OBT Forum

Area 51 Shipyards applauds, DiTron's multi win contracts, if they fill that their shipyard capacity is over strained, Area 51 is willing to be a subcontractor as at this time the Warspite class is only consuming 30 percent of our total capacity for the military.

I don't think I can over-state how close a call it was between the Lola Mk XV and the Graf Spee. I expect Boeing will also be rebuilding damaged Lola destroyers to the Mk XV standard.

---

Category G: Light Carrier for use in patrol and escort roles.
The requirements were a 4/6 thrust, low cost for mass production, good endurance, anti-dropship and anti-fighter firepower important, should carry at least 60 ASF.
Submitted for consideration were Iron Eagle, Lola IV, Leonidas, Obelisk, Lola III

Individual Reviews

The Iron Eagle came in with a little more mass than the committee had envisaged but it provided excellent anti-fighter firepower, a solid array of capital missile launchers and good protection. With space aboard for a reinforced aerospace regiment and 80,000 tons of cargo space there were certainly no complaints from the 'fighter mafia' on the technical front.

Boeing Interstellar came in with a smaller candidate, based on the famously adaptable Lola-class destroyer hull. Defended with naval lasers and capital missiles the result was still respectably supplied for sixty onboard fighters.

The Leonidas was presented with an attractive price tag compared to the earlier submissions and a well-compartmentalised flight deck won good reviews. The light armour was a concern for some of the commitee but the rebuttal was made that it would discourage crews from sending the carrier into close encounters it was not intended for.

Federated Boeing's Obelisk class was extraordinarily compact for its capability, a staggering two onboard fighter regiments. There was concern however that in an extended campaign the onboard supplies might not be sufficient. The expense of a LFB was also questioned.

A second Lola adaption, closer to the Lola III, from Boeing Interstellar matched the Obelisk's onboard wing and managed slightly more cargo space, slightly more fuel and slightly more protection - although as some pointed out, with half again the tonnage that shouldn't be hard. It also had considerably better accomodation for the crew quarters.

Final Decision

The financial demands of rebuilding the SLN drove the committee to reject all designs costing more than $4bn per unit. This immediately reduced the field to the Leonidas and the Lola III. The two ships sported comparable armour and armament. The Leonidas edged out the Lola III for cargo space and also for ease of resupply via dropship which finally tipped the balance in favour of the smaller design.