Rourke-class cruiser

Rourke, in her 2018 configuration.
Class overview
Builders:	Manley Shipyards, Smith Island, Meridon
Operators:	Meridonian Navy
Preceded by:	Tamblin-class cruiser
Succeeded by:	CG-MA
Built:	1988-TBD
In service:	1992-present
Planned:	6
Completed:	6
Active:	6
General characteristics
Class and type:	Guided missile cruiser
Displacement:	16,600 tons, full load
Length:	Overall: 557 ft
Beam:	Overall: Around 70ft
Draught:	20ft
Propulsion:	4x COGAG turbines powering 2 shafts, 100,000 shp total
Speed:	In excess of 35 knots
Range:	In excess of 6,000 nm at 18kts
Complement:	300, with accomodations for up to 360.
Sensors and processing systems:	Delta IMRAS phased array 3D multifunction radar Delta AM8491 2D air search radar 2x Delta SM333 I Band surface search/navigational radar 1x Delta SM315 E/F Band surface search radar 2x Delta TM220 missile radar illuminators 2x MATCA combined AHRS/INS systems MATCA Command Navigation Program MATCA RAGOTS combined radar and optical gun tracking suite Matca R43E sonar suite Matca Seafin R300 towed array sonar
Electronic warfare & decoys:	MATCA SHREWD electronic warfare suite MATCA NGSEE signals exploitation suite Nulka decoys Advanced Counter-Torpedo Decoy System Offboard Float Decoy System Nixie decoys
Armament:	1x Type 42 4.5in naval gun 2x Type 318 30mm chaingun 2x 7.62 miniguns 6x 7.62 general purpose machine guns 3x 48-cell + 1x 32-cell VLS (176 total cells) with capacity for: MSA-7 short range anti-aircraft missile (up to 4x per cell) (legacy) MSA-6 long range anti-aircraft missile (legacy) MSA-15 short-range anti-aircraft missile (up to 4x per cell) MSA-30 long-range anti-aircraft missile MSU-14 antisubmarine rocket-propelled torpedo MSS-18 cruise missile 2x Goalkeeper 40 25mm CIWS 16x MSS-33 anti-ship missiles 2x triple torpedo tubes for MSU-90 anti-submarine torpedoes
Armour:	Kevlar over vital spaces
Aircraft carried:	2x H50M5 normally carried
Aviation facilities:	Enclosed hangar for up to 2x H50M5 Hawk

The Rourke-class is a class of six guided missile cruiser in service with the Meridonian Navy. Designed from an optimized and enlarged Otapara-class hull to fill a need for a surface action group flagship, it utilized some of the materials from the twelve cancelled ship of that class. It was designed to act primarily as an offensive platform for strikes on sea and land targets and to coordinate one or multiple surface action groups during offensive and defensive operations. While its procurement was considered controversial due to a lack of perceived need, its flexibility has proved highly valuable to deployed Meridonian Navy groups. While capable of air warfare defense, Rourke-class deployments are typically as part of a surface action or amphibious ready group, and it is uncommon for it to be attached to a carrier task group. The class is named after major mountain peaks within the islands. The first ship, Rourke, was commissioned in 19XX and the last, Pinecrest, in 20XX.

Description

Design

Anamaru conducting a live fire exercise off the coast of Redbird Territory.

The Otapara-class was originally conceived as a standardized class of destroyer able to perform all necessary functions expected of a future surface combatant, including provisions for flag facilities as leaders of surface action groups. Replacing older Mystere-class vessels, they offered a substantially increased capability in anti-ship and land attack warfare, the latter being the first introduction of the capability from a surface ship with the introduction of VLS tubes. 20 ships were originally planned, however due to the high cost related to fitting and arming an Otapara-class destroyer and its percieved inadequacy in the air defense role, the Helena-class destroyer was designed to specialize in air warfare and form the bulk of a surface action group. This lead to the emergence of the semi-formal designation of the Otapara-class as a 'general purpose' destroyer, as opposed to the 'air wafare' destroyer Helena-class.

Ships in class

Ship	Pennant number	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned
MRS Otapara	D30	23 March 1985	12 April 1988	33 November 1988
MRS Kaimai	D31	10 July 1985	24 December 1988	30 August 1989
MRS Kaihiku	D32	2 June 1986	30 March 1989	20 February 1990
MRS Ohikati	D33	13 November 1986	20 March 1989	11 March 1990
MRS Rotoma	D34	24 July 1987	14 July 1990	2 January 1992
MRS Whitikau	D35	18 February 1988	2 January 1991	11 January 1992
MRS Pipiroa	D36	2 March 1989	3 March 1992	16 December 1992
MRS Anamaru	D37	20 December 1989	14 December 1992	3 May 1993