Talon-class nuclear aircraft carrier

ZMS Griffiths, the flagship of the Talon-class, in January 2019
Class overview
Name:	Talon-class aircraft carrier
Builders:	Tridarry Industries
Operators:	Zamastanian Naval Forces
Preceded by:	Hamilton-class
Cost:	Z$8.5 billion
In commission:	10 December 1981
Planned:	12
Completed:	9
Active:	9
General characteristics
Class and type:	Talon-class aircraft carrier
Displacement:	102,000 long tons (114,000 short tons)
Length:	Overall: 1,092 feet (332.8 m) Waterline: 1,040 feet (317.0 m)
Beam:	Overall: 252 ft (76.8 m) Waterline: 134 ft (40.8 m)
Draft:	Maximum navigational: 37 feet (11.3 m) Limit: 41 feet (12.5 m)
Propulsion:	2 × Bell A4W nuclear reactors (HEU 93.5%) 4 × steam turbines 4 × shafts 260,000 shp (194 MW)
Speed:	30+ knots (56+ km/h; 35+ mph)
Range:	Unlimited distance; 20–25 years
Complement:	Ship's company: 3,532 Air wing: 2,480
Crew:	5,000–5,200 (including airwing)
Armament:	2 × Mk29 ESSM launcher 2 × RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile 3 × Kesey CIWS
Armor:	2.5 in (64 mm) Kevlar over vital spaces
Aircraft carried:	90 fixed wing and helicopters

The Talon-class is a class of ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in service with the Zamastanian Naval Forces. It is the successor ship to the Hamilton-class. Every ship in the class is named after a President of Zamastan who either served in the navy or oversaw major naval operations during their administrations. With an overall length of 1,092 ft (333 m) and full-load displacement of over 100,000 long tons (100,000 t), the Talon-class ships are the largest warships in the world. The carriers use two Bell-A4W pressurized water reactors which drive four propeller shafts and can produce a maximum speed of over 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) and maximum power of around 260,000 shaft horsepower (190 MW). As a result of the use of nuclear power, the ships are capable of operating for over 20 years without refueling and are predicted to have a service life of over 50 years.

All ten carriers, as well as the two still planned for construction, were constructed by Tridarry Industries in Lower Tariel, Northern Isle. ZMS Griffiths, the lead ship of the class, was commissioned on 10 December 1981. Since the 1980s, Talon-class carriers have participated in many conflicts and operations across the world, including the first and second war in Vulkaria, the 2020 intervention in Ossinia, and airstrikes in the closing phase of the civil war in Syraranto.

The angled flight decks of the carriers use a CATOBAR arrangement to operate aircraft, with steam catapults and arrestor wires for launch and recovery. An embarked carrier air wing consisting of up to around 90 aircraft is normally deployed on board. The air wings' strike fighters are primarily Z-14 Ospreys and Z-17 Condor. In addition to their aircraft, the vessels carry short-range defensive weaponry for anti-aircraft warfare and missile defense.

Ships in class

The Navy has a statutory requirement for a minimum of 7 aircraft carriers. The navy is currently consistant of nine Talon-class nuclear aircraft carrier, with the ZMS Castovia (formerly Gardner) undergoing extensive systems and technologies testing until around 2021, and the eighth and ninth carriers, ZMS Gaviria and ZMS Abotsford, having launched in late 2022 and early 2023 respectively. Additionally, the ZMS Daniels is being constructed and is set to launch in early 2024. All modern-day carriers are named after presidents of Zamastan, currently being Alistair Griffiths, Tyler Kordia, Thomas Dubois, Jean Levasseur, Caius Aebutius, Quintus Belisarius, William Castovia, Marvin Gaviria, Elene Abotsford, and Elijah Daniels, while during the World War names were varied, often composed of military leader namesakes, such as the ZMS Upham. The ZMS Gardner, named after Hawk Gardner, was renamed the ZMS Castovia on September 23rd, 2021.

• ZMS Griffiths - launched 1981, ZNB Jade Harbor
• ZMS Kordia - launched 1984, ZNB Jade Harbor
• ZMS Dubois - launched 1989, ZNB Tregueux
• ZMS Levasseur - launched 1991, ZNB Anchorhead
• ZMS Aebutius - launched 1993, ZNB Aurelia
• ZMS Belisarius - launched 2009, ZNB Aurelia
• ZMS Castovia - launched 2014, ZNB Holish Islands
• ZMS Gaviria - launched 2022, ZNB Tregueux
• ZMS Abotsford - launched 2023, ZNB Tofino
• ZMS Daniels - under construction, set to launch in 2024