Cloud Ten
Sarna News
| |
| Cloud Ten Carrier Airship | |
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | Fort Chirikof Repair Facilities; Lockheed-CBM Corp. |
| Use | Command Ship, Surveillance Craft Carrier |
| Tech Base | Inner Sphere (Experimental) |
| Chassis Type (Size) | Airship (Large) |
| Equipment Rating | |
| Introduced | 3075[1] |
| Technical specifications | |
| Mass | 1,000 tons |
| Structural Integrity | 20 |
| Speed | 2 |
| Top Speed | 3 |
| Power Plant | fusion |
| Fuel (Type/Range) | Unlimited |
| Communications System | Unspecified |
| Targeting Tracking System | Unspecified |
| Fire Control System | Advanced |
| Armament | |
| Heat Sinks | None |
| Armor | Unspecified |
| Barrier Armor Rating (BAR) | 8 |
| Crew | 74
|
| BV (2.0) | 1,042 |
Contents
Description[edit]
The Cloud Ten Airship Carrier was a large lighter-than air vehicle designed to carry three squadrons of Lexan Surveillance Helo VTOLs and act as a mobile command headquarters. Based on the failed Cloud Nine Airship, Cloud Ten was conceived by Joseph Akron.
The ship concept was first conceived at the 57th Electrical Engineer, Computer Engineer, Industrial Engineer Conference Event or 57th EECEIECE in 3074. At the conference, the Cloud Ten's predecessor, Cloud Nine, ranked third in the list of top technological blunders. Akron met Rebecca Cardinali of Cal-Boeing, where an overnight discussion became a new project that led to the creation of the Cloud Ten and the Lexus Survey Helo. Akron managed to convince Cal-Boeing's CEO (and his uncle) to give the Cloud Carrier project another try.
After Cloud Ten and its first six Lexan VTOLs had been delivered, the ship went on tour to remote worlds of the Federated Suns and Lyran Alliance in 3076, demonstrating its capabilities.[3]
Weapons and Equipment[edit]
The Cloud Ten was conceived as a strategic asset, using its support abilities to help find the enemy force and bring this information to its commanders. To enable it in this endeavor, the ship was equipped with surveillance equipment including a hi-res imager, Hyperspectral Imager, Infrared Imager, and Lookdown Radar. These devices would give commanders a number of advantages on the battlefield. Along with this, it uses a Remote Sensor Dispenser with 60 sensors pods to allow for remote sense capacity. The ship has 13 tons of Communication Equipment, which allows the ship become a mobile command headquarters and allow it to tap into orbiting satellites.
The ship's principal surveillance capacity is its complement of Lexan Surveillance Helos with advanced Recon Camera and ECM to help recon potential hotspots.
Being a strategic asset, it is armored and armed should it come under fire. The ship has four experimental Thunderbolt 10 launchers, one mounted in each of the ship's firing arcs. Enhancing its far-reaching firepower, the ship has been also been given some experimental 5-tubed Extended Long Range Missile launchers, one in right and left wing sections. The ship has been given a limited artillery support capacity with its nose-mounted Thumper Artillery Cannon.[4] These weapons are tied up into an advance fire control, to give it high precision against an enemy unit.
The ship is protected by 6.5 tons of BAR 8 Commercial Armor and an experimental Angel ECM.
Cargo[edit]
The ship has a light vehicle bay with 4 doors (2 on the left and 2 on the right sides of the ship.) The ship's main hangar has a 180 ton carrying capacity with 2 doors (one on each on the left and right sides of the ship.) It has an internal cargo bay capable of handling 82.2 tons standard cargo, with doors mounted on left and right side of the ship.
The Cloud Ten also has room to carry 112 foot infantry in four infantry bays.
Related Vehicles[edit]
- Cloud Nine - This prototype fighter carrier was a proof-of-concept vessel that was destroyed on its maiden flight. The Cloud Ten design was based on this ill-fated ship.
Notes[edit]
- The ship has a searchlight mounted in each of its four arcs. It also has a MASH unit, mobile field headquarters, field kitchen, and carries 20 atmospheric lifeboats.
Errata[edit]
- In an erratum first published in November 2010, the Cloud Ten's weaponry and some of its equipment was completely changed due to problems and errors found after its creation. The old weaponry (as per Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex) originally included four Silver Bullet Gauss rifles, and a Thumper artillery piece mounted in the nose.[5]
References[edit]
- ↑ MUL online date for the Cloud Ten
- ↑ XTRO Boondocks Errata radically changed weaponry of the ship. (dead link)
- ↑ Experimental Technical Readout: Boondocks, pp. 7, 15: Lexan VTOL & Cloud Ten Airship Carrier profiles
- ↑ November 2010 Errata for XTRO Boondocks detailed changes to the ship and its capacities. (dead link)
- ↑ Erratum re-posting on the official BattleTech Forum