Difference between revisions of "Community Vessel Cruiser"

Revision as of 16:15, 1 May 2006

The cruiser is the heaviest surface combattant (i.e., excluding the aircraft carrier which relies on its airplanes and helicopters for all of its punch) actually built for the Naval Service of the Community Defence Forces of Sober Thought. This hybrid helicopter carrier and conventional cruiser, with guns toward the bow and landing deck toward the stern, is modelled the French Navy's Jeanne d'Arc and the Russian Navy's Moskva class. It has a general purpose role, able to engage in surface-to-surface combat, air defence, shore bombardment, anti-submarine warfare and amphibious landings.

Previous ships in this vessel class were more conventional gun-and-missile platforms like the real world United States Navy Cleveland class light cruiser of the Second World War and Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser of the Second Cold War. With only the same helicopter power as the smaller destroyer, their ASW effectiveness was greatly reduced and their ability to easily airlift marines was virtually nonexistent.

While it is armed for anti-submarine warfare, its long length and turning radius make it much less suitable for this purpose than its smaller relations the destroyer and the frigate. Cruisers are often used for flagships of task forces comprised mainly of these smaller ships, or for major fleets. It can serve as the flagship of a group of destroyers or frigates operating alone or as a subdivision of a larger fleet.

The cruisers in the first batch after one hundred million population of Sober Thought is reached are named C-1 through C-6, the second C-7 through C-12, etc. They also bear the names of chartered municipalities throughout the country, repetition being indicated by the used of Roman numerals.

Naval component

The purely naval component consists of 450 crew. The Bridge Section has 14 officers and 36 other ranks including the Commander who is the overall commanding officer and the Vice Commander who is the executive officer. The Naval Engineering Section, consisting of 150 all ranks under a Chief Lieutenant. The Naval Support Section, consisting of 50 all ranks under a Lieutenant, provides food, administrative and medical support for those aboard.

The Naval Weapons Section consisting of 200 all ranks under a Chief Lieutenant. It operates the four 150 mm guns in two forward turrets, the first turret located near the deck and the second stacked behind it on the superstructure. Besides the artillery, there are four quadruple surface missile launchers with 112 missiles. Two twin torpedo tubes have 20 torpedoes which can be used against surface or subsurface targets. Aboard ship there is one quadruple subsurface missile launcher with 56 missiles, 3 submarine mortars with 90 depth charges, and 40 mini-mines.

As a mobile air defence shield for fleets and flotillas, it has eight quadruple missile launchers placed evenly around the ship and armed with 320 missiles. Conventional anti-aircraft artillery is represented by two twin 40 mm guns and four twin 20 mm guns.

Air component

The CDF Air Service component consists of a composite helicopter squadron with 185 all ranks under the command of a Chief Lieutenant. On the ground are an administration and an air maintenance flight to support four helicopter flights separately organised by type and role. One flight of two HTN-55 Hortense transport helicopters can airlift supplies or personnel, either between ships or ship to shore.

There are two flights each of four HUBR-77 Hubert anti-submarine helicopters. They are the main subsurface detection system of the cruiser with a winched sensor and some mini-mine launchers for direct action. Finally, one flight of two HUS-77 Hudson search-and-rescue helicopters round out the composite squadron. Should one or two Huberts become unflightworthy, their sensors and armament could be salvaged and retrofitted to the Hudsons.

Land component

The CDF Land Service component consists of marine permanently stationed on the cruiser to provide naval boarding parties, internal security and naval landing parties. The company consists of 115 all ranks under the command of a Lieutenant.

As part of its general purpose duties, the cruiser may embark up to two additional battalions making the ship rather crowded. However, they are better supported than the smaller purpose-built landing ships with the four 150 mm guns for ship-to-shore bombardment and as many helicopters (although admittedly designed for different purposes).