Essex II (WarShip class)

Essex TRO2750.jpg
Essex
Production information
Manufacturer Mitchell Vehicles
Introduced 2711
Production Year 2711[1]
Use Destroyer
Tech Base Star League
Cost 1,893,822,000 C-bills
Technical specifications
Mass 620,000
Length 615 m
Sail Diameter 1,120 m
Fuel 3,000 tons
Burn Rate
Safe Thrust 1.5 g
Top Thrust 2.5 g
Sail Integrity 4
KF Drive Integrity 13
LF Battery No
Armament 12 x NAC/20s
3 x Barracuda Missile Tubes
8 x NL35s
8 x Medium NPPCs
Armor 306 tons of MVT CL200 Improved Ferro-Aluminum
DropShip Capacity None
Crew 208
Grav Decks 2 x 55 meter diameter
Escape Pods/Life Boats 6/6
Heat Sinks 746 Double Heat Sinks
Structural Integrity 60
BV (1.0) 62,357[2]
BV (2.0) ???



Description

The second class of WarShip to bear the name, the Essex-class destroyer (also known as Essex II) was designed in response to Star League Navy's request for a quick destroyer that could also make sustained voyages far from support, replacing the older Naga-class which had in turn replaced the original HAF era Essex I-class in 2645.

The modern SLS Essex slipped its moorings from the Mitchell Vehicles shipyards above Graham IV in late 2711. Because its designers had wished to emphasize the vessel's swiftness and reliability, they had given it three compact and dependable lnterSystem Class VII engines, built by the Saro Company of Keid, which produce great thrust. The ship's computer systems were built by the Nirasaki Computers Collective, allowing the Essex's crew to do everything from monitor remote surveillance satellites to orchestrating corvette squadrons.

However, the Essex was noted for its ammunition bays, which were too lightly armored to protect its missiles and autocannon shells adequately, and became quite evident with the destruction of Essex destroyers in action against Periphery forces in the 2730s and during the Amaris-Kerensky Civil War. Less than thirty survived the campaign to liberate Terra and the bulk left with the Exodus Fleet, but surviving examples continue to serve in the fleets of ComStar, the Free Worlds League, the Word of Blake as well as various Clan Toumans.

Armament

The Essex's main weapons are its twelve Whirlwind-20 Series NAC/20s, manufactured by Karon Naval Armaments of Terra and unmatched for reliability, mounted in four turrets. The Essex carries three missile tubes capable of firing Barracuda missiles, the smallest and smartest of the three standard missile types used by the Star League Navy. The remainder of the vessel's weaponry consists of a mixture of Magna-35 NL35s and Rand-10 Medium NPPCs.

Cargo

Lacking Docking collars, the Essex has a single 132,634 ton capacity cargo bay, with four Small Craft bays a single six fighter capacity AeroSpace Fighter bay located amidships with entry and exit doors port and starboard.

Variants

  • Clan 
    Those vessels that survived the genesis of the Star League in Exile continue to serve in the Clan Toumans, beyond a reduction in armor and cargo space to allow the Essex to carry two complete Stars of OmniFighters and add a Lithium-Fusion Battery, the most most notable modification is refitting the ships with the advanced Athena-3 computer system. Far superior than those of the Star League, the Athena-3 can control almost all shipboard functions so a skeleton crew of 25 can run it, though normally it only monitors the ship's system.

Named Vessels

Clan Coyote
Clan Diamond Shark
Clan Goliath Scorpion
Clan Ghost Bear
Clan Ice Hellion
Clan Smoke Jaguar
Clan Snow Raven
Clan Star Adder
Clan Steel Viper
Com Guards
Draconis Combine
Free Worlds League
Star League Defense Force
Word of Blake

See Also

Essex Ship Gallery

Notes

  1. MUL online date for the Essex II (WarShip class)
  2. AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 291

Bibliography