SPECIFICATIONS

GOVERNMENT: Neo-Hebrews of Saturn
TYPE: Interstellar Space BattleFrigate  (Vlor Benai Class Variant)
MODEL: Merkava class SBDG-22 (Terran/Prodono Hybrid Mark-II)
DATE INTRODUCED: 2188 AD
LENGTH: 626.3 feet (190.9 meters)
WIDTH: 401.3 feet (122.3 meters)
HEIGHT: 122.1 feet (37.2 meters)
MATERIAL: Crystal Composite
POWER PLANT: Macrotechnologies IPFF-5000 Ion Plasma Fusion Furnace x 5
OUTPUT: 5000 megawatts each, (25,000 megawatts total)
ARMOR TYPE: Crystal Composite
ARMOR THICKNESS: 2 inches
DISPLACEMENT: 10,000 tons
CREW: 151 + 20 pilots 171 total (10 Operators, 51 Gunners, 18 Officers, 40 Engineers, 10 Technicians, 10 Electricians, 7 Medical, 5 Science, 5 Security, plus 20 pilots.)

PROPULSION

             FASTER THAN LIGHT DRIVE :
             1x Prodotech PT-SWD-3040A 4th Generation, Mark-VII Stellar Warp Drive unit.
             SPEED: 0.21 light years per hour maximum warp

             SUBLIGHT DRIVE:
             4x Orion Galactic OG-IPFE-1500 Ion Plasma Fusion Drives
             SPEED: kiloMACH 5 each KiloMACH 25 total for all four engines combined

WEAPONS:

             PRIMARY (OFFENSIVE):
             Main Turrets
             5x Titan Technologies TT-KB-3180 540-megawatt triple KAISER (KAon-Infused-laSER) Beam turrets*; Effective Range: 1440 miles; Payload: unlimited with nuclear battery clutch system; ROF: 3 blasts every twenty seconds with a cyclic rate of 9 blasts per minute.  
          *KAISER beam weapons do full damage to energy resistant armor like that used by the Prodono and other alien powers.


             PRIMARY (ASSAULT):
             16x Lithgear LG-CML-50002 cruise missile launcher; Missile Type: UN-SRT-5000 short-range 5000-pound computer-guided cruise missile/space torpedo (597.5 kiloton nuclear warhead); Effective Range: 35.1 miles; Payload: 4 cruise missiles each in a top facing internal missile silo; ROF: 1-2 torpedoes each.

             SECONDARY (OFFENSIVE):
            4x Orion Republic ORITL-Mark-II ion torpedo blisters, three tube; Missile Type: IDST-5000 ion drive space torpedo with computer-guided 5000-pound warhead;Effective Range: 844.4 miles; Payload: 30 space torpedoes each in an autoloading torpedo tube; ROF:  1-3 torpedoes per two seconds with a cyclic rate of 90 torpedoes per minute per torpedo blister.

             PRIMARY (BALLISTIC):
            12x Norking ASML-S10K single-shot cruise missile box launcher; Missile Type: ASM-10K 10,000-pound computer-guided medium-range cruise missile with 1.195 megaton yield; Effective Range: 1161.1 miles; Payload: 1 space torpedo each in a missile box launcher; ROF: 1 torpedo per two seconds with a cyclic rate of 30 torpedoes per minute. 

ELECTRONICS:
              1x Microwave Radio Communications array with a 1000 AU range.
              1x Laser Radio Communications array with a 1000 AU range.

              1x Super Luminal Velocity Communications Suite with a range of 1 light year.
              1x LADAR array with a range of 220,000 miles.
              1x NADAR array with a range of 220,000 miles.

              1x Passive EMS array with a range of 1,000,000 miles.
              1x Active EMS array with a range of 100,000 miles.
              1x Super Luminal Velocity Sensor Suite with a range of 10 parsec (32.6 light years).
              1x Gravitational/Antigravity Control Unit; Effect: Provides artificial lift, g-force compensation, and enhanced maneuverability.

DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS:
             6x Prodotech PT-DF-1000MK-II omnidirectional LEVEL-2 Gravitonic deflector field generator; Range: 1000 feet from hull; Power Requirement: 1000 megawatts each; Output: 216 terajoules with a regeneration of 21.6 terajoules every ten seconds.

HANGAR BAYS:
             1x 16,400-yd3 space fighter hangar that holds up to twenty PF-04U CosmoCorsairs or PF-51 StellarMustangs.


Description/Overview:
            The Merkava class Mark-III was the successor to the experimental Merkava Mark-II (a refit Prodono Vlor Benai class ship using Varna based technology) and Merkava Mark-I (using Terran based technology)  and the first model to be mass produced.  Whereas the first two prototype classes were nothing more than technology demonstrators, the Mark-III class had a combination of new--Terran-based, Prodono, and Varna derived--weapon systems intended to defeat energy resistant armor and plasma-shielding. While the five, triple, KAISER cannon turrets were excellent for melting down energy resistant armor plating, the eight ASM-10K nuclear-tipped anti-ship cruise missiles gave the ship a powerful punch capable of destroying Newel Xergis class and smaller Prodono ships. Such a weapon will decimate the plasma shielding (as used by the Prodono) with residue thermal damage able to penetrate said shield (50% average bleed through). The secondary cruise missile launchers were capable of dealing with smaller vessels and mecha as were the newly designed ion-torpedo blisters. This weapon configuration, coupled with improved engines, allowed the production version of the Merkava class to become a vital part of the Neo-Hebrew Cosmo Navy during the initial phases of the 2nd Interplanetary War and the backbone of the Orion Neo-Hebrew Republic Cosmo Navy of the early 23rd Century.