In 2072 Earth was visited by an alien vessel that apparently emerged from deep space and took interest in our planet. For some reason after just standing above Earth for nearly a weak it opened fire and destroyed one of the orbital space stations. In an act of desperation ground fighters with the capability of entering a low orbit of earth armed with nukes was launched. The alien vessels fired up its engines to head of into space but a lucky strike hit some of their guidance system. The Alien ship then entered an orbit around Earths moon, damaged and unable to leave. A joint military operation of the nations of earth managed to arm two space shuttles that was meant for a manned trip to Mars. A second strike disables the alien ship that entered into a slow decaying orbit of the earths moon and later crash landed.
A scientific expedition was hastily put together and wreckage from the alien vessel was brought to Earth. Soon after a whole new chapter of the physics books had to be rewritten. Humanity discovered the properties of several new mineral they never knew of before and had a basic grasp in the theoretical practices using natural gravity wells in space that existed between stars to propel a ship from one end of space to the next in an instant.
Through these new discoveries and the apparent threat of other intelligent life out there in the galaxy humanity managed to miraculously unite in a form of Galactic Republic. The nations of earth would still have their own sovereignty by in space there were only one unified government and authority under which all other nations of earth had to abide to. There was a civilian government elected, a scientific branch, the military branch and the naval branch.
Humanity did at first struggle with at what direction to go, but it was essentially decided that humanity would not venture out and explore until they were prepared. Colonies were quickly established on Luna and Mars. These quickly grow to millions and then to tens of millions of people. A large terraform project was started and by 2083 Luna was a breathable and fully habitable planet, Mars quickly followed in 2088.
Both the military and naval branch of this new republic had for long urged the government for military spending. There were after all hostile alien species out there. The civilian government was very hesitate to start any project of exploring space beyond Sol. Sensor buoys were placed at all seven known gravitational eddies and a small class of missile frigates were issued to defend earth and the new colonies from any alien threat.
Garrisons of republican guards were stationed at Luna and Mars just in case. A larger military program had been going since the forming of the new republic and ten years later it had expanded into four new air mobile division that had the same firepower of nearly a dozen or more conventional divisions.
First ship launched at December 22nd 2080.
River Mk.2/A class Missile Frigate 3,400 tons 124 Crew 487.5 BP TCS 68 TH 256 EM 0
3764 km/s Armour 1-20 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 1 PPV 24
Maint Life 1.63 Years MSP 90 AFR 92% IFR 1.3% 1YR 40 5YR 597 Max Repair 128 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months Spare Berths 0
Magazine 241
NPE-800/256 Nuclear Pulse Stardrive (1) Power 256 Fuel Use 285.11% Signature 256 Exp 20%
Fuel Capacity 200,000 Litres Range 3.7 billion km (11 days at full power)
ML-04/40 Torpedo Launcher (6) Missile Size 4 Rate of Fire 40
ASTFC-50/120 Torpedo Fire Control System (1) Range 50.5m km Resolution 120
AST-45/6 Barracuda Anti-Ship Torpedo (60) Speed: 20,800 km/s End: 36m Range: 45m km WH: 6 Size: 4 TH: 76 / 45 / 22
First ship launched at January 2nd 2081.
(N) River Mk.2/B class Missile Frigate 3,350 tons 121 Crew 511 BP TCS 67 TH 256 EM 0
3820 km/s Armour 1-19 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 1 PPV 20
Maint Life 1.65 Years MSP 95 AFR 89% IFR 1.2% 1YR 41 5YR 622 Max Repair 128 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months Spare Berths 0
Magazine 206
NPE-800/256 Nuclear Pulse Stardrive (1) Power 256 Fuel Use 285.11% Signature 256 Exp 20%
Fuel Capacity 200,000 Litres Range 3.8 billion km (11 days at full power)
ML-04/40 Torpedo Launcher (5) Missile Size 4 Rate of Fire 40
ASTFC-50/120 Torpedo Fire Control System (1) Range 50.5m km Resolution 120
AST-30/9 Barracuda II Anti-ship Torpedo (50) Speed: 34,500 km/s End: 14.6m Range: 30.3m km WH: 9 Size: 4 TH: 126 / 76 / 38
NSS-52/120 Naval Search Sensor (1) GPS 7200 Range 52.6m km Resolution 120
This model were severely rushed into service and lacked allot from what had become the standard doctrine in the new Republican navy but they were at least a Republican naval presence at the increasing traffic of civilian ships. There were now four large competing civilian corporation and nearly sixty civilian ships in total in Sol system and they started to present a problem that these new ships could provide a solution for.
Otherwise, the new doctrine of the republic was that ships in space needed to be well armored and armed. Crew capable to operate under the severe conditions that space provided was quite limited to say the least, at least to the standard required by republican navy. The civilian government also made it quite clear that under no circumstance should human lives be viewed as replaceable parts in machine. The republic was build on the principled of human rights. This have clearly influenced the further development of the 'Terran Republic of Earth' space navy.
It would take a long time before the next stage of Earths navy was planed and even longer to get those plans into action. In early 2079 the first seeds were was cast on the future of the Republican navy. Soon there were two different set of ships and a naval structure to support them. The first ships to enter into service should be some sort of jump capable cruiser. This ship should also become the base of operation for the science directory to operate their geological and gravitational survey vessels. These small vessels would dock inside the cruisers large hangar and be deployed once the system had been properly secured by the navy.
Each science division would have six survey vessels for each mission and a full squadron of cruisers should be deployed for each mission. Each mission would last between 6-9 months.
The first cruiser squadron would be ready and partially trained at January 2088. At 03.00 hours of January 4th 2088 the first Republican cruiser squadron (RSS Bengal (CA), RSS Vanguard (CL) and RSS Kidd (CL)) vanished from the monitors of Earth. Anticipation of a report were high, when it turned out that the system the squadron arrived at were a more or less empty star system many people where disappointed. Some thought that most gravitational wells would lead to just these kinds of places. Some even put forth evidence that further discovery should be nearly pointless since 99.9% of all systems would look just the same. Of course, most scientists believed that this was nonsense.
First launched at February 13th 2087.
Bengal Mk.2/A class Heavy Cruiser 38,000 tons 1019 Crew 6241.7 BP TCS 760 TH 1560 EM 0
2736 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 8-100 Shields 0-0 Sensors 24/24/0/0 Damage Control Rating 51 PPV 72
Maint Life 2.96 Years MSP 4209 AFR 281% IFR 3.9% 1YR 714 5YR 10717 Max Repair 907 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 18 months Flight Crew Berths 95
Flag Bridge Hangar Deck Capacity 3000 tons Magazine 611
JPN-38000/95 Military Jumpdrive Max Ship Size 38000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
NPE-2500/520 Nuclear Pulse Stardrive (4) Power 520 Fuel Use 57.81% Signature 390 Exp 13%
Fuel Capacity 3,000,000 Litres Range 24.6 billion km (103 days at full power)
PB-150/3-10 Particle Beam (4) Range 150,000km TS: 5000 km/s Power 7-4 ROF 10 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
CIWS-160/6 Guardian Point Defence (2x6) Range 1000 km TS: 16000 km/s ROF 5 Base 50% To Hit
BFC-4000/128 Beam Fire Control System (1) Max Range: 256,000 km TS: 4000 km/s 96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 65 61
PP-3/5 Pebble Bed Reactor Plant (6) Total Power Output 18 Armour 0 Exp 5%
ML-01/10 Interceptor Launcher (12) Missile Size 1 Rate of Fire 10
ML-06/225 Torpedo Launcher (12) Missile Size 6 Rate of Fire 225
ASTFC-136/120 Torpedo Fire Control System (1) Range 136.7m km Resolution 120
ATMFC-10/1.1 Anti-Torpedo Fire Control System (2) Range 10.6m km Resolution 1
AMM-7/38 Viper Interceptor Missile (251) Speed: 16,000 km/s End: 7.3m Range: 7m km WH: 1 Size: 1 TH: 128 / 76 / 38
AST-127/9 Python Anti-Ship Torpedo (60) Speed: 19,700 km/s End: 107.4m Range: 127m km WH: 9 Size: 6 TH: 65 / 39 / 19
ASTDS-10/1.1 Torpedo Detection System (1) GPS 128 Range 10.2m km Resolution 1
NSS-237/240 Naval Search Sensor (1) GPS 46080 Range 238.0m km Resolution 240
TH-24/8 Naval Thermal Sensor (1) Sensitivity 24 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 24m km
EM-24/8 Naval EM Detection System (1) Sensitivity 24 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 24m km
First launched at May 18th 2087
Vanguard Mk.2/B class Light Cruiser 17,200 tons 446 Crew 2877.4 BP TCS 344 TH 780 EM 0
3023 km/s Armour 6-59 Shields 0-0 Sensors 24/24/0/0 Damage Control Rating 22 PPV 46
Maint Life 2.71 Years MSP 1307 AFR 189% IFR 2.6% 1YR 254 5YR 3815 Max Repair 325 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 18 months Flight Crew Berths 17
Hangar Deck Capacity 500 tons Magazine 480
NPE-2500/520 Nuclear Pulse Stardrive (2) Power 520 Fuel Use 57.81% Signature 390 Exp 13%
Fuel Capacity 1,500,000 Litres Range 27.2 billion km (103 days at full power)
PB-150/3-10 Particle Beam (3) Range 150,000km TS: 5000 km/s Power 7-4 ROF 10 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
CIWS-160/6 Guardian Point Defence (1x6) Range 1000 km TS: 16000 km/s ROF 5 Base 50% To Hit
BFC-4000/128 Beam Fire Control System (1) Max Range: 256,000 km TS: 4000 km/s 96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 65 61
PP-3/5 Pebble Bed Reactor Plant (4) Total Power Output 12 Armour 0 Exp 5%
ML-01/10 Interceptor Launcher (10) Missile Size 1 Rate of Fire 10
ML-06/225 Torpedo Launcher (6) Missile Size 6 Rate of Fire 225
ATMFC-23/2.5 Anti-Torpedo Fire Control System (2) Range 23.0m km Resolution 1
ASTFC-136/120 Torpedo Fire Control System (1) Range 136.7m km Resolution 120
AMM-13/31 Stinger Interceptor Missile (132) Speed: 22,400 km/s End: 9.8m Range: 13.2m km WH: 1 Size: 1 TH: 104 / 62 / 31
AMM-7/38 Viper Interceptor Missile (132) Speed: 16,000 km/s End: 7.3m Range: 7m km WH: 1 Size: 1 TH: 128 / 76 / 38
AST-127/9 Python Anti-Ship Torpedo (36) Speed: 19,700 km/s End: 107.4m Range: 127m km WH: 9 Size: 6 TH: 65 / 39 / 19
NSS-112/120 Naval Search Sensor (1) GPS 15360 Range 112.2m km Resolution 120
ASTDS-15/1.7 Torpedo Detection System (1) GPS 192 Range 15.4m km Resolution 1
TH-24/8 Naval Thermal Sensor (1) Sensitivity 24 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 24m km
EM-24/8 Naval EM Detection System (1) Sensitivity 24 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 24m km
Docked in the Vanguard hangar bay
Raptor Type-20 Mk.2 class Scout 480 tons 16 Crew 123 BP TCS 9.6 TH 24 EM 0
3333 km/s Armour 1-5 Shields 0-0 Sensors 4/8/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 0
Maint Life 2.6 Years MSP 16 AFR 18% IFR 0.3% 1YR 3 5YR 50 Max Repair 64 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 2 months Spare Berths 3
NPE-50/16 Nuclear Pulse Stardrive (2) Power 16 Fuel Use 332.63% Signature 12 Exp 20%
Fuel Capacity 50,000 Litres Range 5.6 billion km (19 days at full power)
NSS-23/20 Naval Search Sensor (1) GPS 1280 Range 22.9m km Resolution 20
TH-4/8 Naval Thermal Sensor (1) Sensitivity 4 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 4m km
EM-8/8 Naval EM Detection System (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 8m km
Geosurvey and Gravsurvey vessels
Newton Mk.2 class Gravitational Survey Vessel 488 tons 15 Crew 134.125 BP TCS 9.75 TH 9 EM 0
1230 km/s Armour 1-5 Shields 0-0 Sensors 4/4/1/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 0
Maint Life 5.22 Years MSP 43 AFR 7% IFR 0.1% 1YR 3 5YR 39 Max Repair 100 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months Spare Berths 1
NPE-100/12 Nuclear Pulse Stardrive (1) Power 12 Fuel Use 28.64% Signature 9 Exp 7%
Fuel Capacity 20,000 Litres Range 25.8 billion km (242 days at full power)
TH-4/8 Naval Thermal Sensor (1) Sensitivity 4 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 4m km
EM-4/8 Naval EM Detection System (1) Sensitivity 4 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 4m km
Gravitational Survey Sensors (1) 1 Survey Points Per Hour
Copernicus Mk.2 class Geological Survey Vessel 488 tons 15 Crew 134.125 BP TCS 9.75 TH 9 EM 0
1230 km/s Armour 1-5 Shields 0-0 Sensors 4/4/0/1 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 0
Maint Life 5.22 Years MSP 43 AFR 7% IFR 0.1% 1YR 3 5YR 39 Max Repair 100 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months Spare Berths 1
NPE-100/12 Nuclear Pulse Stardrive (1) Power 12 Fuel Use 28.64% Signature 9 Exp 7%
Fuel Capacity 20,000 Litres Range 25.8 billion km (242 days at full power)
TH-4/8 Naval Thermal Sensor (1) Sensitivity 4 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 4m km
EM-4/8 Naval EM Detection System (1) Sensitivity 4 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 4m km
Geological Survey Sensors (1) 1 Survey Points Per Hour
After the failure of the the first jump humanity soon found a new system that was wildly beyond their dreams in terms of mineral riches. The system was not all that populated with planetary bodies but there was one very promising planet for earth to start mining along with a potential site for a colony.
At the fifth jump point Earth suddenly had an echo on its screen that indicated an alien ship. It was not traveling very fast but there were several of them. The raptor that first spotted them stayed at a distance to see what they would do, they were going straight at the cruisers. The ships were about 9000 tones and the commander of Tigers Claw the cruiser leading the squadron issued the order to close the distance for a better look. Suddenly they were met by a hail of missiles. Viper interceptors were dispatched and downed some of them quite easily. But they were traveling so slow that Commodore Abdul-Tawwab Armanjani ordered to cease the firing of missiles and just use the ships automated systems and beam weapons to shoot them down. Hail after hail was simply gunned down by the ships. The commander decided to withdraw and let the diplomatic core and scientists handle the dealing with this non threatening race. Analyses from debris of the aliens missiles showed what the commander suspected, these were not the alien that visited earth. A few month later initial communication was established with this new alien race who called themselves the Albecus Empire. more is not known at this stage.
Later (May 2090), all jump points had been charted and the 1st cruiser squadron with RSS Bengal headed towards the first unknown jump point in the Wolfram system. A safe jump was made and two scouts were sent out to investigate the planets of this new system dubbed Gemini. Both Raptors returned to base without finding any trouble. Gemini was a relatively small system, the outermost body was merely 300 million kilometers from its sun. All six survey vessels was launched. After just a couple of weeks Copernicus 01 was heading towards the fourth planet when they registered something on their sensors, it was an active EM signal, about an hour later the survey vessel was struck by a large number of nuclear missiles. Five members of the crew made it to the escape pods.
An overconfident commander of the RSS Bengal, spurred on the events that took place in the Pegasus system, ordered the squadron to move closer. They dispatched a Raptor that took up several million kilometers ahead of the squadron. An order of immediate withdrawal of all civilian vessel was sent. They all started to head back the RSS Bengal.
A few days later, the same group of ships turned up and a salvo of fifty missiles traveling way faster than any missiles currently in service in the Terran navy was detected heading towards the squadron. (Earth just developed new missile technology who were ready for production with similar speed such as these.) Vipers and Stingers were frantically released to stop the incoming barrage. But to no avail, they only managed to down a very few number of missiles. The whole barrage hit RSS Vanguard who took heavy damage, but she was still floating. The thick armourbelt of the cruiser insured it would live and fight another day.
One of the main concern though was at what speed the enemy ships was traveling, they were small but extremely fast at 10000km/s. The commander now ordered a full retreat, damage control was already underway on RSS Vanguard. A Raptor was dispatched to collect the surviving crew of Copernicus 01.
A few days later another group of ships appeared on the sensors, his time bigger at about 9000 tones. The commander gave the order of not open fire. Hopefully the aliens would acknowledge that they were withdrawing and just escort them out of the system. But a new wave of smaller missiles now started to come in. Most of these were directed at RSS Bengal and at much slower speed. The interceptors appeared to have a much better effect and the automated point defenses on Bengal was glowing hot and shooting down the missiles in droves.
Unfortunately, there were just wave after wave of missiles and some also hit both RSS Kidd and Vanguard. Vanguard were now limping with one of its engines down. It was silent again, repairs started yet again on RSS Vanguard.
A new wave of missiles suddenly appeared and was now coming in with a greater number directed at RSS Vanguard and RSS Kidd. The Vanguard was soon overwhelmed and all interceptor missiles were now depleted within the squadron.
The commander finally gave the order to retaliate and give the new aliens some taste of their own medicine and launch several salvos of Python anti-ship torpedoes.
90 crew of the Vanguard survived and was rescued by Bengal. The Hangar was now a large hospital facility.
Another hour or so past and the Python missiles reached their targets. They started to rip the enemy ships apart and two were soon disabled and two completely destroyed.
Another day passed and suddenly those smaller crafts appeared again and a new hail of missiles slammed into RSS Bengal, she took nearly 40 missile hits this time and there were some light damage on her systems.
A relief force has now left earth to help the cruiser squadron. The squadron did now safely manage to jump back to Wolfram. But the loss of RSS Vanguard is a stain on the record of the Republican navy whose policy it is that none shall fall to the perils of space, were they proven wrong!?!
A new model of the Bengal class cruiser has been issued to complement the A series in a more offensive reconnaissance role.
Not yet launched or refitted, there are currently four Bengal A class cruisers in service.
Bengal Mk.2/B class Heavy Cruiser 38,000 tons 1002 Crew 6072.7 BP TCS 760 TH 1560 EM 0
2736 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 8-100 Shields 0-0 Sensors 24/24/0/0 Damage Control Rating 51 PPV 72
Maint Life 2.92 Years MSP 4095 AFR 281% IFR 3.9% 1YR 712 5YR 10674 Max Repair 907 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Flight Crew Berths 31
Hangar Deck Capacity 3000 tons Magazine 859
JPN-38000/95 Military Jumpdrive Max Ship Size 38000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
NPE-2500/520 Nuclear Pulse Stardrive (4) Power 520 Fuel Use 57.81% Signature 390 Exp 13%
Fuel Capacity 3,000,000 Litres Range 24.6 billion km (103 days at full power)
PB-150/3-10 Particle Beam (4) Range 150,000km TS: 5000 km/s Power 7-4 ROF 10 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
CIWS-160/6 Guardian Point Defence (2x6) Range 1000 km TS: 16000 km/s ROF 5 Base 50% To Hit
BFC-4000/128 Beam Fire Control System (1) Max Range: 256,000 km TS: 4000 km/s 96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 65 61
PP-3/5 Pebble Bed Reactor Plant (6) Total Power Output 18 Armour 0 Exp 5%
ML-06/225 Torpedo Launcher (12) Missile Size 6 Rate of Fire 225
ML-01/10 Interceptor Launcher (12) Missile Size 1 Rate of Fire 10
ASTFC-136/120 Torpedo Fire Control System (1) Range 136.7m km Resolution 120
ATMFC-10/1.1 Anti-Torpedo Fire Control System (2) Range 10.6m km Resolution 1
AST-60/12 Python II Anti-Ship Torpedo (24) Speed: 34,000 km/s End: 29.1m Range: 59.4m km WH: 12 Size: 6 TH: 113 / 68 / 34
AST-120/12 Anaconda II Anti-ship Torpedo (36) Speed: 30,000 km/s End: 66.1m Range: 119m km WH: 12 Size: 6 TH: 100 / 60 / 30
AMM-2.7/84 Viper II Interceptor Missile (274) Speed: 30,000 km/s End: 1.6m Range: 2.9m km WH: 1 Size: 1 TH: 280 / 168 / 84
AST-20/53 Cobra II Light Torpedo (75) Speed: 38,000 km/s End: 8.7m Range: 19.9m km WH: 5 Size: 3 TH: 177 / 106 / 53
NSS-237/240 Naval Search Sensor (1) GPS 46080 Range 238.0m km Resolution 240
ASTDS-10/1.1 Torpedo Detection System (1) GPS 128 Range 10.2m km Resolution 1
TH-24/8 Naval Thermal Sensor (1) Sensitivity 24 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 24m km
EM-24/8 Naval EM Detection System (1) Sensitivity 24 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 24m km
It will carry two wings of Eagle class Interceptor crafts (2x5)
Eagle Mk.3 class Interceptor 298 tons 3 Crew 64.6 BP TCS 5.95 TH 60 EM 0
10084 km/s Armour 1-3 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 2.25
Maint Life 0 Years MSP 0 AFR 59% IFR 0.8% 1YR 4 5YR 62 Max Repair 19 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 0.5 months Spare Berths 3
Magazine 15
NPE-50/30 Ion Stardrive (2) Power 30 Fuel Use 489.16% Signature 30 Exp 25%
Fuel Capacity 5,000 Litres Range 0.6 billion km (17 hours at full power)
ML-03/X Torpedo Rack Mounts (5) Missile Size 3 Hangar Reload 22.5 minutes MF Reload 3.7 hours
ASTFC-20/20 Torpedo Fire Control System (1) Range 20.6m km Resolution 20
AST-20/53 Cobra II Light Torpedo (5) Speed: 38,000 km/s End: 8.7m Range: 19.9m km WH: 5 Size: 3 TH: 177 / 106 / 53
This ship will not directly replace the Bengal type A, but it will be a compliment to it. Later ideas is to build a slightly larger battle cruiser to service as the flagship of every independent reconnaissance divisions in the fleet.
In the next installment I will show of the second branch of the fleet and the fiasco of the current state of it. This is the plan behind the Concordia Battle Carrier which is a 75000 tone ship of pure brutal force just rotting away wasting resources at Earth maintenance facilities. Two of them have been built (RSS Concordia and RSS Republic) but none of them are really operational.
