Project 17100
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Project 17100 destroyer |
| Operators: | Itayana Navy |
| Preceded by: | Project 14460 destroyer |
| In service: | 2004-present |
| Completed: | 7 |
| Active: | 7 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Guided-missile destroyer |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: |
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| Beam: | 21.3 m (70 ft) |
| Draught: | 7.8 m (26 ft) |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | +32 kn (59 km/h; 37 mph) |
| Range: | +11,000 nmi (20,000 km) at 18 knots |
| Boats & landing craft carried: | 4 Type 601 cutters |
| Complement: | 363 (17101) |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Armament: |
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| Armour: | Various local protection |
| Aircraft carried: |
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The Project 17100 destroyer, sometimes known as Aribango-class destroyer is a family of guided-missile destroyers (DDGs) in service of the Unifying Navy. The class was conceived in late 1980s as the primary capital ship of the resurgent Navy, capable of conducting anti-aircraft warfare, anti-submarine operations, anti-surface combat in sustained actions, ground-strike missions, and long-range surface raiding operations. Design effort included study of Zacapine, Rezese, Redisan, and Elatian capital ships and their surface actions, and involved technical assistance from the Oxidentali nations.
All ships of the class are named after the cities in the Two Basins, including both the Autocracy and Amayana Makgato Federation cities. The lead ship, Aribango, was built in Gallentica Naval Works shipyard in Orun Redisus, while all other ships were built on the Shipbuilding Plant No.113 in the Imo Basin. Seven have been completed by 2024, replacing the older Project 14460 destroyers in service.
Development
The Unifying Revival, spearheaded by the Solar Temple of Yanbango in the lower Karana basin, was characterized, among other things, by intense, lengthy, and often heated discussions in the internal periodic papers of the Temple Missions in various countries. The recurring theme was the composition of the future navy of the Temple State, with discussions involving priests, apprentices, a few students training in various military academies, and occasional invited experts from the navy of the country the particular mission was situated. Most vocal proponents in the Elatian and Zacapine missions eventually took the upper hand, while debating between themselves about the composition of their desired fleet. By the time the Itayana Navy was re-established in 1988, the priesthood and the Captains' Council of the Navy were unified in that the blue-water navy would need three types of combat ships: an aircraft carrier as a C3I, air defence, and strike ship; a frigate as the main multi-role ship of the fleet; and a capital ship.
The desired frigate formalized as the Project 15470 program, and its design process, based entirely around proven and tested systems, met the least difficulties between the three. The carrier program, while initially considered economically impractical, unexpectedly materialized with the help of the Burning Sun Initiative in 1996 as the Project 11431, a reconstruction of an unfinished Elatian aircraft cruiser. Clauses of the Burning Sun funding included provisions to test certain systems to be employed in the Zacapine Navy, a decision that led to numerous problems in ship's sea trials. The capital ship program materialized as the Project 17100.
Requirements for a future capital ship of the Navy were debated and discussed through late '60s, '70s, and '80s. Said debates involved extensive analysis of the Belfro-Mutulese War of 1928, Second Belfro-Elatian War, and Third Uhlangan Civil War, as well as the present state and development of capital ships around the world from various sources the priests have evoked. Proponents of the surface raiding doctrine, centered around the mission in Elatia, argued that Itayana would never be able to establish a fleet that could oppose numerically superior fleets in open combat, meaning the possibility of raiding hit-and-run tactics was the way to deter possible naval aggression. They carefully studied the Second Belfro-Elatian War and surface actions of the Elatian Navy in it. Their opponents, centered around the mission in Zacapican, argued that Elatian raiding doctrine based around submarines and surface raiders, ultimately failed through a series of engagements where outgunned solitary raiders were destroyed one by one, and that a few surface raiders complemented with submarines would ultimately prove more expensive than a balanced, if weaker, surface fleet. Their point of view was to develop a well-rounded capital ship for open missile combat, in line with developments in the Zacapine Navy after the 3rd Uhlangan Civil War. The discussion fluctuated between doctrinal matters, naval operations studies, and technical studies for over 15 years, and became a notorious point of contention within the Temple ranks.
The final design requirements represented a consensus between the opposing factions. They were made possible by advancements in the propulsion systems, radar and helicopter technology, and introduction of vertical launch systems on the Zacapine destroyers in 1980s. In 1988, with the re-establishment of the Itayana Navy, a set of requirements was made demanding a capital ship that could conduct both the surface raiding operations and the sustained missile combat in the fashion of the evolved battle line tactics, fusing the two points of view. Details on the design process are sparse; it is known that several heavy cruiser and battlecruiser designs from 1920s to 1950s were used as technical templates, as well as several contemporary guided-missile capital ships. The final design resembled Elatian heavy raiders mixed with Zacapine guided missile air defence nuclear-powered destroyers.
The lead ship was ordered to the Gallentica Naval Works, the same yard that constructed the first batch of Project 15470 frigates, and under the same 1995 contract. Further ships were built in an expanded Shipbuilding Plant No.113, where three slipways were constructed in late 1990s to accommodate the localized orders.
General characteristics
Built over several decades and to several design iterations, Project 17100 ships vary slightly in dimensions. The lead ship, Aribango, is 197.5 m (648 ft) long at the waterline and 203.5 m (668 ft) overall, with the beam of 21.3 m (70 ft). The first batch (Shenmesu, Airashe and Laodan) are 199.5 m (655 ft) long at the waterline and 206 m (676 ft) long overall, with the beam of 22 m (72 ft). Kanokari and Yanomi are both 201.2 m (660 ft) long at the waterline and 210 m (689 ft) overall, with the beam of 21.7 m (71 ft). Finally, Asima is 201.4 m (661 ft) long at the waterline and 211 m (692 ft) overall, with the beam of 22.2 m (73 ft). It is known that all ships displace at around 16,800 t (16,500 long tons; 18,500 short tons) designed, while the full load is estimated to be around 19,500 t (19,200 long tons; 21,500 short tons).
The ships layout is characterized by high freeboard and extensive superstructure flanked by anti-air artillery emplacements, resembling heavy cruiser and battleship designs from the 1940s. The superstructure includes three tower masts with radar equipment, a bridge inspired by Elatian designs, and a large helicopter hangar to the rear. Asima, Kanokari, Yanomi had their bridge structure redesigned into a stealthier Zacapine-inspired pattern; additionally, the rear turret on Asima was removed to make way for expanded hangar facilities. It is known that the ships complement is 363 for the lead ship, same figure is assumed for the first batch. It is claimed that Kanokari and Yanomi have their complement reduced down to 180 through extensive automation. The complement of Asima is assumed to be around 240-260 due to the extended air group, but no official figures for the last three ships have been published as of 2024.
All ships are powered by eight gas turbines working through turbo-electric propulsion. The turbines are of the Zacapine origins, licensed by the Autocracy; the first four ships have 27,500 kW (36,900 bhp) output turbines, while the latter three have a stronger, 32,000 kW (43,000 bhp) output turbines. Four sets of turbo-electric transmission generate the majority of the power for the ships' equipment while eliminating combination gearboxes, which the industry of the Autocracy have had difficulties in manufacturing locally. Each set drives a controlled-pitch propeller about 4.2 m (14 ft) meters in diameter. The top speed varies between the members and exact figures are unknown, only that they exceed 32 kn (59 km/h; 37 mph). The range is estimated to exceed 11,000 nmi (20,000 km), as deduced from various overseas deployments. On all ships of the class, steering is controlled by two rudders, with an auxiliary drive for low-speed manoeuvring.
The ships primary armament is formed from a combination of vertical launch cells, heavy artillery, and light dual-purpose artillery. All ships carry 160 VLS cells in two blocks of 80, for both the surface strike and anti-air missiles. The missile types used in the cells appear to be common for the Autocracy, derived from various designs in the Western Hemisphere. For the main artillery battery, Aribango carries two twin turrets with 135mm guns, licensed from Sante Reze, a standard weapon capable of engaging air and surface targets. From Shenmesu onward, those were replaced with twin 155mm mounts, more capable against surface and land targets. Although it is known that an anti-air round was developed for the gun, the rate of fire for 155mm is insufficient to make it useful as a dual-purpose gun.
The secondary battery is formed from eight twin 76mm turrets, four per each side in groups of two. While the mount is a derivative design, the gun itself was licensed from Sante Reze, and is the standard dual-purpose artillery equipment of the Navy. Starting from Shenmesu, a new turret design was adopted, featuring a local fire control radar and an optronic targeting system. All ships also carry 25mm rotary gun mounts to engage small slow-moving targets like drones, boats or USVs, but their amount and positioning vary from ship to ship. For anti-submarine operations, ships of the class are equipped with four quad 324mm torpedo launchers with two reloads per each tube. Four helicopters can be carried in a rear hangar, with a possible disassembled spare one.
Asima was completed as a test bed for various technologies under the auspices of the Burning Sun Initiative, and thus differs in layout and armament. For the main artillery, she mounts a single 240mm gun in place of the forward twin turret. The mount is known to be automated, firing specialized guided shells; its overall characteristics and performance are unknown. In addition to the standard secondary battery, she also carries a prototype high-energy CIWS, unofficially code-named Skyreach by the analysts. The weapon represents an effort by the Burning Sun and the Solar Temple to develop a naval laser system, but its efficiency is also unknown. Her hangar was extended deep into the hull structure, allowing her to carry up to eight helicopters. Finally, the ship also has a docking bay at the rear, used for launching boats and unmanned surface or submersible vehicles.
Electronic equipment varies extensively between ships of the class. In general, all ships have a long-range air scan radar, a set of 3D air scan radars, a surface search radar suite, a set of missile targeting radars, a set of artillery fire control radars, an ELINT/EW suite of various antennas and arrays, various auxiliary radars, and an extensive set of communication systems. For the anti-submarine warfare, all ships mount a standard sonar suite, with a bow sonar, a retractable under-keel sonar, and a towed array. The first four ships mounted largely the same equipment as Project 15470 frigates, with two 3D air scan radars and four missile guidance radars, derived from the O6Y Tletechiuh radar, common for the Zacapine Navy. The latter three mount a 3D S-band air scan AESA radar, derived from the system tested on the Project 11431 aircraft carrier. Pairs of arrays are distributed over the fore and the aft radar masts to ensure the ship would remain operational in case of a breakdown or combat damage. Missile control was redistributed into several X-band targeting arrays, while new multi-purpose launchers were installed instead of the standard decoy launchers. Those launchers, tested on Shenmesu during her sea trials in 2012, can fire a variety of projectiles, including anti-submarine rocket bombs, radar decoys, and small anti-air and anti-surface missiles, allowing them to engage multiple types of targets.
Role and notable deployments
Project 17100 ships are usually employed as flagships of frigate formations or on solitary foreign visits, representing the height of the Solar Autocracy naval engineering and industrial prowess. They are usually seen on numerous exercises with the major powers of Oxidentale or Elatia, the latter of which they can reach with minimal logistical support. All ships of the class were at one moment of their career present on foreign visits, with Aribango sighted on 11 of them as of 2024. Despite that, no more than two or three are usually seen operational at sea per year, due to the logistical cost of their deployment, and the commissioned ships are yet to be seen in one event all together.
Ships in class
| Name | Namesake | Subclass | Shipyard | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aribango | City of Aribango, lower Karana basin | 17101 | Gallentica Naval Works | 10.01.1996 | 10.02.2000 | 22.04.2004 | Active |
| Shenmesu | City of Shenmesu, lower Karana basin | 17102 | Shipbuilding Plant No.113 | 05.04.2001 | 07.03.2009 | 18.08.2013 | Active |
| Airashe | City of Airashe, Makgato plateau | 17102 | Shipbuilding Plant No.113 | 05.04.2001 | 08.03.2009 | 25.08.2013 | Active |
| Laodan | City of Laodan, lower Imo basin | 17102 | Shipbuilding Plant No.113 | 05.04.2001 | 09.03.2009 | 31.08.2013 | Active |
| Kanokari | City of Kanokari, Karana-Imo Mesopotamia | 17103 | Shipbuilding Plant No.113 | 11.03.2009 | 10.07.2017 | 30.04.2020 | Active |
| Asima | City of Asima, Karana-Imo Mesopotamia | 17104 | Shipbuilding Plant No.113 | 11.03.2009 | 11.07.2017 | 16.05.2020 | Active |
| Yanomi | City of Yanomi, Makgato plateau | 17103 | Shipbuilding Plant No.113 | 11.03.2009 | 12.07.2017 | 09.05.2020 | Active |