Jeanne d'Arc Class Dreadnought
Jeanne d'Arc-Class Dreadnoughts serve as the main heavy capital ship units of the Marine Nationale. Massive ships many kilometers long, they carry a powerful armament of various weapons, extremely heavy defenses, highly sensitive sensors, and advanced command and control capabilities. Although not deployed in large numbers, it is a general rule that the protection of major planets and strategically important locations will be assigned to the Dreadnoughts, where they serve to crush and destroy those who seek to attack the Nation.
These vessels represented the first dreadnoughts of their size to be deployed by the Marine Nationale. Before their deployment, smaller Tourville-Class Battleships were used, and although these are still in active service it was ultimately decided that a new, more powerful vessel was needed to provide for the heavy component of the French Fleet. As a result the ship designers of New Marseilles were tasked with creating a new vessel, using all of the Republic's most up to date technology, weaponry, and design. Several years later, these designers would finalize the plans for the Jeanne d'Arc-Class. Shortly afterward this was approved by the National Assembly, and the first of the ships were laid down in a few months time. During the design period various changes and expansions had been made to the Union's capital ship yards, expanding them still further to enable the construction of the new ship class.
Larger than any of the previous ships in French service, Jeanne d'Arc-Class Dreadnoughts are around ten kilometers long. This massive length permits a huge tonnage and capacity, providing for large numbers of onboard weapons and defenses. However, like other ships of the Marine Nationale it retains the same shape of an octagon, with a mostly straight rear area and then a frontal section that gradually narrows down. However, unlike smaller Paris-Class destroyers the rear area of the ship also expands, so as to permit wide forward angles of fire for artillery batteries stationed there. This makes the ship proportionally somewhat wider as well. Although the length and width issues of space ships are not important given the lack of resistance to movement from the cold emptiness of space, this does permit greater tonnage onboard proportionally. Given the large increase in size that already occurred, this is a somewhat fearsome thought to behold! A picture of the ship's various shapes is also provided:
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2374/eb79.jpg
Armament of course, was perhaps the most vital portion of the ship. It more than lives up to the initial design goals, and is equipped with four main categories of weapons. These are VLS launched missiles, railguns and other projectile weapons, lasers, and plasma weapons. The ship was designed with the goal in mind of destroying enemy warships, especially large dreadnoughts, defending itself against fighters, and providing for an adequate siege and bombardment platform. This resulted in a somewhat more close ranged design unit, without as large of missile batteries, although it still incorporates extremely heavy batteries of VLS canisters.
For missiles, the most variable and modular weapons load-out onboard any French ship, a heavy uniform battery of V/4/40-65 VLS canisters. These are mainly found on the top and bottom of the ship, although some are distributed on other areas. These provide for a total of 5,400 onboard VLS tubes, arranged in 225 main batteries of 24 tubes each. These can fit a variety of missiles, including the heaviest anti-ship missiles in the Republic's arsenal. All include basic electromagnetic launching capabilities.
Lasers represent a main onboard armament, and are important for the dreadnought. There are, par usual, two types of laser. The heaviest are the massive VH-1000-74ASLs, which are capable of ripping through an enemy ship at many hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Their beams can target enemy missiles and fighters as well, although with somewhat less effectiveness due to the longer reload time. However, as the warship was not focusing on these weapons it carries but 192 of them for each broadside. The weapons are also not as large as could have been made, with "only" a ten meter diameter in comparison to the smaller destroyer grade 1 meter diameter laser. The smaller point defense lasers are multi-barreled gatling lasers, which are formed of 6 projectors from the V55-20-/AFLMs combined to form the V55-20-6/AFLM. Some 864 of these are positioned onboard, scattered around the ship to engage enemy missiles and fighters.
Guns receive much more attention onboard the ship than on the smaller destroyers. As it is designed with greater premium on close range combat, the ship is equipped with large anti-ship guns, in addition to smaller point defense cannons. These guns are generally arranged in broadside format along the flat side of the ship, and strength rather deep into the ship. This permits them fearsome firepower levels, and each cannon is some 3,600 millimeters in diameter and around 1,400 meters long, nearly 400 times its barrel length. Thus, they can reach immense speeds and engage enemy ships at long range. The ship incorporates 204 of these guns into each broadside, which provides for a high level of offensive firepower. For the smaller guns the normal 100mm guns are provided, with over three thousand onboard. These autocannons provide high firepower against enemy fighters, with the ability to fire small guided rounds or flak rounds, as well as some capabilities against enemy ships. The largest onboard railgun however, is the massive hull running one. This is a 24,000 millimeter railgun that runs for 9,216 meters through the ship, for the same 384 length to width ratio. This railgun can fire a massive, extremely heavy slug at speeds which form a high percentage of lightspeed, and provides the main long range killing power of the Republic's navy. One of the problems for it was that the sheer size of the gun made it a potential target for enemy fighters. However the barrel of the gun incorporates an iris with approximately 5,000 cm of armor protection, while extremely heavy shielding is arrayed around the front of the gun, making it the most well shielded place on the entire ship.
The final armament is composed of plasma weaponry. Unlike the other weaponry, they come in a single size, which is dedicated to anti-ship duties. These plasma drivers fire near lightspeed bolts at a high speed, but are rather large in size. However, they can cause massive damage to enemy ships when they do hit. Each of the vessels has 288 of them in each broadside, where they serve as the main weapons alongside the railguns. They are positioned in the same areas as the railguns, in the side vertical region. These plasma projectors are officially labeled the Type65CS/P.
Protection is almost as vital to the ship's functioning as its heavy armament. It incorporates large amounts of armor, and also strong shield generators. This armor is several meters thick at the exterior of the ship, while internal magazines and reactors incorporate similarily strong armor protection. The normal armored belt of the French warship on the broadside area is provided for as well. Strong internal subdivision is provided for as well, which makes the ship very hard to destroy. All of the systems incorporate multiple redundant processes when possible. In fact, the ship is divided into five sections total, each one of which is equipped with its own capabilities such as power generation, computer systems, magazines, and heavily armored in between sections. This makes it almost impossible to destroy the entire ship, as much of it will continue to fight no matter the damage to other sections. Shields include a dispersed network of shield generators which prevent easy destruction of them by any single attack. These systems are in addition to the advanced onboard electronic warfare and countermeasures. The ship includes 432 D-500/2/EW, which serve as double mounts to deploy a wide variety of electronic countermeasures to defend the ship. There are also deployable drones, with 144 V48/CSH/EW-D systems ready to be launched from various systems. These can be tractored to the ship at long distances, and are capable of mimicking its signature highly effectively. Advanced ECM is provided as well, and stealth measures, with the ship, par usual, being "painted" with electronic material that can chance its coloration, so it effortlessly blends in with the stars.
As far as the computing systems go, the Jeanne d'Arc-Class incorporates some of the most advanced in the entire Marine Nationale. Highly sophisticated onboard computer systems onboard are responsible for much of the running of the ship, however careful design was made to ensure these are resistant to enemy attack. The computers for each section are almost completely separate from those in another, and can quickly cut off contact if another section was infected. This prevents the ship as a whole from losing to a quick enemy attack. Meanwhile, the onboard systems are capable of launching their own attacks on enemy ships with capable electronic warfare capabilities.
Power for the ship is provided by a distributed network of 10 heavy fusion reactors. With extremely advanced gravity fields to contain the reactions, these power plants produce all the power needed for each section, with a great deal to space. The reactors are heavily protected by armor, and like the smaller reactors on many ships can be ejected into space or quickly stopped. Meanwhile, a network of secondary small power devices is also located nearer to the surface, helping to provide for additional redundancy. The reactors carry fuel for several months of operations, helping the ship to operate on distant operations.
Command and crew facilities are of the grade that could be expected from a flagship. There are five onboard command centers, each of which is capable of supporting full command of the vessel, and which are heavily protected and at the center of the ship. These command bridges incorporate holo projectors and various advanced command displays to provide the commander with an excellent depiction of the battlezone. As far as the crew goes, normal automation was worked into the ship. It carries a crew of some 48,000 personal, which is still more than would be completely necessary with full command abilities given to the computer. It also had a strong marine complement, of an entire Marine division.
The ship's engines and propulsion systems are quite sophisticated, however they are faced with the terrible prospect of trying to propel the massive bulk of the Jeanne d'Arc-Class. As a result, the ship is relatively slow to accelerate, one of the slowest in the warship fleet of the Marine Nationale. However, this is purely relative, and the ship is capable of reaching speeds identical to any other warship in the navy after a period of time.
Sensors are extremely capable, given the size of the warship. Unlike many smaller vessels, a dispersed network of radar was provided. This sensor system has many different individual receivers and transmitters across the ship, which are capable of both actively taking in enemy sensor waves, and proving ultra-sensitive long range detection. Effectively the main limit for these active sensors is the speed of light. The official designation is the MK70U-H/AESA, specifically designed for the class and mounted on no other ships. There are also FTL sensors to detect enemy ships travelling at FTL speeds, thermal detectors, and dispersed fire control across the ship(Generally many of the VLS missile batteries and broadside weapons will have individual fire control mounts). Advanced electronic drones can be deployed as well, with 72 Schulmeister-type Recon Drones. One of the final, and most advanced onboard systems is the V73/N/D-S, which is used to detect neutrinos. This is incredibly accurate and highly delicate, and carefully shielded and defended.
Hangars are the final system to be discussed. As a dreadnought, it was not viewed as necessary to dedicate signficant portions of the ship to carrier facilities, howevet the sheer size of the ship made it possible to provide for a large and capable hangar and fighter support capabilities. These fighters are mostly Voltigeur-Class Medium Fighters, which are manned by humans, and Mirage-Class drone fighters. The ship in general carries a complement of several hundred Voltigeurs, while Mirages can number up to several thousand. They are stored in the rear hangar area, principally on the bottom part of the ship, and are launched either with electromagnetic or non-assisted take off, while various gravitac or magnetic fields are used to guide them in. In general, such fighters are mostly used for defensive purposes. Meanwhile, the ship also incorporates a number of Berthier-Class shuttles, 144 of them total, and 48 Grenadier-Class Assault Gunboats.
Length: 10,000 meters
Width: 3,600 meters
Height: 3,000 meters
Power Generation:
10 fusion reactors
Armor:
7,200 cm armored broadside belt
3,600cm armor plating external
4,00cm armor over magazines and fusion reactors
2,000cm internal bulkheads
3,000cm internal command bridges
5,000cm iris
Command Facilities:
5 internal command bridges
Shields:
Heavy shielding, distributed shield generation
Sensors:
MK70U-H/AESA
V73/N/D-S
Passive thermal sensors
FTL sensors
Passive radar systems
Mk76/DNC Fire Control
Electronic Countermeasures
Electronic Warfare:
432 D-500/2/EW
144 V48/CSH/EW-D
Armament:
Missiles:
4,800 V/4/40-65 VLS canisters
Lasers:
384 VH-1000-74ASLs
864 V55-20-6/AFLM
Guns:
1,600 Dual 100mm/96 point defense guns
408 3,200mm/383 Broadside Railguns
1 24,000mm/384 Hull Running Railgun
Plasma:
576 Type65CS/P
Complement:
48,000 personal
1 Marine Division
Acceleration:
Several dozen gravities
Endurance:
6 months
Complement of Space Vehicles:
240 Voltigeur-Class Fighters
2,064 Mirage-Class Fighters
144 Berthier-Class shuttles
48 Grenadier-Class Assault Shuttles
These vessels represented the first dreadnoughts of their size to be deployed by the Marine Nationale. Before their deployment, smaller Tourville-Class Battleships were used, and although these are still in active service it was ultimately decided that a new, more powerful vessel was needed to provide for the heavy component of the French Fleet. As a result the ship designers of New Marseilles were tasked with creating a new vessel, using all of the Republic's most up to date technology, weaponry, and design. Several years later, these designers would finalize the plans for the Jeanne d'Arc-Class. Shortly afterward this was approved by the National Assembly, and the first of the ships were laid down in a few months time. During the design period various changes and expansions had been made to the Union's capital ship yards, expanding them still further to enable the construction of the new ship class.
Larger than any of the previous ships in French service, Jeanne d'Arc-Class Dreadnoughts are around ten kilometers long. This massive length permits a huge tonnage and capacity, providing for large numbers of onboard weapons and defenses. However, like other ships of the Marine Nationale it retains the same shape of an octagon, with a mostly straight rear area and then a frontal section that gradually narrows down. However, unlike smaller Paris-Class destroyers the rear area of the ship also expands, so as to permit wide forward angles of fire for artillery batteries stationed there. This makes the ship proportionally somewhat wider as well. Although the length and width issues of space ships are not important given the lack of resistance to movement from the cold emptiness of space, this does permit greater tonnage onboard proportionally. Given the large increase in size that already occurred, this is a somewhat fearsome thought to behold! A picture of the ship's various shapes is also provided:
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2374/eb79.jpg
Armament of course, was perhaps the most vital portion of the ship. It more than lives up to the initial design goals, and is equipped with four main categories of weapons. These are VLS launched missiles, railguns and other projectile weapons, lasers, and plasma weapons. The ship was designed with the goal in mind of destroying enemy warships, especially large dreadnoughts, defending itself against fighters, and providing for an adequate siege and bombardment platform. This resulted in a somewhat more close ranged design unit, without as large of missile batteries, although it still incorporates extremely heavy batteries of VLS canisters.
For missiles, the most variable and modular weapons load-out onboard any French ship, a heavy uniform battery of V/4/40-65 VLS canisters. These are mainly found on the top and bottom of the ship, although some are distributed on other areas. These provide for a total of 5,400 onboard VLS tubes, arranged in 225 main batteries of 24 tubes each. These can fit a variety of missiles, including the heaviest anti-ship missiles in the Republic's arsenal. All include basic electromagnetic launching capabilities.
Lasers represent a main onboard armament, and are important for the dreadnought. There are, par usual, two types of laser. The heaviest are the massive VH-1000-74ASLs, which are capable of ripping through an enemy ship at many hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Their beams can target enemy missiles and fighters as well, although with somewhat less effectiveness due to the longer reload time. However, as the warship was not focusing on these weapons it carries but 192 of them for each broadside. The weapons are also not as large as could have been made, with "only" a ten meter diameter in comparison to the smaller destroyer grade 1 meter diameter laser. The smaller point defense lasers are multi-barreled gatling lasers, which are formed of 6 projectors from the V55-20-/AFLMs combined to form the V55-20-6/AFLM. Some 864 of these are positioned onboard, scattered around the ship to engage enemy missiles and fighters.
Guns receive much more attention onboard the ship than on the smaller destroyers. As it is designed with greater premium on close range combat, the ship is equipped with large anti-ship guns, in addition to smaller point defense cannons. These guns are generally arranged in broadside format along the flat side of the ship, and strength rather deep into the ship. This permits them fearsome firepower levels, and each cannon is some 3,600 millimeters in diameter and around 1,400 meters long, nearly 400 times its barrel length. Thus, they can reach immense speeds and engage enemy ships at long range. The ship incorporates 204 of these guns into each broadside, which provides for a high level of offensive firepower. For the smaller guns the normal 100mm guns are provided, with over three thousand onboard. These autocannons provide high firepower against enemy fighters, with the ability to fire small guided rounds or flak rounds, as well as some capabilities against enemy ships. The largest onboard railgun however, is the massive hull running one. This is a 24,000 millimeter railgun that runs for 9,216 meters through the ship, for the same 384 length to width ratio. This railgun can fire a massive, extremely heavy slug at speeds which form a high percentage of lightspeed, and provides the main long range killing power of the Republic's navy. One of the problems for it was that the sheer size of the gun made it a potential target for enemy fighters. However the barrel of the gun incorporates an iris with approximately 5,000 cm of armor protection, while extremely heavy shielding is arrayed around the front of the gun, making it the most well shielded place on the entire ship.
The final armament is composed of plasma weaponry. Unlike the other weaponry, they come in a single size, which is dedicated to anti-ship duties. These plasma drivers fire near lightspeed bolts at a high speed, but are rather large in size. However, they can cause massive damage to enemy ships when they do hit. Each of the vessels has 288 of them in each broadside, where they serve as the main weapons alongside the railguns. They are positioned in the same areas as the railguns, in the side vertical region. These plasma projectors are officially labeled the Type65CS/P.
Protection is almost as vital to the ship's functioning as its heavy armament. It incorporates large amounts of armor, and also strong shield generators. This armor is several meters thick at the exterior of the ship, while internal magazines and reactors incorporate similarily strong armor protection. The normal armored belt of the French warship on the broadside area is provided for as well. Strong internal subdivision is provided for as well, which makes the ship very hard to destroy. All of the systems incorporate multiple redundant processes when possible. In fact, the ship is divided into five sections total, each one of which is equipped with its own capabilities such as power generation, computer systems, magazines, and heavily armored in between sections. This makes it almost impossible to destroy the entire ship, as much of it will continue to fight no matter the damage to other sections. Shields include a dispersed network of shield generators which prevent easy destruction of them by any single attack. These systems are in addition to the advanced onboard electronic warfare and countermeasures. The ship includes 432 D-500/2/EW, which serve as double mounts to deploy a wide variety of electronic countermeasures to defend the ship. There are also deployable drones, with 144 V48/CSH/EW-D systems ready to be launched from various systems. These can be tractored to the ship at long distances, and are capable of mimicking its signature highly effectively. Advanced ECM is provided as well, and stealth measures, with the ship, par usual, being "painted" with electronic material that can chance its coloration, so it effortlessly blends in with the stars.
As far as the computing systems go, the Jeanne d'Arc-Class incorporates some of the most advanced in the entire Marine Nationale. Highly sophisticated onboard computer systems onboard are responsible for much of the running of the ship, however careful design was made to ensure these are resistant to enemy attack. The computers for each section are almost completely separate from those in another, and can quickly cut off contact if another section was infected. This prevents the ship as a whole from losing to a quick enemy attack. Meanwhile, the onboard systems are capable of launching their own attacks on enemy ships with capable electronic warfare capabilities.
Power for the ship is provided by a distributed network of 10 heavy fusion reactors. With extremely advanced gravity fields to contain the reactions, these power plants produce all the power needed for each section, with a great deal to space. The reactors are heavily protected by armor, and like the smaller reactors on many ships can be ejected into space or quickly stopped. Meanwhile, a network of secondary small power devices is also located nearer to the surface, helping to provide for additional redundancy. The reactors carry fuel for several months of operations, helping the ship to operate on distant operations.
Command and crew facilities are of the grade that could be expected from a flagship. There are five onboard command centers, each of which is capable of supporting full command of the vessel, and which are heavily protected and at the center of the ship. These command bridges incorporate holo projectors and various advanced command displays to provide the commander with an excellent depiction of the battlezone. As far as the crew goes, normal automation was worked into the ship. It carries a crew of some 48,000 personal, which is still more than would be completely necessary with full command abilities given to the computer. It also had a strong marine complement, of an entire Marine division.
The ship's engines and propulsion systems are quite sophisticated, however they are faced with the terrible prospect of trying to propel the massive bulk of the Jeanne d'Arc-Class. As a result, the ship is relatively slow to accelerate, one of the slowest in the warship fleet of the Marine Nationale. However, this is purely relative, and the ship is capable of reaching speeds identical to any other warship in the navy after a period of time.
Sensors are extremely capable, given the size of the warship. Unlike many smaller vessels, a dispersed network of radar was provided. This sensor system has many different individual receivers and transmitters across the ship, which are capable of both actively taking in enemy sensor waves, and proving ultra-sensitive long range detection. Effectively the main limit for these active sensors is the speed of light. The official designation is the MK70U-H/AESA, specifically designed for the class and mounted on no other ships. There are also FTL sensors to detect enemy ships travelling at FTL speeds, thermal detectors, and dispersed fire control across the ship(Generally many of the VLS missile batteries and broadside weapons will have individual fire control mounts). Advanced electronic drones can be deployed as well, with 72 Schulmeister-type Recon Drones. One of the final, and most advanced onboard systems is the V73/N/D-S, which is used to detect neutrinos. This is incredibly accurate and highly delicate, and carefully shielded and defended.
Hangars are the final system to be discussed. As a dreadnought, it was not viewed as necessary to dedicate signficant portions of the ship to carrier facilities, howevet the sheer size of the ship made it possible to provide for a large and capable hangar and fighter support capabilities. These fighters are mostly Voltigeur-Class Medium Fighters, which are manned by humans, and Mirage-Class drone fighters. The ship in general carries a complement of several hundred Voltigeurs, while Mirages can number up to several thousand. They are stored in the rear hangar area, principally on the bottom part of the ship, and are launched either with electromagnetic or non-assisted take off, while various gravitac or magnetic fields are used to guide them in. In general, such fighters are mostly used for defensive purposes. Meanwhile, the ship also incorporates a number of Berthier-Class shuttles, 144 of them total, and 48 Grenadier-Class Assault Gunboats.
Length: 10,000 meters
Width: 3,600 meters
Height: 3,000 meters
Power Generation:
10 fusion reactors
Armor:
7,200 cm armored broadside belt
3,600cm armor plating external
4,00cm armor over magazines and fusion reactors
2,000cm internal bulkheads
3,000cm internal command bridges
5,000cm iris
Command Facilities:
5 internal command bridges
Shields:
Heavy shielding, distributed shield generation
Sensors:
MK70U-H/AESA
V73/N/D-S
Passive thermal sensors
FTL sensors
Passive radar systems
Mk76/DNC Fire Control
Electronic Countermeasures
Electronic Warfare:
432 D-500/2/EW
144 V48/CSH/EW-D
Armament:
Missiles:
4,800 V/4/40-65 VLS canisters
Lasers:
384 VH-1000-74ASLs
864 V55-20-6/AFLM
Guns:
1,600 Dual 100mm/96 point defense guns
408 3,200mm/383 Broadside Railguns
1 24,000mm/384 Hull Running Railgun
Plasma:
576 Type65CS/P
Complement:
48,000 personal
1 Marine Division
Acceleration:
Several dozen gravities
Endurance:
6 months
Complement of Space Vehicles:
240 Voltigeur-Class Fighters
2,064 Mirage-Class Fighters
144 Berthier-Class shuttles
48 Grenadier-Class Assault Shuttles
Commentaires
Publier un commentaire