Praetonia
22-04-2007, 17:33
Victorious-class BCN
Manufacturer: Imperial Praetonian Shipyards plc.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v387/Praetonia/VictoriousFinal2.png
Description: The Victorious programme was initiated in the first term of the Liberal Tory government as a fast capital ship to be used to head small taskforces and enforce the King's Peace in far-flung colonies. The vessel was to be armed with twelve 16" guns mounted in four triple turrets, and the vessel was to displace 55,000t standard at 265m. As the project progressed, the ship increased in size to nearly 300m and 90,000t. Cost grew in line with size, and the project was on the verge of collapse when Imperial Praetonian Shipyards was privatised and the new company decided on a complete redesign to make the ship more efficient and more appealing to the export market.
A new design team was appointed, which first increased armament to sixteen 16" guns mounted in four all-new quadruple turrets and then scrapped a 16" armament altogether in favour of twelve gun 18" layout in four triple turrets, or an eight gun 20" layout in four dual turrets. With the commencement of the Imperial Praetonian Navy's New Model Navy programme set on replacing every existing class within 20 years, the design team decided on the 20" layout and began promoting the vessel as a multi-purpose battlecruiser capable of operating in or out of the Line, with out of the Line functions including acting as a flagship for independent carrier battlegroups and shore bombardment where the target does not warrant a larger vessel.
The new 20" gun armed Victorious earned a large initial order from the Praetonian government and so the project was continued. Imperial Praetonian Shipyards anticipated high demand from more austere navies, where the fast but heavily armed vessel would be a highly capable capital at a relatively low cost. In addition to performing the functions it would perform in the Imperial Praetonian Navy, the vessel would be able to act as a more general flagship and use its advanced sensors to relay data to other vessels in a taskforce.
As a result of the redesign, a second, much larger battlecruiser also expected to carry an eight 20" gun armament but with a heavy secondary armament and helicopter stowage capacity, to be named Lion, was cancelled on grounds that it was now redundant, with the Victorious able to carry the same primary armement, and escorts able to carry helicopters and provide close protection.
In response to the modern threat of missile attack that has replaced the old threat of motor torpedo boat attack, the intended 6" secondary gun armament of the Victorious has been entirely deleted and the space saved used to provide enlarged magazines for the vessel's extremely effective Wellington point-defence guns. In addition, the Wellington point-defence missile systems, which hitherto were carried in sealed canisters and could only be reloaded by replacing the entire canister in between actions, has been equipped with an automatic reloading system from a magazine beneath the gun/missile mount. This enables the Victorious to carry a load of Wellingtons comparable that of the much larger Duke-class BTN.
Considerable thought has also been put into the vessel's defensive systems, with particular attention to the effects of torpedo attack, and missile attack directed against the magazines. The vessel has a thick, tapering belt covering key systems which is impervious to most AShMs in the 3t range and a heavy armoured deck covering key systems below the waterline, which is designed to be resistant to diving missiles and bombs, as well as plunging shells. The ship is equipped with de-capping plates in both the horizontal and vertical planes to counter armour-piercing munitions. Key systems have been moved below the waterline where possible, including, as is now standard practise on Praetonian vessels, the bridge and operations room.
Below the waterline, extensive use has been made of void spaces to reduce the effects of torpedoes and naval mines detonating against the hull. As well as the standard double keel and void spaces, structrual reinforcement has been given to the engine mounts and shock absorbers fitted around all key and delicate systems. In tests the vessel was sometimes able to successfully withstand the impact of multiple 21" torpedoes whilst still retaining the ability to manouever, move at high speeds and rotate, elevate and fire her guns, despite heavy structural damage.
The vessel is not equipped with a permanent helipad or hangaring capacity, but a turret-mounted helipad is fitted as standard to enable the transfer of officers and crew between a Victorious and a helicopter-equipped vessel or ground station. In addition, helicopters can be lashed to this temporary helipad and transported but firing the guns has a highly detrimental impact on any helicopters stowed in this fashion.
The first Victorious-class battlecruiser was launched by His late Majesty King Sarius I, at Imperial Praetonian Shipyards plc's Oak Bank consturction yard, who described the class as, "another invaluable link in the Free World's armour." The last Victorious to be built for the Imperial Navy was launched by his son, King George IV, at
Dimensions: 291m; 45.2m; 11.1m
Displacement 94,396t
Complement: 911 crewmen; 118 officers; 80 excess complement;
Propulsion: 2x Imperial Atomworks QNR-65 65MW Very High Temperature Reactors (VHTRs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHTR)); 2x Imperial Oil & Gas QCR-10 10MW gas turbines;
Speed: 30.5kts (cruise); 34kts (sprint)
Endurance: 12 years (fuel); 3 months (supplies);
Artillery: 4x dual 20”/55 ETC naval guns (A, B, X and Y positions; provision for 150 shells per gun; 61km maximum range unaided;)
16x dual 82mm naval guns (secondary positions; provision for 1,000 shells per gun; 27km maximum range unaided;)
10x 50mm ETC close defence guns (tertiary positions; provision for 6,000 shells per gun; 15km maximum range unaided;)
Missiles: 6x 128cell Ballista VLS batteries (forecastle, stern; 768 missile capacity total; 0.6x0.6x8m maximum;)
2x 64cell Ballista VLS batteries (secondary positions; 128 missile capacity total; 0.6x0.6x8m maximum;)
10x 32cell Wellington VLS batteries (tertiary positions; 1600 missile capacity total; 0.3x0.3x4m maximum;)
Aviation: 2 helicopters (temporary landing capacity with turret-mounted helipad);
Protection & Armour Description: Armour consists of high-strength IMS steel built on a steel skeleton. Tungsten rods run through steel armour for KE protection. Gas fuel stored in spaced anti-torpedo belt. Triple reinforced keel. Extensive void spaces below waterline. Explosive non-crew areas (eg. magazines) flooded with halon; halon fire suppressant systems and damage control systems fitted throughout vessel. Collapsable lifeboats available for the entire complement. Extensive compartmentalisation with bulkheads. Heavy duty pumps fitted throughout vessel.
Turret Face Armour: 42mm de-capping plate + 385mm main plate
Barbette Armour: 30mm de-capping plate + 340mm main plate
Belt Armour: 30mm de-capping plate + 430mm main plate tapering to 375mm; belt extends from A turret barbette to reactor box; inclined @ 22deg
Deck Armour: 30mm bomb deck + 285mm main plate + 20mm splinter deck
Machinery Spaces: 42mm de-capping plate + 205mm main plate
Electronics: 1x Imperial Electronics SRC-205 phased active/passive air-and-surface search radar sets; Imperial Electronics SSC-110 bow sonar array; Imperial Electronics SSC-115 towed sonar array; Imperial Praetonian Shipyards SDC-21 countermeasures suite; Larsdon Munitions SFC-405 integrated gunnery direction system; various generic and system-specific electronics;
Cost: $4,450,850,000
Operating Costs: $215,025,800 per annum
Manufacturer: Imperial Praetonian Shipyards plc.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v387/Praetonia/VictoriousFinal2.png
Description: The Victorious programme was initiated in the first term of the Liberal Tory government as a fast capital ship to be used to head small taskforces and enforce the King's Peace in far-flung colonies. The vessel was to be armed with twelve 16" guns mounted in four triple turrets, and the vessel was to displace 55,000t standard at 265m. As the project progressed, the ship increased in size to nearly 300m and 90,000t. Cost grew in line with size, and the project was on the verge of collapse when Imperial Praetonian Shipyards was privatised and the new company decided on a complete redesign to make the ship more efficient and more appealing to the export market.
A new design team was appointed, which first increased armament to sixteen 16" guns mounted in four all-new quadruple turrets and then scrapped a 16" armament altogether in favour of twelve gun 18" layout in four triple turrets, or an eight gun 20" layout in four dual turrets. With the commencement of the Imperial Praetonian Navy's New Model Navy programme set on replacing every existing class within 20 years, the design team decided on the 20" layout and began promoting the vessel as a multi-purpose battlecruiser capable of operating in or out of the Line, with out of the Line functions including acting as a flagship for independent carrier battlegroups and shore bombardment where the target does not warrant a larger vessel.
The new 20" gun armed Victorious earned a large initial order from the Praetonian government and so the project was continued. Imperial Praetonian Shipyards anticipated high demand from more austere navies, where the fast but heavily armed vessel would be a highly capable capital at a relatively low cost. In addition to performing the functions it would perform in the Imperial Praetonian Navy, the vessel would be able to act as a more general flagship and use its advanced sensors to relay data to other vessels in a taskforce.
As a result of the redesign, a second, much larger battlecruiser also expected to carry an eight 20" gun armament but with a heavy secondary armament and helicopter stowage capacity, to be named Lion, was cancelled on grounds that it was now redundant, with the Victorious able to carry the same primary armement, and escorts able to carry helicopters and provide close protection.
In response to the modern threat of missile attack that has replaced the old threat of motor torpedo boat attack, the intended 6" secondary gun armament of the Victorious has been entirely deleted and the space saved used to provide enlarged magazines for the vessel's extremely effective Wellington point-defence guns. In addition, the Wellington point-defence missile systems, which hitherto were carried in sealed canisters and could only be reloaded by replacing the entire canister in between actions, has been equipped with an automatic reloading system from a magazine beneath the gun/missile mount. This enables the Victorious to carry a load of Wellingtons comparable that of the much larger Duke-class BTN.
Considerable thought has also been put into the vessel's defensive systems, with particular attention to the effects of torpedo attack, and missile attack directed against the magazines. The vessel has a thick, tapering belt covering key systems which is impervious to most AShMs in the 3t range and a heavy armoured deck covering key systems below the waterline, which is designed to be resistant to diving missiles and bombs, as well as plunging shells. The ship is equipped with de-capping plates in both the horizontal and vertical planes to counter armour-piercing munitions. Key systems have been moved below the waterline where possible, including, as is now standard practise on Praetonian vessels, the bridge and operations room.
Below the waterline, extensive use has been made of void spaces to reduce the effects of torpedoes and naval mines detonating against the hull. As well as the standard double keel and void spaces, structrual reinforcement has been given to the engine mounts and shock absorbers fitted around all key and delicate systems. In tests the vessel was sometimes able to successfully withstand the impact of multiple 21" torpedoes whilst still retaining the ability to manouever, move at high speeds and rotate, elevate and fire her guns, despite heavy structural damage.
The vessel is not equipped with a permanent helipad or hangaring capacity, but a turret-mounted helipad is fitted as standard to enable the transfer of officers and crew between a Victorious and a helicopter-equipped vessel or ground station. In addition, helicopters can be lashed to this temporary helipad and transported but firing the guns has a highly detrimental impact on any helicopters stowed in this fashion.
The first Victorious-class battlecruiser was launched by His late Majesty King Sarius I, at Imperial Praetonian Shipyards plc's Oak Bank consturction yard, who described the class as, "another invaluable link in the Free World's armour." The last Victorious to be built for the Imperial Navy was launched by his son, King George IV, at
Dimensions: 291m; 45.2m; 11.1m
Displacement 94,396t
Complement: 911 crewmen; 118 officers; 80 excess complement;
Propulsion: 2x Imperial Atomworks QNR-65 65MW Very High Temperature Reactors (VHTRs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHTR)); 2x Imperial Oil & Gas QCR-10 10MW gas turbines;
Speed: 30.5kts (cruise); 34kts (sprint)
Endurance: 12 years (fuel); 3 months (supplies);
Artillery: 4x dual 20”/55 ETC naval guns (A, B, X and Y positions; provision for 150 shells per gun; 61km maximum range unaided;)
16x dual 82mm naval guns (secondary positions; provision for 1,000 shells per gun; 27km maximum range unaided;)
10x 50mm ETC close defence guns (tertiary positions; provision for 6,000 shells per gun; 15km maximum range unaided;)
Missiles: 6x 128cell Ballista VLS batteries (forecastle, stern; 768 missile capacity total; 0.6x0.6x8m maximum;)
2x 64cell Ballista VLS batteries (secondary positions; 128 missile capacity total; 0.6x0.6x8m maximum;)
10x 32cell Wellington VLS batteries (tertiary positions; 1600 missile capacity total; 0.3x0.3x4m maximum;)
Aviation: 2 helicopters (temporary landing capacity with turret-mounted helipad);
Protection & Armour Description: Armour consists of high-strength IMS steel built on a steel skeleton. Tungsten rods run through steel armour for KE protection. Gas fuel stored in spaced anti-torpedo belt. Triple reinforced keel. Extensive void spaces below waterline. Explosive non-crew areas (eg. magazines) flooded with halon; halon fire suppressant systems and damage control systems fitted throughout vessel. Collapsable lifeboats available for the entire complement. Extensive compartmentalisation with bulkheads. Heavy duty pumps fitted throughout vessel.
Turret Face Armour: 42mm de-capping plate + 385mm main plate
Barbette Armour: 30mm de-capping plate + 340mm main plate
Belt Armour: 30mm de-capping plate + 430mm main plate tapering to 375mm; belt extends from A turret barbette to reactor box; inclined @ 22deg
Deck Armour: 30mm bomb deck + 285mm main plate + 20mm splinter deck
Machinery Spaces: 42mm de-capping plate + 205mm main plate
Electronics: 1x Imperial Electronics SRC-205 phased active/passive air-and-surface search radar sets; Imperial Electronics SSC-110 bow sonar array; Imperial Electronics SSC-115 towed sonar array; Imperial Praetonian Shipyards SDC-21 countermeasures suite; Larsdon Munitions SFC-405 integrated gunnery direction system; various generic and system-specific electronics;
Cost: $4,450,850,000
Operating Costs: $215,025,800 per annum