Manta

Manta.jpg
Manta Fast Attack Submarine
Production information
Manufacturer Royal Nelson Memorial Shipwrights of Portsmouth[1]
Production Year 2698[2]
Mission Fast Attack Sub
Type Submarine
Technical specifications
Tech Base Inner Sphere[1]
Mass 50 tons[1]
Armor AmberStar Weave Ferro-Fibrous[1]
Engine GM 320 XL[1]
Speed 119 km/h
Communications System Trannel GN5[1]
Targeting Tracking System Trannel OT73N[1]
Armament
BV (2.0) 810[1]


Description[edit]

The Manta is a Fast Attack Submarine that was originally created for the Star League Defense Force's Royal CAAN Regiments. The design was meant to answer the SLDF's need for quick responses to undersea threats, and was often teamed with the larger Moray Heavy Attack Submarine in some of its missions.[1]

The sub was deployed by the SLDF throughout the Terran Hegemony and took part in the resistance to Stefan Amaris's occupation. However the Manta along with the Moray were devastated by the conflict and later became extinct in Inner Sphere by the end of the Succession Wars. Remaining survivors of the class were eventually found on Terra and decommissioned by their new owner, ComStar. The design was resurrected by the Word of Blake in 3070s, when they were deployed with Morays to provide escort support for the Blakists' new Wyrm SDS Submersible Fortresses.[3] After the liberation of Terra, the ships were used by Devlin Stone's Allied Coalition to hunt down the remaining rogue Wyrms still controlled by Blakist forces. The sub was later retained to the service of the Republic of the Sphere's Armed Forces to provide support for the remaining Wyrms under their control.[1]

The Manta's focus is on speed, where its 320 Rated Extra Light Fusion Engine allows the ship to achieve speeds of 119 km/h. However, the nearly eighteen-ton engine takes up a majority of the ship's mass. This left the ship with nine tons of ferro-fibrous armor, the majority of which was placed in the sub's bow, though the Manta was conceived to conduct high speed passes instead of slugging it out with its target.[1]

Weapons and Equipment[edit]

The weapons load was limited, due to its large engine. Mounted in the nose of the sub is a single ER Large Laser and Six-tubed Short-Ranged Torpedo Launcher, with only a single ton of ammunition.[1]

Variants[edit]

  • Manta (Support) 
    A Republic of the Sphere design introduced in 3086, this sub was created to support the original Manta and Moray. Designed as a Medium Fire Support vessel, it exchanges Manta's original weapons for pair of ER Medium Lasers and a single 15-tubed LRT Launcher. BV (2.0) = ???[1][4]

Notes[edit]

As of this writing, there are no published record sheets for the Manta or its variant.

References[edit]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Technical Readout: 3085 Supplemental, pp. 18–19: "Manta Fast Attack Sub"
  2. MUL online entry for the Manta
  3. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 189: "Wyrm SDS Submersible Fortress" - Wyrm's article notes two of the Mantas were used as part of that ship's complement of vehicles.
  4. MUL online entry for the Manta (Support) variant

Bibliography[edit]