Vanguard Class Aircraft Carrier

CNS Vanguard
Class overview
Builders:	Vesper Naval Yard, Southland Naval Yard
Operators:	North American Socialist Commonwealth The Commonwealth Navy
Preceded by:	Nimitz Class, Gerald Ford Class
Succeeded by:	None
Cost:	$5,700 million
Built:	6 (6 in service)
In commission:	4
Planned:	None
Building:	2
Active:	4
General characteristics
Type:	Supercarrier
Displacement:	120,000 tonnes
Length:	340 m
Beam:	80 m (flight deck), 45 m (waterline)
Draft:	12.5 m
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:	140 Officers, 152 E-7+ Petty Officers, 3,498 Enlisted
Sensors and processing systems:	AE/RA-47 Air and Sea Search Radar AE/RA-43 Launch Control Radar AE/RA-35 Gun Control Radar AE/SO-42 Sonar Suite
Electronic warfare & decoys:	AE/EW-45 Electronics Warfare Suite AE/DE-43 Infrared and Radar Decoy Suite
Armament:	36 MkIV MRSAM Launchers (Arm Launcher) 2 75mm Automatic Cannons 6 Mars CL3-A Laser CIWS turrets
Armor:	Light Kevlar Blast Protection
Aircraft carried:	60 Eurofighter Cyclone, 4 E-101 Little Eye, 20 UA-12 Damocles, 6 UAR-4 Ghost Reaper, 8 UV-24 Swiftfox, 2 CV-3 Hen (Further Accommodation for 10 Additional Aircraft)
Aviation facilities:	4 EMALS Catapults, 2 four wire Recovery Arrestors, 2 VTOL Launchpads, 4 Elevators

The Vanguard Class Aircraft Carrier, is a CATOBAR supercarrier in the service of the Commonwealth Navy. It is the largest dedicated carrier in Commonwealther service. As a big heavy Aircraft Carrier, the Vanguard Class is intended to serve as the Primary Flagship of most fleets. Each Vanguard Class Ship is given a conceptual name starting with the letter V, in a convention similar to the Royal Navy.

Construction & Service

Starting in the late 2030s, the aging of the Commonwealth's carrier fleets had become apparent. Many of the Commonwealth's carriers were older Nimitz Class vessels, that had been in service, for thirty or more years, and some of which were rapidly approaching their expected service lifespan. Though the Pre-Revolutionary government had managed to replace the eldest of these vessels with Gerald Ford class vessels, work had been slowed by the Sino-American War and stopped by the Revolution. Since then, there had been no construction of new Carriers to replace the old, a situation not helped by the neglect that came as a result of "Hermit" Commonwealther Policy.

In total there were seven carriers of the Nimitz Class (three had been replaced with Fords at that point, and one was sunk during the Sino-American War) that needed to replaced before a scheduled deadline of 2060. Early designs were postulated during that time, though it was decided that the Commonwealth would replace only four directly, instead adding a number of smaller fleet carriers to cover the other three Nimitzes as part of the new "Two Carrier Fleet" Doctrine that had been adopted by the Naval Office in 2039. In order to more quickly build the vessels, the two largest dry docks of both the Southland Naval Yard and the Vesper Naval Yard were both used simultaneously to construct the initial run of Vanguard Class Vessels. Construction of the first two Vanguard vessels began in 2041, with the first being launched in 2050.

Phonencian Conflict

The CNS Valiant was the Primary Carrier on station during the Phonencian Conflict, and was a result the locus of most Commonwealther Air Support throughout the war. Initial problems with the standing methods of solely carrier-centric fleets were uncovered when the small number of craft supported by two fairly large carriers was quickly overwhelmed by the massive numbers of ground based fighters that the Phonencian Imperial Air Force was capable of committing to any aerial engagement. Still, in spite of a fairly high mortality rate among 5th Fleet Pilots, the Valiant and its accompanying Fleet Carrier Intimidator managed to deny Air Superiority to the Phonencians for duration of the conflict.

Bombing of the Victory

On the evening of the September 6, 2062, the CNS Victory was attacked by Los Manos Platas (The Silver Hands) terrorists while undertaking an anti-piracy operation off the cost of Isla Plata. The terrorists, their piracy operation detected by the fleet proceeded to evade Fleet Defense Firepower long enough to get close to the Victory which it then rammed, detonating explosives stored aboard the ship. The resultant explosion blew a 3 meter wide hole in the side of the Victory, which forced it out of theater for repairs. The Victory reentered service in August of 2064. The event triggered a major refit program wherein each Vanguard Class was equipped with a pair of 75mm Autocannon to protect itself against light watercraft.

Design

The Vanguard Class is a supercarrier. A super heavy aircraft carrier designed to act as the center of Commonwealther battle fleets. Therefore, most of the Vanguard Class' design is centered around the storage, transport, and operation of fixed wing and VTOL aircraft. Secondarily, the Vanguard, serving as a Fleet Command vessel has extensive communications suite, and meeting space for Fleet Command staff.

Powerplant & Propulsion

The Vanguard Class is powered by a pair of Heavy Duty AE Shipboard nuclear reactors which provide power for the ship's propulsion system, its EMALS system, and its other systems. The ship is propelled by three large propeller shafts and two waterjets which provide redundancy for each other as well as adding additional power. In addition there are eight smaller waterjets used for maneuver in tight spaces. In favorable conditions the Vanguard Class is capable of reaching a top speed of 35 knots.

Armament & Defenses

The Vanguard Class is very lightly armed, as aircraft are its intended means of attack and defense. That being said, the Vanguard Class does come equipped with a pair of 75mm Autocannon to protect itself against Light Watercraft at short range. Similarly the Vanguard has some defense against missiles in the form of 18 Intermediate Range Surface to Air Missile tubes, and Six CIWS Laser Turrets. Electronic Countermeasures and Decoys, as well as Light Blast Protection serve last ditch protection to keep the Carrier Afloat.

Electronics

As a major fleet level vessel, the Vanguard Class comes equipped with several Sensor Suites and Communications systems that enable it to operate as the leading ship of a fleet. To keep the operation of such a large number of aircraft efficient, and effective, the Vanguard Class is equipped with potent Launch Control Radar which allows to more effectively tracked its own launched aircraft. It is keyed into the Commonwealther Battle-net as a capital ship.

Air Wing

As the main asset of the Vanguard Class, the Air Wing it controls is quite substantial. Though the craft could theoretically keep as many as 140 Eurofighter Cyclones or 150 UA-12 Damocles craft, it can keep at most 110 mixed model aircraft, and can only efficiently operate with 100. Currently each Vanguard Class carrier has a wing of 60 Eurofighter Cyclones, 4 E-101 Little Eye, 20 UA-12 Damocles, 6 UAR-4 Ghost Reaper, 8 UV-24 Swiftfox, & 2 CV-3 Hen aircraft. There is space for an additional 10 Aircraft. Aircraft are launched via an Electromagnetic Launch System (EMALS), of which there are four two on the main flight deck, and two on the angled deck. There are two recovery spaces on the rear of the deck, and four elevators.

Amphibious Support

Though it is not an Amphibious Assault Ship, the Vanguard Class does have some means of supporting its own modest contingent of Naval Infantry and Underwater Demolition Teams. It has 10 VTOLs capable of transport as well as 12 small watercraft that can be used in a similar capacity. The Vanguard Class can support the operations of its company strength contingent for three or four days as required.

Future of the Vanguard Class

Vanguard Class vessels are still currently being constructed with, a second run of vessels, using more advanced construction techniques, to replace the Fords remaining in Commonwealther service. The last of these vessels is expected to be completed in the late 2060s or early 2070s at which point the first of two planned service upgrades is to begin occurring. There is currently no replacement program underway for the Vanguard Class.

Ships in Service

Ship Name	Hull Number	Shipyard	Launched	Commissioned	Home Port	Status
In Service
CNS Vanguard	CVN-8	Vesper Shipyard	18. February. 2050	11. May. 2050	Corazón del Rio, Isla Verde	In Service
CNS Valiant	CVN-10	Southland Shipyard	21. February. 2050	15. May. 2050	Corazón del Rio, Isla Verde	In Service
CNS Victory	CVN-13	Vesper Shipyard	18. May. 2058	8. August. 2058	Corazón del Rio, Isla Verde	In Service
CNS Vengance	CVN-14	Southland Shipyard	19. January. 2059	1. January. 2060	Port Fairhaven, Veiled Isle	In Service
CNS Vigilance	CVN-15	Vesper Shipyard	5. January. 2066.	5. May. 2066	Veluna City, Columbia	In Service
CNS Veracity	CVN-16	Southland Shipyard	29. February. 2066	25. September. 2066	Veluna City, Columbia	In Service
Not in Service
CNS Valorous	CVN-17	Vesper Shipyard	Not Completed	Not Completed	None	Not Completed