Inspired by the carrier combat of the D&D(D) fic.
Adrestia CLASS Aerospace Carrier
Overview:
The Adrestia is the first large dropship carrier optimized for deep space strike missions. This mission type was usually reserved for the naval wings onboard warships. However as the numbers of warships dropped deep space fighter strikes have also declined sharply and most carrier operations tend to have regressed to an imitation of atmospheric fighter operation where ships, stationary in relation to each other, or directly engaged in combat launch fighter strikes at the other with the deep space strike mission usurped by the gunboat flotillas.
With her high thrust rating the Adrestia can build good attack vectors for her fighter wing and easily avoid retaliation from the normally much more sluggish transports and warships which are her primary prey. Using the thrust of the carrier rather than having the fighters themselves burn towards the enemy greatly extends the endurance and range of the fighter wing as well as making recovery operations simpler.
Capabilities:
The main punch of the Adrestia is the full regiment of fighters she is carrying. This impressive wing is grouped on three flight decks with four doors each to keep up a high launch recovery rate. Flight ops are also supported by two recovery shuttles able to drag back crippled fighters or extricate injured pilots from their stricken crafts.
Unfortunately the squeeze effect of the massive drives sharply reduces the supplies and gear needed for flight operations limiting the Adrestia’s operational endurance. Given her envisioned task of operating with gunboat squadrons for rather short duration strike missions the rather short operational endurance was seen as an acceptable tradeoff.
The weaponry of the Adrestia is optimized for defense and the ship carries an extensive array of long range missiles and heavy lasers to take out any threats that make it past it’s fighter screens. As a last line of defense the Adrestia also carries point defense laser clusters to intercept any missiles fired at it.
If all else fails the Adrestia is also heavily armored, although no to the level of a gunboat strike craft. The protection was intended to be better but the Terran civil war sharply reduced the availability of Ferro-Aluminum armor that the ship was originally intended to use.
Variants:
The only variants of the Adrestia are the two prototypes which are easily recognizable as their bay doors are stacked one on top of the other. This pattern was found to be impractical during mass launch and recovery operations from all three flight decks simultaneously and was altered to the spiral arrangement on the production models.
There are no other variants of the Adrestia yet and none are planned although if the production facilities become available the class might be up-armored with Ferro-Aluminum armor.
Deployment:
The Adrestia is normally deployed alongside modern fast gunboats into mutually supporting taskforces. As of yet only the Terran Republic deploys Adrestia class ships. Although four unfinished ships were stolen by suspected Loyalists those have not appeared in the Terran Rim navy and there is no indication when, or in what configuration, they will eventually be completed.
 
Adrestia CLASS Aerospace Carrier
Type: Military Spheroid
Tech: Standard
Introduced:
Mass: 32,000 tons
Dimensions
Length: 145.00 meters
Width: 130.00 meters
Height: 270.00 meters
Fuel: 600.00 tons (12,000)
Tons/Burn-day: 1.84 tons
Safe Thrust: 6
Max Thrust: 9
Heatsinks:(291 free) 291 single
Structural Integrity: 60
Armor: 216 tons standard
Nose: 1000 (100)
R/L Sides: 416 (42)
Aft: 1000 (100)
Weapons:
Arc (Heat) Type Short Medium Long Xtreme
Nose(30 Heat)
3 LRM20 (90 rounds) 4(36) 4(36) 4(36) -
2 Large Laser 2(16) 2(16) - -
6 small Laser 2*(18*) - - -
LF/RF(60 Heat)
3 LRM20 (90 rounds) 4(36) 4(36) 4(36) -
2 Large Laser 2(16) 2(16) - -
6 small Laser 2*(18*) - - -
AL/AR(60 Heat)
3 LRM20 (90 rounds) 4(36) 4(36) 4(36) -
2 Large Laser 2(16) 2(16) - -
6 small Laser 2*(18*) - - -
Aft(30 Heat)
3 LRM20 (90 rounds) 4(36) 4(36) 4(36) -
2 Large Laser 2(16) 2(16) - -
6 small Laser 2*(18*) - - -
Cargo: 3069 tons
Bay 1: Fighter (20), Cargo 4 Doors
Bay 2: Fighter (20), Cargo 4 Doors
Bay 3: Fighter (20), Small Craft (2) 4 Doors
Escape Pods: 20
Crew: 220, 40 Off, 15 Gun, 150 Bay, 30 Mar
Ammunition:
540 rounds of LRM 20 ammunition (90 tons)
Note:
Equipped with 216 tons of standard armor.
Cost:
980 million C-bills.
