Class/Model/Name: Diana Assault Ship
Tech: Inner Sphere / 3025
Vessel Type: Spheroid DropShip
Rules: Level 1, Standard design
Rules Set: AeroTech2
Mass: 35,000 tons
Power Plant: Standard
Safe Thrust: 6
Maximum Thrust: 9
Armor Type: Standard
Armament:
91 PPC
---Overview---
Following from the development of the Argonaut freighters and its military variant, the Ulysses, the Magistracy Navy decided to embark on the design and construction of two much larger combat dropships to spearhead their fleet. The Diana class was devised to act as a multi-role platform for defense of worlds along the Magistracy's long borders.
---Capabilities---
Like most Canopian naval designs the Diana is built with an exceptionally sturdy hull wrapped around huge engines and then encased in armour: in this case more than six hundred tons of it although advanced armour was not available in sufficient quantity for the hulls. In fact, despite the rapid strides made in Canopian ship-building, advanced heatsinks, weapons and armour were not employed for the Diana or the counterpart Minerva-class - presumably being reserved for another, less advertised design.
Inside the hull, the Diana features a spacious cargobay and two flight decks: one for two squadrons of aerospace fighters and the other reconfigurable to handle either a third squadron or six other small craft. This provides the Diana with excellent capability as a fast carrier: itself able to keep pace with the majority of aerospace fighters, Dianas can easily evade contact with other dropships and most attack fighters while supporting its own onboard wing from the cargo bay.
In terms of firepower the weapons fit is simple: particle cannons. There are thirteen turrets, each with the characteristic 'hex' layout of 2-3-2 PPCs, covering all angles although the majority are pointed forwards. Without requiring ammuniton that would cut into fighter stores, an energy complement makes sense and a single hit from any turret is enough to destroy almost any light or medium fighter while concentrated fire from several can credibly threaten most dropships.
---Deployment---
A total of six Dianas were laid down before wargames in 3025 employing the first two led the Magistracy Navy to conclude that they were not cost-efficient: the massive heat burden and inability to bracket-fire were nails in the coffin but it was the fact of a single Diana costing sixty billion Canopian Dollars that led them to recommend against laying down additional vessels. It's possible production will continue until some other use for the yards built to support them are provided however.
The additional criticisms are a surprise: the Diana was never intended to bracket-fire and while it generates impressive heat with its PPCs, the power system and heat dissipation mechanisms appear sufficient for use. Possibly the unspoken objection is a lack of point defense in an evironment where nuclear missiles are an increasingly common threat. The result though is that the Diana is regarded as another wasteful boondoggle of the ill-regarded Magistracy Navy.
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Class/Model/Name: Diana Assault Ship
Mass: 35,000 tons
Equipment: Mass
Power Plant, Drive & Control: 13,650.00
Thrust: Safe Thrust: 6
Maximum Thrust: 9
Structural Integrity: 180 12,600.00
Total Heat Sinks: 910 Single 606.00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps: 204.00
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters: 263.00
Fire Control Computers: 70.00
Food & Water: (110 days supply) 45.00
Armor Type: Standard (7,200 total armor pts) 648.00
Standard Scale Armor Pts
Location: L / R
Fore: 2,052
Left/Right Sides: 1,800/1,800
Aft: 1,548
Cargo:
Bay 1: Small Craft (6) with 1 door 1,200.00
Bay 2: Fighters (12) with 2 doors 1,800.00
Bay 3: Cargo (1) with 1 door 2,961.00
Life Boats: 15 (7 tons each) 105.00
Crew and Passengers:
5 Officers (5 minimum) 50.00
7 Crew (6 minimum) 49.00
16 Gunners (16 minimum) 112.00
54 Bay Personnel .00
Weapons and Equipment Loc SRV MRV LRV ERV Heat Mass
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7 PPC Nose 7(70) 7(70) -- -- 70 49.00
7 PPC Nose 7(70) 7(70) -- -- 70 49.00
7 PPC Nose 7(70) 7(70) -- -- 70 49.00
7 PPC Nose 7(70) 7(70) -- -- 70 49.00
7 PPC FL/R 7(70) 7(70) -- -- 140 98.00
7 PPC FL/R 7(70) 7(70) -- -- 140 98.00
7 PPC FL/R 7(70) 7(70) -- -- 140 98.00
7 PPC AL/R 7(70) 7(70) -- -- 140 98.00
7 PPC Aft 7(70) 7(70) -- -- 70 49.00
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TOTALS: Heat: 910 35,000.00
Tons Left: .00
Calculated Factors:
Total Cost: 1,721,042,400 C-Bills
Battle Value: 31,766
