Charybdis Class Cruiser
 Profile shot of CNS Charybdis
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Vesper Naval Yard |
| Operators: |
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| Preceded by: | None |
| Succeeded by: | None |
| Cost: | $2,650 million |
| Completed: | 4 |
| Active: | 4 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Heavy Cruiser |
| Displacement: | 32,000 tonnes |
| Length: | 235m |
| Beam: | 185m |
| Draft: | 10.5m |
| Propulsion: | 2 AE Shipboard Nuclear Reactors, 3 propellers, 2 waterjets, 8 port waterjets |
| Speed: | 35 knots |
| Range: | Theoretically Unlimited (Limits on Crew Endurance, and periodic refuel required). |
| Complement: | 30 Officers, 30 E-7+ Petty Officers, 350 Enlisted and low grade Petty Officers. |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
AE/RA-47 Air and Sea Search Radar AE/RA-32 Fire Control Radar AE/RA-35 Gun Control Radar AE/SO-42 Sonar Suite |
| Electronic warfare & decoys: |
AE/EW-50 Electronics Warfare Suite AE/DE-43 Infrared and Radar Decoy Suite |
| Armament: |
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1,280 500mm VLS Cells armed with
8 MkVII AShM Launchers (2 boxes) ACAS 305mm ETC Cannon ACAS 105mm ETC Cannon 6 Mars CL3A Laser CIWS turrets 2 ACAS M7 40mm Auto Cannons |
| Armor: | Light Kevlar Splinter Protection |
| Aircraft carried: | 1 Ember 223 Scout UAV |
| Aviation facilities: | 1 Small Launchpad, in hull storage facility. |
The Charybdis Class is a heavy surface combatant in the Commonwealth Navy. Designed primarily as a heavy fire support ship, it is intended to be the primary surface to surface combatant in expeditionary naval fleets (The 4th-7th), and as a tertiary flagship in the event that a fleet's two fleet carriers are knocked out of commission. Each of the Charybdis Class Cruisers are named for figures and monsters of Greek Mythology with the starting letter C.
Construction & Service
Shortly after the opening, the Commonwealth quickly found itself lacking any manner of response to the much larger surface combatants that many of its new found neighbors had within their own fleets. However, the Commonwealth at the time could not justify the construction of a full sized "super dreadnought" as multiversal nations had. As a result compromise was made. While Parliament would not authorize the construction of a fully fledged ship of that scale, a new, heavier cruiser to compliment the smaller Scylla Class vessels that were already entering service shortly after the Northern War.
The Vesper Naval Yard first recieved construction orders in 2048. The first of these vessels, the Charybdis was completed and commissioned in time for the Phonencian conflict. Though the vessel did not directly engage in the conflict, undergoing extensive sea trials at the time, it did help demonstrate the viability of the concept to Parliament, cementing the completion of the remaining ships.
Combat in the Arthuristan Civil War
CNS Charybdis was temporarily assigned to the 1st Fleet, which was temporarily acting as an expeditionary group while the 6th was, for the most part refitting at Corazon del Rio. At the outbreak of the Arthuristan Civil War, the 1st Fleet was sent to aid the Arthuristan Loyalists. En route to the Arthuristan mainland, the 1st Fleet came under attack by rebel forces. The Charybdis assisted as best it could, but was armed primarily for antishipping duties and was therefore underequipped to assist in the defense of the fleet. The Charybdis itself escaped significant damage, taking only a glancing hit to the bow section. However, in the counter attack, the Charybdis proved a much more valuable asset being the primary launcher of missiles at the Air base responsible for attacking the first fleet, and effectively destroying the Air Control tower. Finally, the Charybdis served in the final major naval battle of the war, acting as the surface group leader for the 1st Fleet after the destruction of the CNS Anthem.
Sea Fire Trials of Autonomous Kill Vehicles
The CNS Charybdis was assigned to the Autonomous Kill Vehicle (AKV) Project in 2062, as it was equipped with heavy missile launching boxes. The Charybdis was responsible for covering the AKV Trial, Heavy Vessels. Despite some issues with the AKV's Artificial intelligence, the trials were eventually completed satisfactorily and Charybdis Class Cruisers are expected to among the first vessels to carry the MkIH AKV when it enters service in 2068.
Bombing of the Charon
On the night of 19. Ocbtober. 2063, CNS Charon was bombed by seperatists of the "Frente Verde". The ship was attacked by means of an underwater naval mine planted by the seperatists who had operated under the cover of night, as the Charon was at port in the civilian section of the Bayo Serpiente. Charon suffered significant damage and had to be drydocked for a period of 6 months reentering service in May of 2064.
Design
The design of the Charybdis Cruiser is centered around the singular purpose of being a heavy surface combatant, and following the Commonwealther Naval Doctrine, best characterized by the joke mantra, "The is no such thing as too many VLS tubes on a ship". As a result it has extraordinarily effecive in the role, but lacking in other capacities. As a result it is largely utilized in the role of heavy fire support.
Powerplant & Propulsion
The Charybdis Class is powered by a pair of AE Ship Board nuclear reactors which provide both power for the propeller shafts and electrical power for the whole of the ship. The range of the reactors is limited only by crew endurance, though reactor fuel does need to be replaced once every twenty years. Primary motive power is provided by a trio of heavy propellers and a pair of waterjets all of which are intended to provide mechanical redundancy in event of failure. The Charybdis Class is capable of making a speed of 35 knots in favorable conditions. Additionally, there are secondary waterjets that provide motive power while the ship is in port.
Armament
The Charybdis Class is a heavily armed ship. The Charybdis Class is equipped with 136 launchers for 1000mm heavy missiles, mostly launched from VLS launchers, though there are some traditional box launchers. Additionally the charybdis is equipped with 1,280 500mm VLS cells for both defensive and offensive missiles. The Charybdis Class is also equipped with a heavy 305mm ETC cannon for shorter range engagements with enemy ships and for limited shore bombardment, and a smaller 105mm ETC cannon for engaging smaller craft, both mounted on the bow of the ship.
Defenses
The Charybdis Class supports a multilayer defensive system for engaging potential threats and hopefully neutralizing them before they can hit the ship. In addition to the aforementioned VLS cells, the Charybdis Class sports a number of Close in Weapons systems. Primarily the CIWS net is consistent of Laser weapons located at critical points of the hull. Additionally, there is a pair of 40mm Auto Cannons located near the center of the ship that provide support for the Laser as well as engage fast attack craft and small ships. The Charybdis Class boasts a fairly extensive EW suite and is equipped with decoy mortars. However, as is the case with most modern vessels, the Charybdis is lightly armored, in the event of impact, the Charybdis Class is only equipped with light Kevlar blast protection.
Electronics
The Charybdis Class uses the fairly standard suite of electronics on a Commonwealth vessel, with Air and Surface Search Radars, Fire Control Systems for all of its weapons, a standard Sonar Suite. Additionally, the Charybdis is linking into the Commonwealth Navy's battlenet as a Capital Ship allowing it to serve as a flagship for fleets should such a thing become necessary, with full network integration as well as the flagship enhanced communications suite and a reasonably sized task fleet C&C. The Navy's Battlenet also includes an onboard communications system allowing all critical sections of the ship to remain in constant communication in the event of combat.
Air Wing
The Charybdis Class does technically have an Air Wing in the form of a single Ember 223 Scout UAV for use in tracking and fire control operations. As well as limited submarine hunting duties as necessary. This UAV is launched from a small launchpad in the rear of Charybdis Class vessels, and maintained in a small bay underneath the launchpad accessible through the pad's built in elevator.
Future of the Charybdis Class
The Charybdis Class is currently in service, and this is expected to remain the case for some time. Charybdis Class vessels are expected to undergo the first of three planned service upgrades to update each ship's electronics suite, and (more visibly) be refitted to use Autonomous Kill Vehicles in 2068, with an additional upgrade in 2075, and 2081. However, a new class of warship, the Nemesis Class, has just entered service. The two ships of that class are going to be used to test the concept of the Super Dreadnought, and if the proof of concept proves successful it is likely that the Charybdis Class will be supplanted by a line of larger ships and a bolstering of the number of smaller cruisers within the Commonwealth Navy.
Ships in Service
| Ship Name | Hull Number | Shipyard | Launched | Commissioned | Home Port | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNS Charybdis | CAGN-1 | Vesper Shipyard | 27. June. 2056 | 11. February. 2057 | Corazón del Rio, Isla Verde | In Service |
| CNS Charon | CAGN-2 | Vesper Shipyard | 31. July. 2056 | 15. March. 2057 | Corazón del Rio, Isla Verde | In Service |
| CNS Cerberus | CAGN-3 | Vesper Shipyard | 3. November. 2056 | 8. August. 2057 | Corazón del Rio, Isla Verde | In Service |
| CNS Chimera | CAGN-4 | Vesper Shipyard | 12. January. 2057 | 3. January. 2058 | Port Fairhaven, Veiled Isle | In Service |