IFN (Idependent Federation News)
December 31, 2372
FOCH NEARS COMPLETION: After two years of constant controversy
Recently Starfleet held a special invite only viewing of the new Foch Class Carrier Explorer, which is nearing completion at the Utopia Plenitia Shipyards. Martin Dorva a well known freelance report known for his love of starships, managed to make his way into the viewing and filed this with us first.
“As one approaches this new “Foch Class” viewing it from the aft section one is amazed at the size of the rear Impulse section which has been concentrated in a structure much resembling that of a Defiant class vessel though many times larger. It is obvious that the designer’s intent here was to awe those approaching her from this angle with the engine’s power. In fact as one does approach the rear the image of a Defiant is very well pictured in the mind, the encased Nacelle rears look much the same as does the delicate bottom arch pattern of the latter. As my Shuttle guide continued the show we were taken down under the ship where we could see the bottom, here opened for view were the twin landing bays one to each side of the wish bone shaped bottom.
I am told this was design to allow safe recovery of fighter craft and the like to be also the area in which the ground force assault craft are to be launched from. Each such landing bay is capable of recovering two craft at once making a total of four craft where as most normal ships can only handle one craft at a time owing to the use of tractor beams for shuttle recovery operations. The Starfleet PR officer informed us that the carrier will actually not use a tractor beam for the recovery operations but the smaller crafts own power will bring it in till the gravity of the ships landing bay takes hold. This was described to us as “power landing”. He went further but my mind rejected at once the Tech-no-babble he soon spurted forth.
One can see from here the arrangement of the bottom phaser arrays in a almost box like layout with 3 array per side of different lengths and one large aft array. I later learned this same pattern was repeated on the Dorsal side. Once we had passed beneath the bottom portions the shuttle moved outward so as to allow a better forward view, which when seen was impressive to say the least.
Looking almost as if a Sovereign Class starship, the large deflector shield gave the opposite view of that of the aft’s delicate nature; here mass was the word. And in the center was a giant opening, which was the main launch area for small craft. The PR officer said that it was possible to launch 8 craft within a 30 second period from the launch area and that another such flight could be readied in little under two minutes. He refused to go into further detail of the launching operation. As we grew nearer the top section appeared and I was amazed at the resemblance to both an Intrepid and Sovereign class ship in fact so much of the later was present some one was heard to remark they had used a Sovereign hull in construction. Again the mass and size were overwhelming there was no doubt this was a ship built for pride and place. In passing I was amazed to note the close resemblance to the Defiant in the embedded nacelles though they are much longer and massive.”
[ The ship is near being done look for it in the next 72 hours as I finish up the formating to make it look nice when I post it. Eric.]
Great Eric, I had almost lost hope of seeing the end of it! (and was to lazy to do it myself)
Do you think you can have it ready before the week-end? I just came up with an idea for my next game and will need it for a shakedown mission. If you agree of course . If it turns out the way I hope I can relate it here.
On the subject of Carriers in General in Star Trek, I have just read through the SRM and I have identified the ships in it that could either be re-classified as Carriers (of one or type of Carrier) or could be pressed into service as Auxiliary Carriers.
The base line I use is the ability to carry a minimum of 20 Size of Shuttles or 10 Shuttles/Fighters. (See the SRM for further details on the various ship classes).
As for the ships themselves, I group them into four basic classes, these being Fleet, Strike, Escort and Auxiliary. The definitions being defined below:
Fleet: Designed with light armaments, but capable of carrying large numbers of Fighters, Armoured Transports, Shuttles and even Light Escorts as well as ground troops (think of cross between a Nimitz class Carrier and a Wasp class LHD);
Strike: These are dual role Warships equipped with Heavy Armaments as well as Fighters and Shuttles (think of the Russian Kiev class Carriers);
Escort: designed to escort and protect convoys, while carrying a small air-group (a classic example being the Royal Navy’s obsolete Invincible class ASW Carriers);
Auxiliary: any ship that has hanger capable of carrying medium to large numbers of shuttlecraft without major modifcation, (in this case think of any LPD or Container Ship).
These are further divided into medium, heavy and light classifications depending upon their size.
As for the Ships that I can think that can be either re-classified as Carriers or used as Auxiliary Carriers I am listing them below, it’s up to you if agree or disagree with me.
Re-classified Ships:
Heavy Strike Carrier: Akira class (100 Size worth of Ships)
Heavy Escort Carrier: Curry class (40 Size worth of Ships)
Light Fleet Carrier: Freedom class (60 Size worth of Ships)
Light Strike Carrier: Steamrunner class (60 Size worth of Ships)
Light Escort Carrier: Centaur class (20 Size worth of Ships)
Auxiliary Carriers:
Ambassador class (30 Size worth of Ships)
Andromeda class (35 Size worth of Ships)
Bradbury class (30 Size worth of Ships)
Deneva class (30 Size worth of Ships)
Excelsior class (25 Size worth of Ships)
Galaxy class (62 Size worth of Ships)
Intrepid class (32 Size worth of Ships)
Istanbul class (20 Size worth of Ships)
Korolev class (20 Size worth of Ships)
Nebula class (30 Size worth of Ships)
New Orleans class (20 Size worth of Ships)
Rigel class (20 Size worth of Ships)
Sequoia class (33 Size worth of Ships)
Sovereign class (30 Size worth of Ships)
Springfield class (25 Size worth of Ships)
Wambaundu class (25 Size worth of Ships)
Zodaic class (34 Size worth of Ships)
And just an idea for a plot idea, the D’Kora class Marauder (40 Size worth of Ships). Although both the Deneva and the D’Kora are not Starfleet Combat Ships, they could be pressed into service as Auxiliary Escort Carriers, the Deneva as a sort of MAC or Q-Ship, the D’Kora because Star Fleet hired it as privateer to help guard a supply convoy.
------------------
"Those Klingons are up to something, I can feel it in my bones"
Cmmdr JT Wayland
Strategic Operations Officer, Starbase 415, Dragomer Sector, Klingon Border, 2372
Reply With Quote
. If it turns out the way I hope I can relate it here.
