USS Almayer

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The USS Almayer, an Arikara-class patrol transport, was christened in 2171 but designed in the 2150s during an increased need for patrol craft in deep space. The first Arikara-class patrol transports were constructed in the 2160s, and the USS Almayer was the 4th ship in the class produced. The USS Almayer was constructed in the Heinlein Memorial Shipyards located above the earth’s moon for low gravity workstations. The main advantages of the Arikara patrol transport over other forms of transports and combat ships is its small footprint and rapid response time. However, the marines that serve aboard these patrol transports are either volunteer forces or conscripted to their long voyages in outer territories where most luxuries do not exist.

The USS Almayer underwent a Block 78A retrofit in 2178, which replaced many of the sensors and maintenance areas. Along with that, due to rising tensions between the Weyland-Yutani Corporation and various outer rim colonies, pressured a need to include a Weyland-Yutani representative onboard. While the sum for this service was never officially disclosed, the USS Almayer was equipped with an office for a Weyland-Yutani representative and sent to patrol Weyland-Yutani outer-rim colonies.

Specifications

Length: 278 meters

Crew Capacity: 120 (320 with hypersleep capsule storage)

Empty Weight: 35,000 tonnes

Gross Weight (full weight): 43,000 tonnes

Hangar Space: 2 AUD-25 dropships, 2 M577 APCs, 1 M34A2 Longstreet light tank

Engine

• Westingland S-52 Fusion Reactor: A Type V linear fusion drive provides the main ship mode of movement when not in FTL travel. Capable of generating 1.2 terawatt of engine power.

• Thiokol-Rockwell Dynamic Cygnus 7 hyperdrive tachyon shunt: A surprisingly efficient FTL engine capable of a dynamic power setting. Going from a lower power of traveling .75 light years per day to an afterburner of 1.3 light years per day. The USCM often uses a regular speed of 1 light year per day for patrol craft in order to avoid excessive fuel usage.

Countermeasures

• "HALVE BLACK" ceramic tiles. These contain various metamaterials that distort active sensors in the radio to infrared range; they provide a delayed time before an enemy ship can acquire a target lock. Only effective when the engine is not burning.

• AN/UPT-5 "SILENT" electronic countermeasure suite. Capable of identifying and employing various techniques to disarm or disable various guidance systems. Its capabilities also include jamming communication systems present on other craft, often in a bid to scramble the enemy.

• VPES-3. Vapor Ejector System, a specialized gas is ejected from the ship to form a sort of cloud, distorting the ship's characteristics against enemy detection. Often used as a last resort for retreat from combat or during daring close range fighting as the gas also obscures sensors aboard the USS Almayer.

Sensors

• AN/PIR-27 "Percy", a passive IR sensor that is used most of the time to spot enemy craft.

• AN/SPQ-337, a phased array active radar that is used to track enemy ships and missiles. It is more covert than most radar arrays due to its use of background frequencies that are filtered out by passive and active detection systems.

• AN/PRQ-76, a passive radar sensor that is used for detecting any active radar transmissions within a star system.

• AN/LIDAR-7, an active short range sensor often used to gain detailed information about enemy ships through the use of LIDAR and LADAR systems.

Armament

• Two 0.75cm/140 Mark 74 General Atomics railguns. Used as primary weapons in a direct conflict between spacecraft. Fires either kinetic penetrator rounds or shrapnel rounds.

• 6 PD/L-122 Block 2A Point Defense lasers. Used to destroy inbound enemy missiles or any other minor objects that might threaten the ship (such as discarded missile parts).

• 12 Mark 33 ASAT-LS systems. Cold launch tubes that can fire a few varieties of missiles, the most common being the ASAT-21 ‘Rapier IV’ missile used against satellites and other spacecraft and the BGM-227 ‘Sledgehammer’ missile which is used in ground attacks.

AUD-25 Dropship

In 2167, after survivability concerns were raised for in-service dropships, such as the UD-4, in low intensity and high intensity combat, a new dropship design was desperately needed. The UD-25 emerged after several failed survivability attempts in designing a new and unique craft to supplement current arsenal, though the end result was criticized for odd looks and even clunkier controls. According to data gathered, however, the UD-25 shown excellent survival probability in low intensity combat.

Most of the engine power comes from two main CCTR-35 engines. The UD-25 is capable of flying with only one functional engine, though it will be unable to escape any gravity wells. Given its promising field testing and heightened survivability, another variant of the UD-25, the AUD-25, was later developed for close missile air support and transport duties.

Specifications

Length: 31 meters

Top Speed: 12 km/s at 0 kPa, 4500 m/s at 50 kPa, 450 m/s at 101 kPa, 200 m/s at 230+ kPa

Crew: 1 Pilot + 36 marines + Cargo or 1 Pilot + 34 Marines + 1 Vehicle.

Armament

• GAU-21 30mm ‘Rattler’ rotary cannon: A 30mm rotary cannon, used against ground targets and usually mounted when providing CAS support. Earned the nickname Rattler after the initial production run of the gun would cause tremors aboard dropship while in use.

• GAU-33 12.7mm ‘Spitfire’ gun: A 12.7mm (.50 cal) minigun, used for anti air purposes and only mounted when expecting heavy air resistance, and even then it is seldom mounted due to the unfortunate bulk of the dropship itself when in aerial combat.

• AIM-224 'Widowmaker' A2A missile: Latest development in A2A missiles, it suffers from a lack of range for dropships flying into high threat zones. The shortfalls are rectified by the fact that the missile has a near 100% hit ratio.

• GBU-67 'Keeper II' guided bomb: Formed as part of the Peacekeeper line of guided bombs, this weapon has seen various conflicts during peacekeeping campaigns against hardened targets.

• AGM-227 'Banshee' A2G missile: The new mainstay of ground targeting missile since 2177, it is capable of tackling various vehicles and lightly hardened structures. It’s earned the nickname of ‘Banshee’ after a loud wailing noise that the rocket emits as the final motor activates right before a successful hit.

• AGM-202 SHAARP missile: Suppression of Hostile Anti Air Radar Positions (SHAARP) missile provides a new level of threat suppression against enemy radar installations. These missiles have a multiband seeker warhead that homes in on any active radar signatures.

• GBU-DWS: The Dynamic Weapon System bomb is capable of taking a variety of warheads or payloads to tailor toward its mission. Varieties include: napalm, cluster munitions, and at only specialized authorization dial a bomb nuclear device. These bombs are reserved for high intensity conflict due to the damage they may inflict.

• Mark 73 ‘Viper’ missile pods: the Mark 73 Viper missile pods hold a basic unguided mark 73 rocket which carries a high explosive payload. These are often used in low intensity conflicts due to the lower amounts of damage they cause.

Countermeasures

• RR-247 Chaff: Radar Reflective Chaff designed to counter radar homing missiles. Developed in the 2170s to counter the new generation of anti-air missiles that were arriving on colonial frontiers.

• MJU-77/C IR decoy: Infrared Decoy flares designed to counter IR tracking missiles. Developed alongside the UD-25 due to the hotter engines present onboard that lead to brighter IR flares.

Additional Equipment

• ALANTIP: All Light and Atmospheric Navigational and Targeting Information Pod; the latest in ground target acquisition and navigational aids for dropships. Made to function in variety of environments ranging from barren worlds to inhabited garden worlds. Comes with a suite of various sensor systems and cameras.