SPECIFICATIONS


GOVERNMENT: Alkaid Republic
TYPE: Heavy Cruiser
MODELS: Alkaid Class
DATE INTRODUCED: 2180 AD (REFIT 2188)
LENGTH: 1624 feet (495 meters))
WIDTH: 738 feet (225 meters)
HEIGHT: 377 feet (115 meters)
MATERIAL: Composite-Alloy
POWER PLANT: Gaea Energy GEFR-5000 (20 forward, 40 port, 40 starboard, 40 aft, 40 Top, 40 Bottom: 220 total)
OUTPUT: 5000 megawatts each reactor (1,100,000 megawatts total)
ARMOR TYPE: Composite-Alloy
ARMOR THICKNESS:2 inches
DISPLACEMENT: 450,000 tons
CREW: 313 plus 60 pilots (CREW ROSTER: 51 GUNNERS, 45 ENGINEERS, 45 ELECTRICIANS, 45 TECHNICIANS, 45 OPERATORS, 15 MEDICAL, 27 OFFICERS, 20 SCIENCE, 20 SECURITY, 20 FIGHTER PILOTS, 40 BattleKnight pilots)

PROPULSION
             FASTER THAN LIGHT (2180) :
             2x Prodotech SWD-104.5K 2nd Generation Mark-II stellar warp drives
             SPEED: 0.10 light-years per hour each (0.20 light-years total)

             FASTER THAN LIGHT (2188 REFIT):
             2x Prodotech SWD-104.5KA 6th Generation Mark-VII stellar warp drives
             SPEED: 0.31 light-years per hour each (0.62 light-years total)

             INTERPLANETARY (MAIN):
             3x Union Industrial UI-PD-225K Plasma Drive
             SPEED: KiloMACH 17 each (3589 miles per second each, KiloMACH 51/10,767 miles per second total)

             INTERPLANETARY (AUXILLARY):
             6x Eurospace ES-ID-18K (Level-02) high yield ion engine
             SPEED: 3040 mph each (3040 mph tota forward, 3040 mph reversel)

             INTERPLANETARY (EMERGENCY):
             8x Eurospace ES-ID-9000 (Level-02) high yield ion engine
             SPEED: 1520 mph each (12,160 mph total)

WEAPONS:
             (2180 AD)
             PRIMARY (ASSAULT):
             2x Lithgear LC-PG-7502 dual 750-megawatt PHELAC (Level-02) turrets; Effective Range: 6000 miles; Payload: Payload: unlimited with nuclear battery clutch recharged from the vessel's main reactor; ROF: up to 3 dual blasts per twenty seconds.

             (2180 AD)
             PRIMARY (OFFENSIVE):
            3x Gia Arms GA-LC-3003 triple 300-megawatt laser cannon turrets; Effective Range: 3000 miles; Payload: Payload: unlimited with nuclear battery clutch recharged from the vessel's main reactor; ROF: up to 6 triple blasts per minute in cycles of 1 triple blast per 10 seconds.

             (2180 AD)
             PRIMARY (ASSAULT):
             1x8 shot Daigun Industries DI-ML-800A space torpedo tubes; Missile Type: USR-SRT-800 short-range 800-pound computer-guided space torpedo; Effective Range: 33.3 miles; Payload: 160 torpedoes in a machine-fed torpedo tube; ROF: 1-8 torpedoes every two seconds with a cyclic rate of 240 torpedoes per minute.

             (2188 AD)
             PRIMARY (ASSAULT):
             2x Lithgear LG-MC-7502 dual 750-megawatt MESON (Level-03) turrets; Effective Range: 5400 miles; Payload: Payload: unlimited with nuclear battery clutch recharged from the vessel's main reactor; ROF: up to 3 dual blasts per twenty seconds.

             (2188 AD)
             PRIMARY (OFFENSIVE):
            3x Gia Arms GA-EMPAC-3003 triple 300-megawatt EMPAC turrets; Effective Range: 1500 miles; Payload: Payload: unlimited with nuclear battery clutch recharged from the vessel's main reactor; ROF: up to 6 triple blasts per minute in cycles of 1 triple blast per 10 seconds.

             (2188 AD)
             PRIMARY (ASSAULT):
             1x8 shot Alkaid Arms AA-STL-02A3 space torpedo tubes; Missile Type: AA-ST-600 600-pound computer-guided space torpedo; Effective Range: 7111 miles; Payload: 60 torpedoes in a machine-fed torpedo tube (480 total torpedoes); ROF: 1 torpedo each launcher every two seconds with a cyclic rate of 30 torpedoes per minute each tube.

             (BOTH MODELS)
             PRIMARY (DEFENSIVE):
             12x Centauri Research CR-RFP-204 quad 20-megawatt Rapid Fire PHELAC turrets; Effective Range: 160 miles; Payload: Payload: unlimited with nuclear battery clutch recharged from the vessel's main reactor; ROF: up to 10 quad blasts per 10 seconds with a cyclic rate of 60 quad blasts per minute.

             (BOTH MODELS)
             SECONDARY (DEFENSIVE):
             15x Centauri Research CR-RFL-30 (Level-02) 30-megawatt Rapid Fire Laser turrets; Effective Range: 160 miles; Payload: Payload: unlimited with nuclear battery clutch recharged from the vessel's main reactor; ROF: up to 10 quad blasts per 10 seconds with a cyclic rate of 60 quad blasts per minute.

ELECTRONICS:
              1x Microwave Communications array with a 1000 AU range.
              1x Laser Communications array with a 1000 AU range.
              1x Super Luminal Velocity Communications suite with a range of 10 light years.
              1x LADAR Sensor array with a 220,000 miles range.
              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 80 parsecs
              1x Gravitational/Antigravity Control Unit; Effect: Provides artificial lift, g-force compensation, and enhanced maneuverability.

DEFENSE SYSTEMS:
             (2180 AD)
            6x Proxima Research PR-DF-1100 omnidirectional LEVEL-2 Gravitonic deflector field generator; Range: 1100 feet from hull; Power Requirement: 1100 megawatts each; Output: 237.6 terajoules with a regeneration of 23.76 terajoules every ten seconds.

             (2188 AD)
             6x Proxima Research PR-DF-1100A omnidirectional LEVEL-3 Gravitonic deflector field generator; Range: 1100 feet from hull; Power Requirement: 1100 megawatts each; Output: 277,200 gigajoules (277.2 terajoules) with a regeneration of 27,720 gigajoules (27.72 terajoules) every ten seconds.

HANGARS:
            (2180)
             1x 55,000 yd3 Holds 20 SF-03A space fighters (20 tons each), 40 BattleKnights, and five AS-02 type assault shuttles (or equivalent).

            (2188)
             1x 55,000 yd3 Holds 20 PS-35J Protean space fighter/bombers, 40 BattleKnights, and 5 AS-01s.

Description/Overview:
          The Alkaid class of Heavy Cruiser was designed with the express purpose of being an exploration vessel in addition to being a warship. This was the reason for the reduced number of space fighters and increased number of shuttles. It was also the reason the ship was fitted with more defensive weaponry than offensive. The Alkaid's main area of exploration was the Alkaid Local Group (all stars within 50 light-years of Alkaid). Alkaid class ships typically operated alone within the Alkaid Local Group. However, exploration missions outside of the Alkaid Local Group were usually accompanied by an escort fleet of four to eight Byzantine Class frigates. The first model was commissioned in 2180 to explore the star systems around Alpha Centuari for the Union of Solar Republics. The internal political turmoil of the USR however caused a shift in the purpose of the vessel and its design. Zhukov sent the first models of this ship to the fledgling colony on Alkaid with plans to build them. Thus, the first fleet of Alkaid consisted of these vessels, Byazantine frigates and TS-05 transport shuttles. This class served Alkaid well until the Outer Sphere War. The lessons learned from that war forced the upgrade of the Alkaid class in 2188. This was a simple upgrade of weapons, FTL drives, and deflector shields.