Dart (WarShip class)
Sarna News
| DART-CLASS LIGHT CRUISER | |
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | Di Tron Heavy Industries |
| Introduced | 2305 |
| Use | LIGHT CRUISER |
| Tech Base | Star League |
| Cost | 6817133800 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Mass | 680,000 tons |
| Length | 703 meters |
| Sail Diameter | |
| Fuel | |
| Burn Rate | |
| Safe Thrust | |
| Top Thrust | 3 |
| Sail Integrity | |
| KF Drive Integrity | |
| LF Battery | No |
| Armament | 40 Killer Whale missiles (2,000 tons), 80 rounds NAC/30 ammunition
(24 tons), 185 rounds NAC/25 ammunition (110 tons), 100 rounds NAC/20 ammunition (40 tons) |
| Armor | Standard Armor |
| DropShip Capacity | 6 |
| Crew | 45 officers, 136 enlisted / non-rated, 36 gunners, 120 marines and 30 bay
personnel |
| Grav Decks | 2 (both 145-meters diameter) |
| Escape Pods/Life Boats | 29/35 |
| Heat Sinks | 2358 Heat Sinks |
| Structural Integrity | |
| BV (1.0) | 114,986 |
| BV (2.0) | ??? |
Description
In the early years of the Terran Alliance, the naval command identified a need
for a WarShip that could operate independently not only as a combat vessel, but
also as an exploration ship and cargo carrier when required. They needed it to be
able to function competently even in the furthest reaches of the Alliance, or beyond
the other realms of the Inner Sphere. The ship also had to be heavy enough to
withstand some of the arduous demands placed on ships in the harshness of
space during exploration or combat. Di Tron Heavy Industries supplied the Terran
Navy the answer: the Dart-class cruiser.
The Dart-class was a ship designed specifically for independent duty. The
construction of the ship included very large fuel storage tanks and a cargo bay
massing over 15% of the ship’s mass. Built into the hull were six-drop collars to
handle the large military and civilian class DropShips. However, not the largest of
WarShips, it was large enough to have a reinforced structural integrity not commonly
found on WarShips of the same size.
One unique aspect of the Dart was its maneuver drives: the new Century 4000s.
Though massive, they were robust and very dependable. Most engineers joked that
they were required only to change the oil and filter during scheduled maintenance
periods for the drives. 1,200 tons of standard armor protected the ship’s hull. The
weapons were a mixture of heavy energy weapons and naval autocannons.
The Dart-class served for nearly 200 years before they were retired in favor of
the new Avatar cruiser. Many of the Periphery nations purchased the ships ,
however with their weapons removed, and saw service into the Reunification War.
The SLS Gettysburg destroyed the last known Dart in the New Vandenberg revolt in
2722. The last Dart cruiser was a shell of its former self when fanatical Periphery
separatists attempted to destroy the newer Essex-class destroyer.