense underwater system.
Price: $1 billion
Running Cost: 30 million
However, the gap between heavy monitor and the Maidstone concerned the ISN. Even if the recently designed Pickering class corvette/high endurance cutter were modified for a riverine combat role, it still would not provide a sufficient alternative when brown water conditions rendered the use of a Perseus impossible. Thus, the Portland Iron Works was asked to provide an alternative that could bridge the gap more effectively and bring a still potent weapon into riverine operations. Thus, the Dahlgren class light monitor was devised.
The Dahlgren was named after Rear Admiral John A. Dalhgren (USN-Ret.), who developed the Dalhgren gun used by the United States Navy during the Civil War and toward the end of the 19th century. Dahlgren also commanded the Washington Navy Yard and was instrumental in the Union's victory over the Confederacy.
Armament Compared to her contemporaries, the Dahlgren's armament outlay is arguably closest to her most famous ancestor's in layout. The Dahlgren sports two 203 mm Mark IV ETC guns in the A position fore in a turret that allows a 300 degree rotation. Other armaments included in the Dahlgren are two 155 mm howitzers amidships; one port and one starboard; six 35 mm autocannons, and four of the highly-successful Yellow Jacket mini-SAMs. Thus, the Dahlgren is intended to be a worthy foe of nearly anything a potential enemy can send onto a river.
Protection The standard Sarzonian armour scheme (an alloy of titanium, vanadium, aluminum, amorphous steel, and ballistic ceramics) rests on a double-bottomed, reinforced keel with void spaces and hardened crossbeams installed along the bulkheads. The protection scheme allows the Dahlgren great survivability against nearly any weapon that can be fired in a riverine combat situation. Its low freeboard also allows the Dahlgren to present a very difficult target for potential enemies. However, that low freeboard also results in a ship with poor seahandling abilities. Thus, it has been constructed to allow for easy disassembly and reconstruction whilst a logistics fleet is underway.
Even with increased automation akin to that employed by arsenal ships, crew accomodations are often cramped. Thus, the Perseus is not an ideal station for most enlisted rates or officer rankings, but its potential to provide great service as a combatant is seen as potentially offsetting its disadvantages in creature comforts.
Dahlgren class river monitor
Length: 122 m; Beam: 21 m; Draught: 2.7 m
Displacement: 5,100 tonnes fully laden
Armament: 2 x 1 203 mm Mark IV ETC guns in A position; 2 x 155 mm howitzers port and starboard; 6 x 35 mm autocannons; 4 x Yellow Jacket mini-SAM
Protection: 370 mm-580 mm advanced armour composite (titanium, vanadium, aluminum, amorphous steel, and ballistic ceramics), double-bottomed, reinforced keel with void spaces; hardened crossbeams installed across bulkheads.
Propulsion: Two hybrid gas-electric turbines; two shafts. 21 knots maximum.
Complement: 140 plus one platoon Naval Infantry or two sections of special operations forces.
Electronics: Sensors: AN/SPY-3B MFR multi-function radar; AN/SPS-64(V)10 navigational radar; AN/SQS-56 (K) hull mounted sonar;
Electronics Warfare Suite: AN/SLY-2 (V) Advanced Integrated Electronic Warfare System (AIEWS); Decoys: AN/SLQ-49; AN/SLQ-25 Nixie; MK-53 Nulka DLS; Fire Control: MK-99 FCS missile fire control; Gun fire control: MK-88 GFCS (System calculates ballistic gun orders, The GFCS conducts direct firing attacks against surface radar and optically tracked targets); Countermeasures: Towed array sonar utilizing a hull transducer or a towed active transducer or both. It is an integrated ASW, Mine Avoidance and Torpedo Defense underwater system.
Price: $1 billion
Running Cost: 30 million