Helios-class light carrier

HHS Hermes
Class overview
Name:	Helios Class
Builders:	Arthuristan Dynamics
Operators:	Commonwealth Navy, Imperial Ghantish Navy
Preceded by:	Centaur-class aircraft carrier
In service:	2 active
General characteristics
Type:	Light aircraft carrier
Displacement:	27,000 tonnes
Length:	244m
Beam:	29.1m
Draught:	8.7m
Installed power:	COGAG 4 x Rollers Engineering AVE-17 gas turbines (118.010 bhp) 2 shafts 6 x diesel generators
Speed:	30 knots+
Range:	13,300km at 16 kn
Boats & landing craft carried:	4 x LCVP carried on external davits
Capacity:	60 vehicles, up to 40 main battle tanks
Troops:	600-900 troops
Complement:	750 crew
Sensors and processing systems:	Type 997 Artisan 3D radar, Type 1022 Radar, Type-1049 navigation radars
Armament:	2x Phalanx CIWS (pre-2010) or SeaRAM (after 2010), 4x 27mm Typhoon Weapon Stations, 8x L6A2 General Purpose Machine Gun
Armour:	steel shrapnel sheets, kevlar spall liners
Aircraft carried:	30, including up to 16-20 STOVL fighters in surge conditions

The Helios-class is an Arthuristan class of light aircraft carriers, operated by the Commonwealth Navy. They entered service in the early-1990s. They replaced the Centaur Class of light carriers which, by the time the Helios entered service, were close to 50 years old.

In order to bolster the chances that Parliament would grant the necessary funds, the Helios was officially designated by the Admiralty as a 'Through-deck Cruiser' or 'Anti-submarine Mothership', for the first years following their into service.

Roles

The primary role of the Helios is to operate as an anti-submarine warfare carrier. Given the importance of sea-borne trade to the island nation, the ability to provide effective escort forces to merchant convoys is a matter of national survival. The Helios can operate a large number of anti-submarine warfare helicopters, such as the Sea King or their replacement, the Majestic Heracles, for this purpose, supplemented by the AEW version of these helicopters, which provide a degree of 'over-the-horizon' early warning capability.

A complement of STOVL fighters, such as the Arthuristan Dynamics Kestrel or their replacement, the Arthuristan Dynamics Whirlwind, are embarked to provide air defence, as well as a measure of secondary strike capabilities, to a Helios-centred task force. Their main task in an escort scenario would be to intercept long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft, which can vector submarines and bombers towards the convoy's locations. The ship normally accomodates a half-squadron of eight Whirlwinds in peacetime, although up to twenty fighters in total can potentially be carried in 'surge mode' through the full utilisation of both hangar and deck-park capacity.

Helios-class vessels also have the important role of operating as flagships of amphibious warfare task groups. They would, in such deployments, operate as landing platform helicopters for assault aircraft such as Herons.

Helios-class carriers were also designed from the outset for a secondary amphibious warfare role. A Helios can transport a reinforced battalion group of Commonwealth Marines and deploy them using helicopters or landing craft. Although the Helios has no well-deck, unlike a true amphibious warfare ship, it carries four LCVP light landing craft on davits. The ship also has a 'ro-ro' ingress door, allowing the conversion of its hangar into a storage space for vehicles, including main battle tanks.

Design features

The Helios has extensive flag facilities, including a comprehensive C4I suite, enabling its use as a flagship of task groups. They play an important 'workhorse' role in the Commonwealth Navy, taking on the multitude of tasks which require the presence of a capital ship, but for which large fleet carriers are 'overkill'.

Numerous measures were taken to reduce the vessels' costs, both construction and operational. The ships were built on a modular basis, with various sections being built simultaneously before being joined together. Some of the simpler, less sophisticated sections were constructed in a number of small civilian shipyards. The extensive use of automation allows such a capital ship to be crewed by a relatively small complement. Stylistically, the vessels conform to the late-70s-80s Arthuristan naval construction pattern - they are slab-sided and inelegant, functional, utilitarian, industrial-looking ships which belie key developments in modularity and automation.

Helios class vessels underwent a mid-life upgrade program in the early-2010s. Their old Type-996 3D search radars were replaced by Type 997 sets.

Helios class vessels are equipped with basic means of self-defence. They originally had CIWS armaments consisting of two Phalanx mounts, which were replaced by SeaRAM around 2010 as part of the mid-life upgrade program. In addition, owing to their amphibious role, defence against small craft is considered a priority. To that end, a battery of autocannons and machine guns are installed. In the mid-2000s, the ships' old manual 20mm autocannons were replaced by a quartet of automated Typhoon Weapon Station armed with 25mm rotary cannons.

In addition, the Helios possesses significant means of passive defence. It has a comprehensive electronic support measure and countermeasure suite which is updated progressively. These ships are equipped with the Seagnat chaff and decoy system, although replacement by the more advanced Multi Ammunition Softkill System is currently underway. Finally, the Surface Ship Torpedo Defence system is installed to protect these vessels from torpedoes.

Typical air groups

Sea control mode

• 8 x Arthuristan Dynamics Whirlwind STOVL fighters
• 16 x Majestic Heracles anti-submarine helicopters
• 3 x Majestic Heracles AEW helicopters

'Surge' carrier mode

• 16 x Arthuristan Dynamics Whirlwind STOVL fighters
• 16 x Majestic Heracles anti-submarine helicopters
• 3 x Majestic Heracles AEW helicopters

Amphibious assault mode

• 16 x Majestic Heracles assault helicopters or 8 x Aigios Heron
• 2 x Majestic Heracles AEW helicopters
• 4 x Arthuristan Dynamics Raven attack helicopters

Users

• Arthurista
• Orun Redisus
  
  • ITNS Florentia
  • ITNS Herakleios - Retired
  • ITNS Marcus - Retired