Alba-class destroyer

Class overview
Name:	Alba-class air defence destroyer
Builders:	TBA
Operators:	Imperial Navy
Cost:	$1.8 billion
In service:	2006-
Completed:	10
General characteristics
Type:	Destroyer
Tonnage:	7,150 tons (Full load)
Length:	155.4 m
Beam:	20.52 m
Draught:	5.2 m
Propulsion:	CODOG 2 × Gas turbine 2 × Diesel engines 2 × Diesel generators 2 × shafts w/ controllable pitch propellers 1 × deployable rotating Bow thruster
Speed:	max +30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) cruise +15 knots (27 km/h; 17 mph)
Range:	6,100 nmi (11,000 km) cruise
Complement:	236
Sensors and processing systems:	Augustus Multi-Function Active Radar Thalassan Group G-24 Long-range active radar Radar Electronic Support Measures Monopulse Secondary Passive Array Passive Acquisition and Surveillance System (PASS) Advanced IFF Passive Identifiers Phased Fire Control Radars Tungsten SSC-12 Sonar Array with option for towed array
Electronic warfare & decoys:	RN/SLS-082 Electronic Warfare Device Beluga Anti-Torpedo Countermeasure System 4 × Trixton 500 Defensive Launchers
Armament:	Missiles: 48 cell vertical launch system Lance Missile Archer Missile Peltast Missile 2 × Foreganger Missile quad-launchers Guns: 2 x 76mm CIWS-capable gun platform 1 x 35mm CIWS platform 2 x 25mm Bushmaster remote-controlled cannons Torpedoes: 2 x dual torpedo tubes (324mm) Type 14A Helix Lightweight Torpedo
Aircraft carried:	2 x Cassini or similar medium-lift aircraft

The Alba-class guided-missile destroyer is a class of air defence destroyer in service with the Navy of the Latin Empire.

The class began it's life as part of the Latin Naval upgrade project that intended to amalgamate multiple older designs into single, multi-purpose platforms that met requirements placed upon the Imperial Navy in the combat theatres of the twenty-first century. While the intended design was for a truly multi-purpose vessel, the admiralty felt that a focus on anti-air warfare (AAW) was needed as a priority to counter new generations of combat aircraft, with a frigate designed - the Victoria-class following three years later.

Development

The Imperial Navy issued a requirement in 2002 for what was titled the 'Future Sea Combatant Project for the twenty-first century', or FSC21. The project initially focused on the prospect of a general purpose destroyer.

Development of the destroyer toward a 'general purpose' role saw the domestic development of the Augustus Multi-Function Active Radar system that featured a higher data rate and a a larger set of adaptive beam emitters for the ability to track multiple targets simultaneously in a battle-space. Shortly after the live testing of the AMFAR system the admiralty decided to shift focus on the design toward an air defence role, with the idea being that the Alba casts a defensive 'bubble' over a task force operating in hostile areas to defend from air attack. The shift resulted in the development of the Thalassan group G-24 Long-range active radar that is capable of long-range interrogations of detected airborne objects with a high success rate of detection toward aircraft with low-RCS body structures.

Facing the potential of having to redesign the entirety of existing missile stocks, the Imperial Navy worked alongside the Federation Navy, a long-time ally, to domestically manufacture a number of munitions such as the Orestes Foundries gun series, the Lance Missile family, the Archer missile family, and after 2008 the Foreganger missile, a long-range supersonic missile platform.

Operators

• Latium
  • Imperial Navy

Ships in class

Name	Number	Comissioned	Status
I.M.S Alba	D647	2006	Active
TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA

See also

• Imperial Navy