Scimitar class Aircraft Carrier
| File:Scimitar-class CVN.png | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: |
 Hertford Royal Shipyards |
| Operators: |
list error: <br /> list (help) Belfrasian Navy See Operators |
| Subclasses: |
list error: <br /> list (help) Talwar-class CVN Xiphos-class CVN |
| Cost: | $8.34 billion NSD |
| Built: | 2011 - Present |
| In service: | 2013 - present |
| Planned: | 12 |
| Building: | 6 |
| Completed: | 4 |
| Cancelled: | 0 |
| Active: | 4 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Scimitar class Aircraft Carrier |
| Type: | Aircraft Carrier |
| Displacement: | 120,000t (full load) |
| Length: | 370.2m |
| Beam: | 55m (Waterline) 95m (Flight deck) |
| Draft: | 12.4m |
| Installed power: |
list error: <br /> list (help) 2 × Falchion & Western KE-4 nuclear reactors |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 30+ knots (55+ km/h; 34+ mph) |
| Range: | Unlimited distance; 20-25 years |
| Endurance: | 180 days without replenishment |
| Boats & landing craft carried: | 3 RHIBS (1 starboard, 2 port) |
| Complement: |
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| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Armament: |
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| Armour: | 2.5 in (64 mm) Kevlar over vital spaces |
| Aircraft carried: | 85–90 fixed wing and helicopters |
The Scimitar-class supercarrier is a class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in service with the Belfrasian Navy. The lead ship of the class is named for the flagship of the fleet during the Belfrasian-Western war. With an overall length of 370.2m and full-load displacement of over 120,000 tons, they are the largest aircraft carriers built by the Belfrasian Navy. Much like the Achilles-class carrier, she utilizes two Falchion & Western KE-4 nuclear reactors which drives the ships extensive pump-jet system which produces a top speed of over 25 knots and maximum power of around 260,000 shp (194 MW). As a result of nuclear power, the ships are capable of operating for over 20 years without refuelling and are predicted to have a service life of over 40 years. They are categorized as nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.
STILL CONSIDERED A WORK IN PROGRESS
Description
Design
Propulsion
Armament and protection
Carrier air wing
Automatic Damage Control System
The Scimitar is riddled with sensors, cameras, air and watertight doors and one of the most advanced damage control systems on board a Belfrasian designed ship. The ADCS combines these to reduce response time in life and ship threatening events and reduce the number of crew members needed for an efficient damage control. Depending where the damage or what kind it is, the ships ADCS can deploy a foam spray to quell fires. The interior of the ship is remarkably modular with each compartment being self contained. These compartments can be manually or automatically sealed off from the rest of the ship or, if its below the waterline, flooded with seawater. This flooding action is intended to aid in fighting fires or in the event of an imminent explosion to dampen the blast by using the water to absorb the concussion effect and the water pressure reinforcing the walls against the explosion itself. It should be noted that whilst the flooding action is part of the ADCS, it must be manually activated and will automatically decline such action should more than five compartments be flooded to avoid weighing the ship down. Aboard the Scimitar-class are Damage Control Stations in engineering and the CIC, both of which can utilize all functions mentioned above.
Flight deck and aircraft facilities
The flight deck of the Scimitar is slightly larger then that of the Achilles but has an identical number of catapults in a similar pattern; Three on the bow and two on the outboard side opposite the island. This, like on it's predecessor, allows aircraft on the Scimitar more room for maneuvers or other duties required on the flight deck whilst not interfering with aircraft launches. Despite this, the pattern of launch means that if all three slots are filled on the bow, the first two aircraft need to launch before the third can safely take off without risking an impact. The two outboard catapults cross paths toward the end, with the innermost catapult crossing in front of the outermost catapult line, meaning that they cannot be launched simultaneously. Captains looking for a joint takeoff with these two should look for a minimum of five seconds prior to the second launch.
The catapults aboard the Scimitar are Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems (EMALS) which were designed for use aboard the Gerald R. Ford class supercarriers originally. The choice to use EMALS was based on several facts and with several design points in mind. Whilst the flight deck is larger, it is slightly shorter, meaning less room for launch runs, which the EMALS remedies by giving a faster finishing speed and lacking the complicated installation and maintenance a standard steam catapult needs. The most obvious comparison can be with a standard steam catapult producing 95 megajoules in a launch whilst using 614kg of steam, whereas EMALs requires no steam and produces a superior 122 megajoules.
Aircraft facilities below the flight deck are simplified and a direct copy from the Achilles. Machineshops are located at the rear of the hangerdeck and provides the capability to completely strip a fighter and piece it back together, if the need arises. Aviation fuel tanks are stored under the hangerdeck embedded in fireproof materials and seals, with only three lines leading up to the hangerdeck which in turn split off to eight different stations for refuelling of aircraft. In the event of a fire in the hangerdeck, the automatic damage control system seals off the fuel tanks completely, reducing the chance of the fuel tanks igniting.
Sensor Systems
The Scimitar makes use of the AN/SPY-3 radar system for multiple functions, such as horizon search and precision tracking for searching and subsequently destroying enemy aircraft. Other then that, it utilizes the Mk. 2 type 7087 Air Search Radar for normal operation of airspace control and a modified version of the AN/SPQ-9B for target acquisition for both SSM ordnance and to help guide ship-fired anti-air missiles to their targets. Normal flight operations also require the Scimitar to utilize the AN/SPN-45 to aid aircraft in landing with the AN/SPN-41, SPN-43C, and SPN-46 for air traffic control and landing aids.
Active search radars aboard the Scimitar are another direct copy from the Achilles, encompassing the AN/SPS-49(V)5 and AN/SPS-48E, which is a 2-D and 3-d air search radar respectively. Guidance or simple horizon-search radar involves Mk. 105 radars, a modified version of the Mk. 95 seen on the Nimitz. All of these sensor systems are located within RCS-reducing panelling atop the Scimitar's island.
The Scimitar is designed to be able to make itself look far smaller then it actually is on radar thanks to its RCS-reducing design and materials. To improve upon this, each system mentioned above is able to be completely deactivated in favour of the Patronus Passive Array which was designed especially for the Scimitar. The Patronus is fitted into the radar housing above the CIC and whilst acting as a normal passive radar it sifts through for friendly air tags on an approach vector. Upon locating these air tags, which are programmed to the ships Patronus system when they're loaded onto the carrier, an active guidance system located at the rear of the vessel sends out landing information to the plane in question in order to guide it in. While it is transmitting the information, it expands the ships detection range considerably. It should be noted that despite all of these features, the Scimitar will still be detectable whilst in Passive mode, just at a greatly reduced distance.
