Minerva-Class Cruiser
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Minerva-class cruiser |
| Builders: | Royal Shipbuilders of Cacerta |
| Operators: |
 Cacertian Royal Navy |
| Preceded by: | Valentina-class |
| Succeeded by: | Vedette-class |
| In commission: | 1979 – present |
| Planned: | 20 |
| Completed: | 20 |
| Active: | 20 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser |
| Displacement: |
list error: <br /> list (help) 10,770 tons standard 13,156 tons fully loaded |
| Length: | 186 meters |
| Beam: | 21 meters |
| Draft: | 8 meters |
| Propulsion: |
list error: <br /> list (help) 2 × CNRC Mk V nuclear reactors 2 × CNRC steam turbines 2 × shafts driving four-bladed controllable-reversible pitch propellers |
| Speed: | 32 knots (59 km/h) |
| Range: | Unlimited |
| Complement: | 485 officers and crew |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
list error: <br /> list (help) RN-RMVII multi-function radar RN-RRAV air search radar RN-RRSXII surface search radar RN-RAX fire control radar RN-RCFAVIII gun fire control radar RN-SA6 sonar suite |
| Electronic warfare & decoys: |
list error: <br /> list (help) RN-CL chaff countermeasures RN-TD torpedo decoy dispensers |
| Armament: |
list error: <br /> list (help) Guns: 4 × 140mm RN-SBIV guns (2 × 2) Missiles: 16 × RN-MSAN Fiocina missiles 1 × 64-cell vertical launch system Other: 2 × Strozzino quadruple torpedo tubes 2 × 20mm Custode CIWS |
| Notes: | Named after General Bartolomeo Minerva |
The Minerva-class is a class of nuclear-powered heavy cruisers in service with the Cacertian Royal Navy. It is the first vessel of its type to be powered by nuclear reactors and is the result of a Cacertian initiative to create a nuclear fleet. As the first of a new age of cruiser in the Royal Navy, the Minerva-class cruisers are the test platform for the newly developed Fiocina anti-ship missile system.
Considering the distance between the Cacertian Home Islands and its bases in Andria and Shalum, Cacertian High Command began serious considerations into developing a self-sustaining nuclear fleet that could operate at long-periods on patrol. Development of these vessels began in the early 21st-century with the first unit seeing completion in mid-2006.
The Mark V nuclear reactors utilized in the Minerva-class would be further developed into the Mark VII reactors used on board the Queen Anelyn-class battleships.