The Raptor class multi-purpose amphibious assault ships were badly obsolete and needed to be replaced. Development was started on a replacement class while engineers attempted to keep the Raptor class operating for a few more years. The Raptor class was as much a carrier as it was a standard amphibious vessel and this feature was to be copied in the replacement class. Amphibious carriers had become capable of operating as strike platforms with the introduction of the VSTOL fighter types and had become even more potent with the introduction of the Joint Strike Fighters.
The requirements for the new assault carrier Cay Kut (Sea God) class design included many improvements which included the ability of the carrier to act virtually in the role of a normal carrier. The vessel could act as a Sea control vessel and in that mission, the number of carried ground assault aircraft is reduced so the ship can carry more fighters. Other features included much better self defense weaponry and a hull and superstructure design to give the vessel some stealth.
It was decided from the beginning that the amphibious vessels would have nuclear power as their main power source. This power system had become economical and the power plant could produce enough power to propel the vessel at 30 knots. At the same time this system was fitted to the Cay Kut, designers were considering fitting the propulsion system to merchant vessels as well. The ship carries variable pitch propellers which makes the propulsion system both more efficient and allows from crash stops.
The hull and superstructure were designed with a reduced radar cross signature but the vessel is not as stealthy as many other designs. These ships were designed with a heavy point defense array with a vertical launch missile system and four combination missile systems. This is approximately equal to that of destroyer designs of the same time frame but did not include torpedo launchers or any gun mounts.
The ship carries a lightweight phased array radar which is identical to the system carried of frigate designs. Because the ship might be required to act in anti-submarine warfare roles, the vessel carries a hull sonar but does not carry a towed array sonar.
Most conventional take off and landing fighters can not be operated from the Cay Kut because the ship lacks any kind of catapult or arresting system.
These ships have a huge amount of space for vehicles other than aircraft. The ship is designed to carry four hovercraft that can carry troops of vehicles to the shoreline. Unlike the previous Wasp class, the hovercraft are carried on a dry deck. This dry deck enables the ship to carry other vehicles in place of the hover craft. The ship can carry 10 Main Battle Tanks, 25 armored personnel carriers, 10 missile batteries, and 60 support vehicles as a normal compliment but could be varied as per mission requirements.
The ship was designed with troop support as one of its primary purposes and has the capacity for 500 patients and has a full operating room. Half of the medical department is part of the crew and the other half is part of the marine compliment. Like most ships currently being built, the ship has a large amount of automation to reduce crew requirements.
Model Type: 301 Cay Kut (Sea God) class Multi Role Amphibious Assault Ships
Vehicle Type: Ocean, Assault Vessel
Crew: 480 (40 officers, 50 chief petty officers, 390 enlisted [Has a high degree of automation])
Troops: 300 vehicle crew members, and 3,800 soldiers.
Pilots: 40
Aircraft: Capable of carrying twenty VTOL aircraft in addition to it's additional cargo.
Performance
Surface: 34.5 mph (30 knots/ 55.6 kph)
Maximum Effective Range: Unlimited due to nuclear engines (needs to refuel every 20 years and requires maintenance as well). Ship carries six months of supplies on board.
Statistical Data
Length: 850 feet (259.1 meters)
Draft: 27.5 feet (8.4 meters)
Width: 145 feet (44.2 meters)
Displacement: 36,200 tons standard and 42,500 tons fully loaded
Cargo: 5000 tons of nonessential equipment and supplies (Increase to 12,000 tons without vehicles.) Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ships officers have more space for personal items. Most of the ship's spaces are taken up by extra ammo, armor, troops, weapons, and engines.
Power System: 4 Nuclear Reactors, average life span is 20 years
Sensors & Tracking Systems
* SPY-6S Three Dimensional Search Radar System. Powerful and flexible radar system that is comprised of four panels that each emit radar waves. If allowed by the horizon, the system can track out to 600 miles (966 km) and can simultaneously track and identify up to 768 targets at one time. The system controls missile launched from the long range missile launchers and the system track and guide each individual missile to a individual target for up to 192 targets. If a target is eliminated, missiles are automatically guided to a new target. The system can also control missiles launched from other linked vessels as well and can also act as fire control for gun mounts.
* Advanced Hull Sonar: Mounted under the bow of the ship. Range of 25 miles (21.7 nm / 40.2 km). This hull sonar system has both a passive and active system built in. Sonar system can track up to 32 targets at one time
* Command and Control Facilities: The vessel carries extra communications equipment and command facilities, to enable the ship to operate as the flagship for a flotilla.
* Radar Defeating Profile & Radar Absorbing Materials: The ship superstructure is designed so that the radar profile of the ship is reduced and the ship is covered with radar absorbing materials.
* Combination Radar Detectors and Active Jamming System: Combination of radar detection system (ESM) and an active jamming system. The system can detect another radar system at 125% of the range of the transmitting radar. In jamming mode, causes enemy tracking systems to loose some functionality, but when it is active, the downside is that other vehicles/ bases can detect that it is jamming, and some missiles will home in on jamming signals.
Armament
# Six (6) HIA K4 CIWS: The K4 CIWS is an anti-ship missile defense system. It is a close-in weapon system (CIWS) and was designed and manufactured by the Haruspex International Armaments (HIA). Consisting of a radar-guided 20mm Gatling gun mounted on a swivelling base.
Due to the continuing evolution of both threats and computer technology, the K4 system has, like most military systems, been developed through a number of different configurations. The basic (original) style is the K0, equipped with first generation solid state electronics and with marginal capability against surface targets. The K1 (1988) upgrade offered various improvements in radar, ammunition, rate of fire, increasing engagement elevation to +70 degrees, and computing. These improvements were intended to increase the system's capability against emerging supersonic anti-ship missiles. K1A introduced a new computer system to counter more maneuverable targets. The K1B (1999) adds a forward looking infrared (FLIR) sensor to allow the weapon to be used against surface targets.
This addition was developed to provide ship defense against small vessel threats and other "floaters" in littoral waters and to improve the weapon's performance against slower low-flying aircraft. The FLIR's capability is also of use against low-observability missiles and can be linked with the system to increase RAM engagement range and accuracy. The K1B also allows for an operator to visually identify and target threats.
The CIWS is designed to be the last line of defense against anti-ship missiles. Due to its design criteria its effective range is very short relative to the range of modern ASMs, from 1 to 5 nautical miles (9 km). The gun mount moves at a very high speed and with great precision. The system takes minimal inputs from the ship, making it capable of functioning despite potential damage to the ship. The only inputs required for operation are 440 V AC at 60 Hz and water for electronics cooling. For full operation including some non-essential functions, it also has inputs for true compass ship's heading and 115 V AC for the PASS and tape drive subsystems.
HIA K4 CIWS
Weight of Gun: 450kg
Mount: 3200kg
Length: 4.11m
Shell: 35 x 288 mm
Caliber: 35 mm
Action: Gatling Gun
Elevation: -15 / +85 degrees
rate: 70 degree/s
Traverse: 280 degrees
rate: 120 degrees per second
Rate of fire: 4,600~5,800 rds/min
Muzzle velocity AHEAD: 3,445 fps (1,050 mps)
HEI: 3,854 fps (1,175 mps)
APDS/T: 3,950 fps (1,440 mps)
Effective range: 3500m (3830 yards)
Feed system: 500 round on mount
# Four (4) Mie Mrebbih (Sea Snapper) Combination Anti-Missile Defense Systems (which is essentially a naval version of the Chyyban MMLS): These weapons are sponsoned out on the sides of the hull below the flight deck. Two are forward and the other two mounts are mounted toward the rear on either side of the rear elevator. This anti-missile defense system combines both a rapid fire 57mm gun and a short range missile launcher. While mounted in one system, both defense systems have separate tracking systems. The short range missile launchers can target up four targets and can fire a volley up to twice per melee. The 57mm gun is capable of destroying any missile or inflicting serious damage on aircraft. The system also can be used against other ships and ground targets. The system has a 360 degree rotation and can elevate up to 90 degrees to fire at targets directly overhead.
Type 2 57mm Gun
Weight: 4,660 kg (10,273 lbs)
Length: 8.5 m (28 ft)
Widt: 2.054m (6.74 ft)
Height: 2.37m (7.78 ft)
Shell: 57x 348SR
Caliber: 57 mm (2.24 in)
Rate of fire: 105-120 rpm (cyclic), 70 rpm (sustained)
Muzzle velocity: 1,000 m/s (3,281 ft/s)
Effective range: 6 km (3.72 mi) (multiple-band radar-optical)
Mie Mrebbih (Sea Snapper) Combination Anti-Missile Defense Systems
Type: 57E6-E Surface to Air Missile
Engine: Dual-thrust solid-fueled rocket
* Booster: "Roubaix" rocket, 15.3 kN for 1.7 s
* Sustainer: "Lampyre" rocket, 1.96 kN for 13.2 s
Launch mass: 67 kg
Length: 2.40 m
Diameter: 16 cm
Wingspan: 50 cm
Speed: Mach 1.6
Range: 8000 m
Flying altitude: 5500 m
Warhead: 6.5 kg (14.3 lb) pre-fragmented high-explosive
Guidance: Tracking radar
# MK 41 Vertical Launch Missile Launchers (1): The mount is mounted forward of the main superstructure and is raised slightly from the flight deck. The launcher is smaller and carries half as many missiles as the launcher on the Cbyan naval vessels. The missiles are smaller and they have a reload system that reloads from under the launcher and can reload within 15 seconds. The launcher has a total of 48 individual cells and is six missile cells longs by eight cells wide. The launcher can fire up to half its total payload per melee. The launcher can use a vast variety of missiles including surface skimming missiles and rocket propelled torpedoes. Each cell can carry one long range missile or two medium range missile. The reload for the cell must carry the same load as the main cell. Long range missiles are normally used against large targets and aircraft further out where the medium range missiles will normally be used to engage closer targets.
Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 8, 16, or 24 missiles for the whole launcher
Payload: 48 missile cells in launcher with reload systems for each cell. One long range missile or two medium range missiles may be carried per cell but reload must be the same load out as well. The ship will often carry 32 cells with two medium range missiles each and the other cells loaded with one long range missile each.
(Not shipped with missiles as it is capable of utilizing most any missile system sold on the open market or via homegrown industries.)
# Chaff Launcher (4): Located on the sides of the hull of the ship, they are designed to confuse incoming missiles. All four launchers must be operated or effects will be reduced. Reduce effects of launchers by 50% per launcher not used.
Maximum Effective Range: Around Ship
Payload: 24 each for a total of 96
# Advanced Towed Decoys (4): The vessel carries four advanced towed decoy drones. They are each a small automated vehicle that creates a false sonar image designed to mimic the vessels. The decoy is dragged behind the amphibious vessel using a cable. If decoys are not destroyed, they can be recovered and repaired.
Effects: The decoy has an 80% chance of fooling ordinary non military sonars and non smart guided torpedoes, the decoy has a 50% chance of fooling military level sonars (like those of the UFA).
Maximum Effective Range: Not Applicable
Rate of Fire: One can be deployed at a time and requires 2 minutes to deploy (Reel Out) another decoy
Payload: 4 Decoys.
If interested in purchasing this weapon, please make your orders here: HIA