Mjolnir class Nuclear-Powered Battlecruiser (BCN)
Introduction:
The Mjolnir class BCN has been designed specifically to attack and destroy important strategic targets in a timely fashion. A lone Mjolnir can sink an unwary task group and a squadron would destroy most task forces. Construction of a single Mjolnir takes 44 months and costs 17.32 billion Universal Standard Dollars.
Basic Design:
The Mjolnir class is a battlecruiser designed to fill the space between cruiser and all-up ships of the line. Its dimensions are 450 meters long, 49.85 meters waterline beam (although the internal protections against torpedoes, missiles, and shells reduce internal usable beam to 48 meters), a normal draft of 15.9 meters, and displaces a maximum of 218,043 tons. The hull, superstructure, and bulkheads are constructed of tri-modal aluminum, a composite material which has the lightness of armour grade aluminum but the toughness of armour grade steel. The aforementioned internal protection system consists of a 8.25” thick belt that utilizes a honeycomb design which allows for greater strength in resisting side torpedo impacts and has the added benefit of miniature crush zones, behind this is the primary crush zone which consists of void space and a honeycomb sub-frame for added structural integrity, after which sits a 28” thick belt of composite armour (which uses tri-modal aluminum armour as its main component but also features other materials to deal with munitions designed to defeat solid metal armour), and finally the honeycomb frame featuring a displaced keel for added protection against torpedoes which the entire armour system is mounted on. Internally, as mentioned above, all horizontal and vertical bulkheads are constructed of tri-modal aluminum and structural bulkheads are reinforced in the traditional manner.
The Mjolnir class is designed to berth 1,062 under normal operating conditions and can operate with a skeleton crew of 711. Furthermore, the ship can house a single company of Marines and has emergency overflow berths for 357 personnel.
Aviation:
A 2,400 square meter helicopter deck is placed just aft of a hangar capable of housing ten large naval helicopters internally, which is itself integrated into the superstructure. To aid with landings in rough sea states, a “Bear Trap” style device is installed. Also, gear for launching and recovering UAVs is installed as standard and space is given for ten such vehicles in addition to VTOL storage.
Magazine space for depth charges and light torpedoes is shared with the ship's own internal magazines for protection against fires and explosions caused by missile hits to the hangar. Aviation gas is housed internally and pumped up into the hangar bay for refueling operations. For protection against fires within the hangar proper, a halon gas system separate from the ship's main fire suppression system is installed.
Artillery:
Six 406mm/60 ETC guns are housed in three gun turrets, one turret just forward of the superstructure and one on the quarterdeck. Each turret is capable of firing at 30 rounds per minute and the guns are rated for elevations of -5 and +45 degrees independent of each other. Maximum range for a standard (basebleed) shell weighing 2,700 pounds is 93.2 kilometers, with ranges for boosted ammunition varying depending on the type of propulsion and other factors. Magazine capacity is 500 rounds per gun.
Six 76mm/62 ETC Super Rapid guns are mounted in single gun turret pairs flanking the forward superstructure and a pair flanking the helicopter hangar. Each gun is capable of firing at a rate of 150 rounds per minute and the guns are rated for elevations of -15 and +85 degrees at the extremes. Maximum range for a standard (basebleed) shell weighing 18 pounds is 37.5 kilometers, with ranges for specialist AA shells having various ranges due to weight and other factors. Magazine capacity is 800 rounds per gun.
Eight Mk52 Combination Anti-Missile Defense stations are mounted in pairs atop the forward bridge, flanking the aft mack, and on either side of the superstructure forward and aft of the rail mortar. Each station mounts four 40mm ETC Gatling guns with a maximum rate of fire of 3,600 round per minute and 12 anti-missile missiles. This system can engage incoming missiles at a range of up to 10 kilometers.
Five 25mm ETC naval autocannons, two mounted on each side of the forward superstructure and one on the fantail, for general purpose close in protection duties. They have a maximum rate of fire of 400 rounds per minute and a range of 7.5 kilometers.
Missiles:
Ten 144-missile (12x12) Mk84 Tactical-Length VLS are mounted forward of the A turret and represent the primary combat firepower of the Mjolnir. Measuring 1.4m wide by 14.4m deep, they are capable of fitting a single very large land attack, anti-ship, or anti-aircraft missile or multi-packing smaller missiles. Each block is surround by a 28” thick belt of tri-modal aluminum to prevent penetration through the side of the block or, in a worst case scenario, to force chain reaction explosions upwards.
Land Attack Railguns:
Two 105mm Rail Mortars are mounted on the centerline superfiring over the 16” turrets. Each rail mortar is capable of 4 rounds per minute rate of fire and is rated for +0 to +80 elevation at the extremes. A single sabot is capable of hitting land targets 400km distant and has a penetration capability on par with that of a 2,000 pound bunker busting bomb.
Underwater Weaponry:
For use against mines and torpedoes, especially in poor sonar conditions, six 50mm railguns firing supercavitating slugs are mounted. The railguns are mounted as pairs forward of the VLS array, on either flank of the superstructure amidship, and flanking the X turret. The railguns have a maximum range of 150m and have a maximum rate of fire of 60 rounds per minute.
Four 1,000mm torpedo tubes are mounted in pairs above the waterline and at the forward extreme of the bow on either side. Magazine capacity is 24 super heavyweight torpedoes and 100 lightweight torpedoes (this magazine capacity is taken up by “interceptor” torpedoes in the Imperial Navy).
Countermeasures:
The ship mounts six Mk10 mortar decoy launchers capable of launching a number of anti-missile and anti-torpedo spoofing rounds. Further, it is possible to launch shore bombardment rounds from the 12” tubes, although no such munitions are yet deployed with the Imperial Navy.
For electronic countermeasures, the ship uses the Mk650 “Doberman” Combined Electronic Warfare Suite. Not only is the system capable of the complete array of radar spoofing, but it can jam mid-course correction and other telemetry links plus use the ship's radars as directed energy weapons in certain circumstances.
Finally, the Mk15 towed decoy is installed for use against torpedoes. Fourteen total decoys are carried aboard ship and seven can be deployed at a time to mimic the Indomitable's propulsion.
Sensors:
The primary means of threat detection is the APAR-24D I-band LPI radar system. Two sets of four panels are mounted on the forward mack in order to provide three dimensional tracking and target of up to 1,728 simultaneous air and surface targets at a range of up to 780 kilometers (where the horizon allows).
As a backup to the APAR-24D, the APAR-18D K-band NPI radar is installed on the aft mack with four omnidirectional panels. It provides all-weather targeting and tracking out to 362 kilometers and allows for the simultaneous tracking and engagement of 576 contacts.
The ASOR-70 E-band phased array radar is also installed on the aft mack and allows for tracking and targeting of edge-of-space and orbital threats to the fleet.
Over-the-horizon tracking and targeting is provided primarily by two surface effect radar sets. The ASER-3D is comprised of three super-directional radars (one on the forward part of the superstructure and two on the aft mack) which provide tracking and targeting of airborne and surface targets out to 370 kilometers. The second surface effect radar is the ASER-4D; because it is only a single array it is limited to 140 kilometers and its targeting abilities are limited, it is essentially a backup to the primary set.
Line-of-site tracking and targeting is provided by four Mk5 LIDAR arrays. Short range fire direction is provided by four ASSR-40 LPI radars.
Subsurface tracking is provided by a bow-mounted SS-48 sonar array and SS-60 towed-line array. Supplementing the sonar arrays is the SL-4 blue-green LADAR array, which has a range and resolution comparable to the SS-48. Tied directly to the ship's underwater defenses is the SL-6 close-in LADAR array, which is a short range and high precision array mean to track and target point threats such as torpedoes and mines.
Command and Control:
As the Mjolnir is chiefly responsible for striking at high value targets, an 'Odin' Theatre Warfare Coordination Suite is installed. It is a less capable version of the 'Yggdrasil” Strategic Command and Control Suite installed on the Mjolnir class BBN and gives a fleet redundant all aspect C4i capability.
Derived from the Freethinkers' NG04/05 Naval Gunnery Suite, the Mk85 NGS continues the tradition of superlative gunfire control that allows standard artillery to achieve accuracies that were only previously possible with guided munitions.
Accommodations and Facilities:
The Mjolnir is a large ship with a relatively small crew, so it stands to reason that the facilities for morale and recreation are very generous. All messes and wardrooms are equipped with the largest and most advanced HDTVs on the market, as well as the latest and greatest in other home theater peripherals. Further, there are two fully equipped gyms, an indoor gunnery range, a cinema, and the ability to install other recreational facilities in unused areas.
All enlisted (Navy and Marine) and junior NCOs are housed in four man berths, senior NCOs and cadets in two man berths, and officers have berths to themselves of various size depending on their rank. Every berth enjoys an HDTV, video player, 60ghz gigabyte wireless LAN connection with full military encryption, and secure storage for laptops in lightly armoured compartments.
Propulsion:
Power is provided by three 175Mw Ascension Nuclear pebblebed reactors.
Propulsion is provided by four steam turbines supplying 292Mw to eight omnidirectional heavy waterjets. Cruise speed is 28 knots, normal top speed is 32 knots, and the ship is capable of producing flat-out sprints of 37.5 knots for short distances. Four bow thrusters are also installed for maneuvering in congested areas.
Refueling takes place every 15-20 years, although the Empire insists that for safety and control reasons that customers bring their ships to an Imperial port for refueling.
