TIW Rhapsody

Raphsody And Samson TP-4 (click to enlarge).

Overview

The TIW Rhapsody is a diesel turbine / electric driven 720mm autonomous operations capable drone extremely acoustically stealthy sub surface vehicle used for long range engagements and coastal defence. The Rhapsody is designed to fulfil all the roles of a conventional ultra quite diesel electric sub as well as those of the cruise torpedo concept.

The TIW Rhapsody was primarily designed to deliver offensive ordinance at extreme range with minimal risk, provide long sub surface range reconnaissance and insert covert personnel. Under the project name “Tabby Cat” the Cruise Torpedo program intended to provide the ZMN with an extreme stamina and range weapon with available off the shelf technologies. Groups of Rhapsodies can network there attacks through the GDT “Pod Logic” neural net system and such groups are usually termed “pods” rather than spreads of torpedoes. Rhapsody Coastal patrol pods ussualy operate in tandem with Vauntic Naval Combat Drone deployments. The Rhapsody is usually coupled to two heavy or four light conventional ZMN torpedoes up to 10 metres and 650mm in girth the Rhapsody is even capable of delivering light and medium conventional cruise missiles. The Rhapsody can be launched from a variety of ZMN surface craft and given its range many ZMN facilities but in the most part it is deployed by the sub surface elements of the ZMN such as the ZMN Stingray class and the older ZMN Sea Reaver SSBN. The attack variant Rhapsodies are usually found coupled to two TP-4 Samson heavy super cavitating torpedoes. The coastal defence variant of Rhapsody the Crab is capable of autonomously refuelling from sub drone tankers and tanks.

The Rhapsody was first deployed externally mounted on the ZMN’s Sea Reaver SSBN’s DSRV mount, this while it allowed long term ferry split the Sea Reaver class from there primary mission and in any case a dual or single carrying capacity in terms of Rhapsody platforms was deemed insufficient for ZMN operations. Highly effective at coastal defence the Rhapsody was deemed the ZMN’s platform of choice for engaging any surface element entering home waters. Rhapsodies can carry multi purpose buoys and special operations robots. The Lobster covert variant can carry up to 4 persons 800 miles surfacing only once.

Specifications

• Diameter: 720 mm
• Length: 15.00m
• Range: 2300 Nautical Miles at 21 knots.
• Top Speed: 38 knots
• Sensors: Green blue LADAR/LIDAR, active/passive acoustic, chemical trace
• Cargo: 10,000 kilograms
• Propulsion: Diesel Turbine / Electric driven propulsor
• Maximum Depth: 250 metres.

Variants

• Rhapsody Crab Coastal defence variant, 2000 Nautical miles with coastal defence “hull” alterations.
• Rhapsody Lobster covert insertion variant, 800 Nautical Mile range
• Rhapsody Basking Shark, Recon, EW platform, High capacity decoy, 3200 Nautical mile range, some models feature deployable surface towed solar array’s.
• Rhapsody Hake missile launcher variant. Standard 2300 mile range.
• Rhapsody Blowfish, Cruise missile launcher, 1500 nautical mile range,