Mandalore-class Stealthship (Anthos Republic R&D)
Manufacturer: Sienar Corporation / Mandalore Technologies
Class Designation: Mandalore-class Stealthship
Type: Covert-Warfare Stealthship
Length: 298 meters
Crew: 97 (58 crew/41 officers&other)
Passengers: 35 (special squadrons)
Cargo Capacity: 52 metric tons
Consumables: 12 months
Cost/Build: 6 Days*
Defensive Ratings-
Shields: 600 SBD
Hull: 675 RU
Speed Ratings-
Hyperdrive: 1x
Backup: 12
Sublight(maximum): 26 MGLT/ 21 MGLT (cloaked)
Maneuver: High g-factor
Weapons Compliment-
6 Dual Heavy Turbo-laser Turrets (2 dorsal, for/aft: 2 ventral, for/aft)
2 Heavy Ion Cannons, Single (1 port, amidships: 1 starboard, amidships)
4 TRU-Torpedo Tubes (2 forward, 1 starboard, 1 port)
1 Quad-laser Turret
Technologies-
Mandalorian Cloaking Device mk II
Incoming Missile Defense Array
Enhanced Sensor Suite
Dedicated Energy Receptor
VidCam Monitor
White Noise Generator
Passive Stealth Package
Shadow-Paint
Cascade Self-Destruct
Sensor Jammer
Tactical Situation Center (Bridge)
Advanced Maneuvering Vents
Garrison Internal Defense Strategy
Laminanium Reactive Reinforced Response
Ion Particle Receptor
Null-Sensor Baffle
General Information
Introduction:
Stealthships are not a new idea, long have the many species of the galaxy practiced their own forms of covert-warfare. From pre-hyperspace to the most modern, numerous persons have seen fit to equip their vessels with all manner of anti-detection equipment. Cloaking technology has a perminant niche in this industry. True Stealthships carry various technologies to aid in 'not being seen' and rely foremost on these technologies while weapons and shields generally come second. The idea behind any Stealthships is secrecy, and they accomplish it in spades.
Ships Biography:
In a galaxy where deception has become increasingly important, the Mandalore-class has been designed to fill a vital roll in covert-warfare. It operates in complete and total secrecy, hidden from its enemies and often allies.
The Mandalore-class functions as a tactical platform, able to gather sensitive information through it's extensive sensor network as well, a launch platform for special operations and can preform moderately as a warship. When properly employed, the Mandalore-class can be a threat to capital ships up to 3 times its own size.
Odd for a ship of its length, it carries no embarked craft or escape pods. the Mandalore-class has one very small docking port, capable of facilitating on small craft dependant on the vessels mission assignment.
Unfortunately, the advanced systems aboard the vessel require and extensive build time, nearly double that of other ships its size.
Very little information is available on this class of vessel. The specifics of it's development and construction have not been made public.
Crew:
The crew of the Mandalore-class is comprised of only the most elect officers and crew to be found in the navy. They are among the best trained serving members in the Republic, able to endure great stresses and still come out on top. These are beings who serve aboard ship for months on end and have minimal contact with the outside world, they are trained to be an utterly independent serving unit, fully capable of operating without instruction for great lengths of time. A Mandalore-class Captain must exhibit a number of skills before even being considered for command of one of these vessels, and much the same for all other serving officers. Crewmen are selected from the best stock available and function almost as officers themselves. They have at their command the most advanced weapon in covert warfare at their fingers and are expected to deliver above and beyond the call of duty. The nature of their missions has created a special breed of astronot, often referred to as "shadownots", a tribute to their service.
Passengers:
Mandalore-class Stealthships were not designed with civilians in mind. They were instead designed to carry a small squadron of special operations soldiers, which is generally stationed aboard any single vessel for long durations. The vessel itself is capable of acting as a command center for these special troops.
Supplies/Amenities:
Each Mandalore-class is stocked with enough supplies for a twelve month sojourn before needing resupply, which can be stretched to last fully six months longer if properly rationed. These vessels are supplied with only the best amenities for their crew, who are highly revered for their service. Crewmen bunk in a series of common areas, though these are among some of the nicest in the service, while Officers share well equipped state-rooms. The captain is afforded his own quarters, as is his executive officer (XO). Passengers are assigned to a lower deck, which can host up to 35 individuals in close quarters.
Structural:
There is no 'free space' on a Mandalore-class vessel, every available square centimeter is alloted to various systems or cargo. Everything about the vessel speaks of military service, by no means a comfortable place for a civilian to stay. Unfortunately, very few details are available on the vessels interior.
Each of the vessels primary weapons have been strategically placed to provide optimum defense. Its turbo-laser turrets are placed and programmed to easily switch modes from point defense to capital scale attack, enabling the Mandalore-class to defend itself against star-fighters as well as attack larger vessels. Two TRU warhead platforms are located in the vessels bow, with a forward firing arc while two more dominate either side of the vessel, just for of amidships; granting it excellent fire coverage. The Ion cannons are similarly internally mounted and require the vessel to yaw about and face an enemy before delivering its powerful dual punch. Though rarely used, or even powered, the vessel also equips a single quad-laser cannon for point-defense.
Engineering and systems play a very large part in the smooth operation of the vessel. Due to the sheer number of systems utilized in the Mandalore-class an improved central power-reactor was required, which in itself was considerably larger then other vessels of similar size.
The ships single small docking-bay is located below and aft of the bridge, little more then a well equipped single hangar designed to carry one or two very specialized craft.
With every available measure of space filled, the Mandalore-class is not a easily modified, if at all. Similarly, these vessels take exorbanat amounts of time to repair or refit.
Production:
Each Mandalore-class vessel demands extensive resources to develop and produce, these are by no means a mass-production vessel, in stead commissioned individually and assigned very infrequently. While every vessel varies slightly from others in use, the blueprints remain almost unchanged from one to another, resulting in very similar identification patterns. This makes tracking one from another extremely difficult. Post-production is also a very extensive process which includes hand-picking of the vessels crew, training, and initial tests. It is a very arduous process to put a Mandalore-class vessel into use.
Tech Information
Mandalorian Cloaking Device mk II:
Central to the function of the Mandalore-class the MCD mk II it it's primary stealth operating system.
Incoming Missile Defense Array:
The IMDA is comprised of a number of modern Projectile Retardant System's (PRS). It incorporates all the of most up-to-date technologies available on the modern market and incorporates them all into a single highly advanced tracking computer which can automatically correlate the best defense for any incoming projectiles or be used to manually input commands, dependant upon its situation programming. Though sentient control generally exceeds the automated system, the over-all performance of the IMDA has been cleared of most bugs. It is not, in fact, a new technology, but rather a number of current technologies incorporated into a unified array.
Enhanced Sensor Suite: The Mandalore-class equips an ESS which rivals all current competition. It incorporates all of the most modern RADAR, LADAR, NADAR and SONAR sensor devices as well as a number of lesser technologies. It's primary sensor utility is unknown though the ships sensor officers likely alternate bands on a regular basis. Only Officers operate in the Sensor Command Center (SCC) and those are selected from among the best.
Dedicated Energy Receptor:
A galactic standard DER, equipped is the most advanced version available.
VidCam Monitor:
An actual image sensor. Extreme range and resolution, functions in tandem with other sensor systems. Closed circuit device with no outbound signal.
White Noise Generator:
This is the galactic standard WNG.
Passive Stealth Package:
PSP is comprised of a number of technologies, working in tandem or independently of a whole to provide a passive anti-detection system to aid the vessel in running silent even while not cloaked. PSP cannot compete against modern sensors like those found aboard common warships, but it does have it's advantages in other areas. A few of the technologies in the Package include:
-Sub-dermal Ablative Plating: SAP was designed to function in tandem with the treated ore layer of the MCD mk II, and as such has no other practical application on other vessels. The SAP is little more then a layer of high-adsorbtion matter derived from the most modern synthetic polymers. It's only purpose is to absorb any internal energies that might otherwise escape the hull and betray the vessel itself.
-Vented Ion Ducting: Common in many pre-hyperspace technologies, Vented Exhaust has been around since the earliest days of covert-warfare. The system works to dissipate the energy trails created by a vessels engines. Those mounted aboard the Mandalore-class incorporate the best of previous systems and work to virtually eliminate the ships ion trail.
-Low Profile Development: LPD consists of two parts. It first takes advantage of the most advanced 'hard to detect' elements in construction, employing various polymers and alloys. Second and most primary, the actual shape of the vessel, which is hard to see with the eye and presents a low profile to even advanced sensors.
Shadow Paint:
Though shadow paint is it's own technology, in the case of the Mandalore-class it works to further supplement the vessels passive stealth. The paint absorbs 95% of all light and utterly dissipates it, effectively cloaking the vessel from sight. It does nothing against modern sensors.
Cascade Self-Destruct:
There are very few details available on this technology. It requires high-level authorization before it can be activated, but once activated is a terminal action. Based on a cascade reaction in the ships power-core and cloak, it cannot be reversed. The unit itself is encased in an alloy hardened against ion damage.
Sensor Jammer:
Equipped on the Mandalore-class are extremely powerful jammer generators.
Tactical Situation Center (Bridge):
A TSC incorporates a ships Combat Information Center (CIC) with its Command Bridge, making all vital systems available to the ships captain from one location. The exact configuration of the TSC is extremely well developed, and takes all variables into consideration in its design.
Advanced Maneuvering Vents:
These enable the Mandalore-class to preform very swift and accurate maneuvers that deny the vessels size. The AMV system can be activated or run in passive mode to preserve stealth.
Garrison Internal Defense Strategy:
GIDS, as it is commonly referred to, is a series of strategies, devices and internal construction inclusions designed to prevent the vessel falling into the wrong hands, should a boarding party manage to infiltrate the ship.
Laminanium Reactive Reinforced Response:
L3R is a third offense technology which was developed at high cost to preserve a vessel beyond the average limits. It is a 'pocket' of Laminanium located below a vessels actual hull which is kept at a near-liquid level when not activated. When not nessescary, the L3R is kept offline, thus saving over-all energy consumption. A large initial charge is required to activate the pocket, a problem if the vessel should find itself lacking for power.
ION Particle Receptor:
When the craft goes under heavy cloak, the ION receptor is engaged. Instead of venting the engine ION waste, the receptor gathers 92% of all vented particles, storing them in a frozen and compressed state. The receptor is capable of storing slightly under an hours worth of constant ION output. Once the receptor is filled, the ship immediately begins venting ION particles like normal. The receptor may be dumped at any time, at the captains convenience. When dumped, the particles are ejected through the engine exhaust ports, creating a very large wake of inactive ION particles behind the ship. This wake can be used in several ingenious methods, including detection of enemy cloaked ships, and 'blinding' a closely perusing enemy. Prolonged exposure to the very dense ejection stream can prove damaging to shields.
Null-Sensor Baffle:
The Null-Sensor Baffle(NSB) is a collection of common techniques in defeating enemy sensors. All possible floors on the Mandalore-class Stealthship are carpeted with a medium density foam, every room is sound-proofed with sensor-wave absorbing foam, a low power fuzz generator is kept on at all times, surrounding the ship in a low-profile bubble of sensor distortion commonly passed to that of an anomaly. All in all, the effort put into passively absorbing all sound pays off in that the Stealthship returns half the normal amount of sensor-data to enemy sensors, deceiving the computer into miscalculating the distance.
Tactical Information
TRU-Torpedo Tubes:
TRU (Total Ratification Utility) Torpedoes take advantage of the most basic in torpedo technology and incorporate modern technologies. Unlike common torpedoes, these are large and long weapons measuring anywhere from roughly one to four meters in length. The torpedoes themselves can fill a number of various purposes and objectives. They can be 'piloted' by a small droid brain, or given directions from their host ship. They can pack a relatively small yield explosive up to the most devastating, and even have their own counter-detection methods. To suit the multi-purpose nature of the weapons, a special 'warhead' team works just aft of the torpedo bays, preparing any special modifications the captain may demand. These are often time demanding and as such, most vessels carry a varied array of ready warheads.
Dual Heavy Turbo-laser Turrets:
The Mandalore-class equips four independently controlled turrets which can be switched to automatic or be live-fired by sentient gunners. Moderate power, rapid fire, these sacrifice punch for range and rate of fire. These more or less follow the galactic standard.
Heavy Ion Cannons:
These are very high yield cannons designed to deliver a powerful punch at the cost of rate of fire. Internally mounted, these positioning of these high-power weapons require the vessel to yaw about and present bow to a target. The fact that these cannot be easily aimed and require time to recharge is compensated for in the power they can deliver in a single discharge.
Tactical Analysis
Perhaps the top covert-operations vessel currently in use across the galaxy, the Mandalore-class Stealthship excels in all areas of secrecy and stealth. Though not a vessel of the open battleground, it is master of covert-warfare. Equipped with the best available technologies to prevent being seen, it can infiltrate enemy space, gather information, preform it's mission and, be gone before anyone ever knows it was there. With amenities for long voyages, it can sit quietly and unknown for months on end while quietly carrying out its tasks.
The crew and officers are taken from among the best available and preform at unheard of levels in tactical situations. It is said that a ship is only as good as those who crew her, if true, enemies of the Mandalore-class be wary. In combat situations Mandalore-class vessels can be among the most deadly on the battlefield. They require as master tactician as the conn, not designed for stand-and-fight battles, able to make excellent use of the ships limited armament and advanced warhead system.
Working in tandem with other similar vessels, very little rivals the Mandalore. A swift ship while un-cloaked, it can move with amazing speed while cloaked or drop to low cruising speeds and be near undetectable.
Everyone stationed aboard a Mandalore-class understands the nature of their missions, which are most frequently rated Top Secret, and will sacrifice their own lives in a heartbeat if it means protecting the secrets of their ship.