Dreadnought (Individual Dreadnought-class WarShip)

Overview

The TAS Dreadnought was the first true combat WarShip ordered constructed by Admiral James McKenna. The Dreadnought-class WarShip is named after this vessel. It served with the Terran Alliance, Terran Hegemony and Star League as the TAS, THS and SLS Dreadnought, respectively.

History

Upon his assumption of Alliance Global Navy command in 2295, Admiral James McKenna began a program of construction for true combat warships. It was the first of six similar vessels built at the orbiting shipyards of Terra, Mars and Venus.

The TAS Dreadnought was launched as the flag ship for Admiral McKenna in 2300 and over a period of 14 years led a fleet of at least 26 ships for the Alliance Navy. McKenna eventually transferred his flag to the Black Lion, another Dreadnought-class vessel, and which would later give it's name to the Black Lion-class WarShip.

In response to the virtual civil war on Terra, between the Liberal and Expansionist factions of the Alliance, the Dreadnought was used to bombard the island of Strand Rock, Scotland and another island off the coast of Australia from orbit, completely destroying them. This action on June 2, 2315 focused the attention of Terra and effectively ended the major fighting paving the way for the creation of the Terran Hegemony.

The Dreadnought class remained in service for some three centuries and was retired only after the Reunification War. The last ship, the SLS Dreadnought which had also been the first of the class, was kept as an exhibit but destroyed in the Amaris Coup.

Bibliography

• The Star League, p. 13
• Historical: Reunification War, pp. 222, 223 - "Dreadnought-class WarShip"