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 Hiigaran CLACX, Project Prometheus
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| Orion |
Posted on 11-10-2005 02:24
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 Posts: 24 Joined: September 07 2005 |
An immediate follow up to the design - prototype "Antaeus" stealth ship, this new CLX, fresh out of the brilliant minds of the Skunkworks whitecoats, is designed to bring moderate firepower, excellent speed, and decent manueverability into play while doing so without being detected. Centering her objective on sneaky tactics, this new CLX, temporarily dubbed the Prometheus, will focus on stealth attacks, using a minimized radar cross section and an advanced radar-absorbing honeycomb hull structure to defer detection by standard radar means. To defer infrared drive exhaust detection, her drives are 75% shrouded. In addition, her hull will be blackout - painted, reducing her visual detectability when backdropped by a blank starfield. Designation: CLACX (Cruiser, Light, Attack, Command, Experimental) P. Role: Stealth Strike Cruiser S. Role: Second-Line Flotilla Leader Descrip: An experimental low-observability strike cruiser. Small fighter capacity for short range support against other strike craft. Not meant to ferry fighters to support a battle. Will carry heavy ICAs to engage targets like enemy resource operations, carriers, and other small/medium flotillas. Secondary role is a second-line-of-defense Command Cruiser, which her ECM/ECCM and advanced sensor systems will complement quite nicely. Her stealth will still play a part here, making it harder for attacking forces to disorganize a defense fleet. Also, ECCM will provide true-sensor data for friendly ships being jammed by enemy ECM systems. Atmospheric flight has been deemed too expensive to incorporate. Doing so would require a reenforced hull and frame, adding weight, which would negatively affect its strike-role. Also, heat absorbent hull plating required for atmospheric reentry would take the place of her radar-absorbent honeycomb outerskin, nullifying her stealth. Weapons loadout will consist of mostly anti-capital and anti-frigate weaponry, with plenty of CIWS to ward off missile salvos from her prey. The small flight deck will provide a limited number of fighter wings to deter strike craft attacking the Prometheus. Early Renders:    |
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| Orion |
Posted on 11-10-2005 04:11
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Posts: 24 Joined: September 07 2005 |
Stealth Doctrine Stealth technology allows for the ability to operate against enemy forces decisively without their awareness of friendly forces' disposition in the area of operations. Stealth, or more properly, low-observable ships, thus deny the enemy accurate intelligence of allied forces by greatly reducing the range at which they are able to detect and track our vessels, and properly identify them. In addition to denying accurate enemy intelligence, stealth technology allows allied forces to perform decisive strikes against enemy fleets and operations while drastically reducing reaction time available to opposing forces. Requirements: A Low-Observable ship requires several things to reduce its detectability. First and foremost, a low radar cross-section. Passive low-observability can be complemented with active cancellation jamming technology, which nullifies the emissions of active sensors. Passive Low Observability also requires heat emissions to be shunted to the aft of the ship, making them less noticeable. Low Observable ships also require a flat-black paint job to nullify any reflections that might render the ship optically visible. |
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| TelQuessir |
Posted on 11-10-2005 04:31
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 Posts: 2598 Joined: August 30 2005 |
It should be noted that traditional ship design concepts are not usable on low-observable craft - thus making comments that this concept here is "not Hiigaran", is uncalled for. If a ship satisfies all aesthetics appeals and won't function in her designated role in the battlespace, it's not a PDS ship. In addition, the Prometheus project does not rely on stealth to do the job - where low-observability is comprimised this ship is designed to have a LH Block 16 class's survivability and combat power. Thus, see stealth as a force multiplier for this ship. |
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| yasotay |
Posted on 11-10-2005 05:20
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 Posts: 637 Joined: September 09 2005 |
Interestingly many stealth platforms are designed not for combat but for reconnaissancce. Stealth fighters and bombers are the 'visible' representation of stealth airframes because of the focus of media during kinetic operations. Even in the days of purvasive satillite imagery, there is a need for observation that does not get seen a lot. In this case once the ship is acquired, or is in firing position, it will need to be a full up combat ship. |
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| TelQuessir |
Posted on 11-10-2005 05:34
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Posts: 2598 Joined: August 30 2005 |
Exactly - hence my closing paragraph in the earlier post. Orion has likewise mentioned the need for this to be a "Two Faced" ship, one capable of both low-observable missions coupled to the capability of a conventional warship. |
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