Zildejov-class carrier

RS What Dreams May Come in 1936
Class overview
Name:	Zildejov-class aircraft carrier
Builders:	Various
Operators:	Navy of the Syaran Republic
In commission:	1935-1938
Planned:	25
Completed:	18
Cancelled:	7
Lost:	14
General characteristics
Type:	Escort carrier
Displacement:	10,000 tons
Length:	169 meters
Beam:	23 meters
Draft:	9.8 meters
Propulsion:	2 steam turbines 2 x shafts
Speed:	22 knots
Range:	8,500 kilometers
Armament:	2 x single 75 mm guns 4 x single 37 mm anti-aircraft guns 6 x single 8 mm machine guns
Aircraft carried:	25

The Zildejov-class carrier were a class of Escort carriers built for the Navy of the Syaran Republic during the Siduri War.

Shortly after the outbreak of major hostilities with the Common Axis, the need for additional warships to support the Inner Sphere's naval operations became clear. A major shortage identified by the Syaran admiralty was carriers, which at the time were still a largely untested platform. Syara's existing carriers, the Asakumo-class, consisted of just three vessels. A planned fourth ship was ultimately cancelled due to shortages of resources. The need for aircraft carriers that could be produced cheaply and quickly led to the Ziledejov-class, built atop existing civilian vessels rather than purpose built warships. Such vessels, known as escort carriers, sacrificed armor, firepower, and carrying capacity in exchange for being easier to manufacture. 25 commercial vessels were originally slated to be converted to the Zildejov-class, but only 18 were ever completed.

The Zildejov-class were smaller and lighter than the Asakumo-class, could carry 25 aircraft but could only sail at speeds of 22 knots, which was typically too slow to maintain with fleet operations. The Syarans considered the class to fall under the shared designation of auxiliary cruiser, which referred to second line ships, including converted commercial craft. Nevertheless, a need for carrier support for fleet operations led to the class being pressed into front line service. When not assisting in fleet operations, the Zildejov-class ran support for convoys, acting in reconnaissance and anti-submarine roles. The class saw extensive service in both the Nuadan Campaign and the Sundering Sea Campaign. Intended largely as a stopgap measure, the class proved lackluster unaided by a lack of resources and development of Syaran carrier doctrine. Out of 18 completed ships, 14 were lost; 11 in combat and three scuttled.