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Following the battle of Wolf 359, a general consensus among fleet admirals was the need for a capital ship with extensive command and control capabilities, a strategic operations section, the ability to provide space superiority, a way to counteract the threat from a number of small, fast nimble ships, and the ability to support numerous additional operations. While ideas were discussed in many circles, no single design emerged as the choice of Star Fleet.

In the years following the battle of Wolf 359, the dealings with the Maquis, the conflict with the Cardassian Empire, and the war with the Dominion again brought to surface the need for a ship capable of patrolling hostile borders, being able to counteract a growing threat from small fast nimble ships, provide heavy support of ground combat operations, and provide heavy support for fleet and task force operations. The recent invasion of Federation space by the Noxilites has again presented a clear need for ground operations support to defend and then re-take Federation colonies. The idea of re-commissioning the old carrier designs was presented to the Star Fleet engineering department, but was decided against due to the old technology of the previous carrier designs and the availability of new construction techniques and new technologies. After several years of delays, engineering debates, fighter design problems and red tape, the Kansas-Class Heavy Carrier was designed and presented to Star Fleet Command.

The Kansas Class is designed to provide a mobile platform for the launch and recovery of fighter craft and shuttles that are designed to fulfill a variety of rolls. The Heavy Carrier is designed primarily as a warship. It’s fighters, shuttles, sleds, scouts, and other craft provide close in support for fleet operations. The carrier’s craft also provide support for a variety of scouting, searching, research, support and transport missions.

Possible Mission Roles are:

Fleet/Task force Command and Control
Offensive Strikes capability against ships
Defensive fire support for fleet.
E scort of hi-threat cargo’s, resources.
Threat interception
System mapping exploration
Scientific Research
Launch/transport of ground forces for operations
Forward fleet operational resupply
Emergency ship/planetary personnel evacuation
Emergency search and rescue operations.
Emergency re-supply of systems.
Emergency cargo transport

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The Kansas Carrier utilizes tried and true spacecraft structure assembly and design techniques that were learned in the Galaxy Class Project. Utilizing a series of interlocking tritanium/duranium micro-filament truss frames.

The space-frame is augmented by a series of Structural Integrity Fields. A total of seven SIF Generators are dispersed through the entire ship: three in the Saucer/Engineering section and two in each hull.

Operating in conjunction with the SIF generators, the IDS also have generators located throughout the ship. Three IDS generators in the saucer/engineering section and two in each hull provide the necessary forces needed to protect the crew and equipment during flight, acceleration, de-acceleration and turns/maneuvers. Due to increases in technology recently, IDS lag has been reduced to 173 milliseconds.

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The Main Bridge, Ops Bridge and Emergency Bridge handle the command systems of the Kansas. Each bridge can function and perform the duties of the other, with Emergency Bridge being used only in emergency situations where the main and ops bridge have been disabled, captured or destroyed. Each bridge has individual life support/environment functions, isolated sub-processors and microprocessors.

The Main/Ops bridge is contained together (Main is one deck above Ops) in a module that can be ejected in an emergency from the main ship. The Emergency bridge is located behind the saucer section near main engineering.

Primary operational control of the Kansas Class Heavy Carrier is provided by the Main Bridge, which is located at the top of the saucer. The main bridge is responsible for operational control of the ship in performance of it’s assigned mission. The main bridge works in conjunction with the Ops Bridge during flight, launch, and recovery operations with the fighter craft.

The Main Bridge controls ships tactics, weapons, defenses, helm (except during launch/recovery), resources, etc.

Secondary operational control and primary launch/recovery operational control is provided by the Ops Bridge. During launch and recovery operations, the Ops Bridge takes over control of helm functions. The Ops Bridge also provides command and control for fleet/task force operations when needed and command/control of fighter/ground support operations.

The Emergency Bridge of the Kansas has the facilities in place to take over all functions of the Main and Ops Bridge. The Emergency Bridge cannot be ejected. The Emergency Bridge can also function independently of the Main and Ops Bridge for strategic Ops if needed.

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The Kansas is equipped with a systems integrated EUNIX AI Computer. The Library Computer Access and Retrieval System (LCARS) provides crew interface. The main computer has a set of three small computer data storage facilities. One located in the saucer section and one each in the hulls.

A network of EUNIX Nodes are distributed throughout the three sections of the ship. A total of 418 nodes assist with the function of the ship and systems. Each bridge has 8 dedicated nodes and a bank of 12 shared nodes which permit operations even in the event of a total main core failure.

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The Warp Propulsion System (WPS) of the Kansas consists of three major components: the Matter/Anti-Matter reaction assembly, the power transfer conduits, and the warp engine nacelles. Specifications sent to Abraxas Ship Works and then tested and implemented called for the Kansas to be able to maintain a normal cruise speed of Warp 5.0 until fuel exhaustion, a maximum cruise of Warp 7.0, and an emergency warp speed of Warp 8.25 sustainable for 12 hours.

The Kansas has 40 standard anti-matter storage tanks (20 in each hull), allowing the Kansas an operational life of approximately four years before fuel exhaustion.

Deuterium tanks are located in each hull, and can be access for refueling via a single aperture for re-fueling purposes. The tanks hold a sufficient amount of deuterium to allow for a four-year mission life under normal operational conditions.

The Kansas Class Heavy Carrier utilizes Bussard Ramscoop technology, thus allowing for fuel replenishment by pulling low-grade matter from the interstellar medium. This is not the preferred route for deuterium replenishment, but allows for extended mission operations when outside of the range of a supply ship.

The Kansas also has the ability to generate small amounts of anti-matter for use as fuel. The Anti-Matter generator is located in the aft section of the saucer decks, near engineering. The processes of creating anti-matter on board the ship is incredibly power and matter intensive, and is utilized as a last resort only.

The WPS can be shut down to a "cool" state in emergency operations by closing off the injectors and venting the plasma simultaneously. This requires command level authorization as it is inherently dangerous.

Under certain emergency conditions, it may be necessary for the Kansas Class ships to implement Catastrophic Emergency Warp Procedures. The primary warp core and backup warp core can be ejected horizontally from the aft sections of the ship. Anti-matter pods can also be ejected either in conjunction with the warp core or independently. Even Deuterium tanks can be vented and dumped should the emergency need ever arise.

The primary sublight propulsion of the ship and certain power generation is handled by the Impulse Propulsion Systems (IPS). The Kansas has two main impulse engines, located just above the hulls on the saucer decks, and a single emergency impulse engine located in the aft section of the saucer that is non-functional unless the saucer is separated from the star-drive hulls.

The Deuterium tanks provide fuel for the impulse drives. The impulse engines provide sufficient thrust and power to push the Kansas to a maximum speed of .65c. Due to relativistic considerations Normal sublight speed is limited to .25c which is also the maximum speed of the separated saucer. During launch/recovery of craft under normal conditions, the ship is limited to a maximum safe speed of .10c.

Fuel for the impulse engines is provided from the deuterium tanks and is shared by the warp drive system.

Various factors can cause the activation of emergency protocols for the IPS. Damage and hardware/software failures are the most common. Emergency shutdown is most commonly accomplished by shutting down the fuel flow to the IPS from the Deuterium tanks. Protocols also exist to seal off any effected area around an IPS unit to prevent contamination of the rest of the ship until such time as repair crews can enter the area in protective equipment to effect repairs.

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The Kansas utilizes an integrated infrastructure network for distribution of necessary utilities throughout the ship. Standard utility service is available throughout the ship.

A series of umbilical re-supply ports and systems are located at various points on the ship, allowing for in-mission re-supply as well as re-supply while docked with standard federation starbase or base station systems

The Kansas utilizes a navigational array that sits higher than the saucer section, in a manner that was first tested and proved functional with the Miranda class ships. Because of the amount of energy the deflector dish radiates, the long-range sensor array is located directly behind the navigational deflector dish. The two systems are integrated with a dedicated sub-processor. The saucer when separated during an emergency has three small navigational deflectors mounted in the saucer. These remain concealed and unused during normal operations.

Because of its very role as a Carrier, the Kansas has an unusually high number of tractor beam emitters. Each hanger hull has a primary drop down telescoping emitter. Located at each flight deck entrance are four smaller emitters for assisting with the recovery of shuttles or fighters. Each hanger pod in each hanger hull as well as the maintenance decks have a series of lower power emitters as well for moving shuttle and craft from fighter bays to hanger shafts to flight and maintenance decks. The smaller power emitters, designed for moving and manipulating the fighters and shuttles utilize a twin phase 5mw Graviton Polarity Amplifier with enhanced targeting systems and state-of-the art beam focusing modules for more rapid targeting, activation and function, designed specifically for smaller targets. The two main emitters are attached directly to the primary space frame of the Kansas and each is built around two variable phase 20mw graviton polarity sources, with 500 millicochrane subspace field amplifiers. All tractor beam emitters may have their polarity reversed to function as repulsor beams.

The main sickbay, in the saucer section, is equipped with the latest EMH (Version 2.0). Utilizing dedicated computer sub-processors and tied-in with the sickbay computers and data-base, the EMH is capable of handling medical emergencies without assistance under emergency conditions. The EMH has an independent power supply and the ability to function any place within the spacious sickbay and medical labs.

The Bridge and Ops bridge is equipped with a 3d holographic communications interface that can be utilized at the discretion of the duty officer or senior officer of the bridge.

Holodecks, located on the recreation deck, provide hours of enjoyment and entertainment as well as training facilities for the crew and staff.

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The Kansas Class ships have Federation standard communications built into the ship’s systems. Utilizing sub-space relays, ship-to-ship communications, and powered communication arrays, the ships can contact nearly any ship, starbase, base, or planet within the Federation and some other races. The universal Translator is tied-into the communications grid for both internal and external communication capabilities.

The strategic operational ability of the ship, that is built into the Strategic Ops bridge, allows for senior Star-Fleet officials to receive/transmit highly classified encrypted data stream transmissions. A variety of work stations on the Ops bridge can be quickly configured to handle a variety of tasks associated with large scale operations of a wide variety.

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The Kansas is equipped with transporters capable of transporting personnel and equipment up to ranges of 40,000 kilometers. Four primary personnel transporters are located on the ship: One in each hanger hull, one in the saucer and one in the engineering decks. Also located at a variety of locations throughout the ship are 12 emergency transporters for crew evacuation. Each cargo bay is equipped with transporters designed specifically for cargo and equipment. These transporters can function as evacuation systems in an emergency at reduced range and increased chance of failure.

With a total crew compliment of 2,513 officers and enlisted personnel, emergency evacuation of the crew via transporter and lifeboats becomes critical. Total evacuation of the class can be accomplished with just transporters in roughly two hours. With the utilization of transporters, shuttles, fighters, and lifeboats, the total crew can be evacuated in roughly 180 seconds under ideal conditions.

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The Kansas class ships are equipped with a wide variety of science labs and sensing systems giving it the capability to conduct a wide range of scientific tasks.

The Kansas Class is equipped with sophisticated sensing systems that allow for a variety of uses for scientific, tactical, and strategic purposes. The sensor systems are divided into three parts. The long-range sensor array is located behind the navigational deflector array. The second group is the lateral sensor array. The third and final major array is the navigational sensor array that is tied directly into the navigational systems.

The Kansas Class ships are designed primarily for military missions and duty, however, it also has science systems to support a variety of other missions. Four dedicated scientific labs are located in the saucer section. The labs are configurable to fill a variety of rolls, and can also function as emergency medical facilities if needed.

The Kansas carries a full compliment of scientific and research probes that can be launched from a specially modified launcher that is located on the bottom side of the saucer or from fighters/auxiliary craft. The number and type of probes are outlined below:

Type I – 50
Type II – 50
Type III – 30
Type IV – 20
Type V – 30
Type VI – 20
Type VII – 30
Type VIII – 30
Type IX - 30

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The Kansas is not designed to be, nor expected to be, a ship that is involved in direct ship to ship combat. As such, the Kansas has very few offensive weapons capabilities. Equipped with substantial defensive systems, the Kansas relies on her fighters and auxiliary craft to provide the offensive punch.

The Kansas is equipped with four offensive type X phaser arrays. The primary array is located on the saucer and consists of 200 emitters. A single phaser array is located on the bottom of each hanger hull, with 45 emitters per array, and a single array is located just aft of the deflector array with 10 emitters.

The Kansas Class ships are not equipped with a standard photon torpedo tube. The Kansas does have a single tube that has been altered to allow for the firing of all types of probes only. With a rotating rack system and storage bays, the tube houses all of the Federation standard probes. The tube is not equipped with an arming mechanism for the launching of standard torpedoes.

The defensive weapons systems of the class are designed with short range, close-in rapid-fire systems. Utilizing a series of 30 strategically located pup-up minitorp launcher turrets. Each turret is capable of firing 20 rounds per minute out to a range of 15,000 kilometers. The minitorp functions similarly to a miniature version of a standard photon torpedo, is roughly 1/8^th the size, has only a basic built in sensor or guidance package, and has a warhead yield of approximately 1/10 that of a standard photon torpedo. Each turret has a computer controlled targeting system that is then grouped together with the defensive systems sub-processors and controlled by the tactical console. The tactical console would assign a target as friend or foe and the computer system then allocates defensive systems to the threat.

Minitorps can be pre-programmed at launch for impact explosion or proximity detonation. Once launched a minitorp performs a program that is fed into it’s micro-processor immediately prior to launch, so no computer guidance is assigned from the launching ship once launched. A minitorp has a built in safety system that prevents it from striking any non-assigned target.

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Of all the environmental systems, Life Support is among the most critical. Multiple redundancy is built into every aspect of the system. The life support and environment systems of the class can provide and maintain a habitable environment throughout the entire space frame. Individual areas of the ship can be purposely altered to provide a wide variety of environments for different races and species. Other important environmental systems include emergency shelters for all crew, and utilities (water, waste, etc) systems.

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The single most important system and resource of the class is its crew. With this in mind, the developers designed multiple systems for a variety of purposes with the morale and welfare of the crew in mind. Multiple and varied training, recreation, exercise, and entertainment systems are a very important part of the ship.

The ship is equipped with a large and state-of-the-art medical sickbay, comfortable officers and crew quarters, and a wide variety of entertainment facilities.

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The strength of the Kansas Carriers lie with their fighters. An important auxiliary aspect of those fighter squadrons is the various shuttles, scouts, runabouts and utility craft.

The Kansas carries a standard compliment of 300 fighter craft as well as a wing of mixed utility and recon craft. The 300 fighters, called a group, are divided into 2Wings of 150 fighters each and a utility wing. Each Wing is divided into 5 Squadrons of 30 fighters each. Each Squadron is divided into 5 Flights of 6 fighters each.

The Kansas carries 2 Wings of Icarus class fighters. The specifications for each are available at the Star-Fleet Engineering Department. The fighters can be loaded out with different ordinances and systems depending on mission role and assignment.

The Kansas class ships are typically equipped with the following type craft for a variety of purposes.

15 type 15 Shuttlepods
15 type 16 Shuttlepods
10 type 7 Personnel Shuttle
10 type 9a Cargo Shuttle
10 Vallhala Class runabouts
30 type M1 Sphinx Workpods (rescue and fighter recovery/repair)
30 Omicron Recon Sled craft.

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Flight operations on a Kansas Class are a carefully orchestrated dance of computer, machinery and personnel. The innovative fighter bays and quad-functional flight decks allow for rapid launch, recovery and turn around of fighters and shuttlecraft.

Vertical shafts are located above and below the primary flight decks, with bays off of each vertical shaft at each deck level. Each vertical shaft is the center of cylindrical shaped bay with eight bays per level. The fighters are moved back and forth from the bays to the maintenance deck or the flight deck via a series of tractor beams set at each deck level.

Contained within each hanger hull are two maintenance decks that are utilized for major maintenance operations on fighters and utility craft. The fighter bays have only limited space for maintenance operations, so any thing other than basic load out operations and basic maintenance must be conducted on the maintenance deck. Cargo bays located on the same deck and on the decks above and below hold replicators and spare parts for the fighters.

Two flight decks per hanger hull comprise the bulk of the flight operations area in the ship. The two decks per hull each having openings facing foreword and aft. The flight deck openings are closed during normal cruise and flight operations, however, at impulse cruise and in system transit, the doors remain open to facilitate the scramble and launch of CAP (Combat Air Patrol), scouting, and intercept missions.

A series of tractor beam emitters are placed at locations on each flight deck that assist with the launch and recovery of craft. When the flight deck opening doors are open, at multi-layered force field keeps the atmosphere intact on the flight deck. Launching craft simply pass through the force field.

A quadruple crash protection and fire suppression system is present in all Flight Decks. An emergency arresting system can be computer or manually activated through the ship. All doors and entrances to and from the flight decks are double layered blast doors for safety.

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Officer Positions:

RP Positions:

CO - Commanding Officer
GCO (XO) - Executive Officer, Group Commander (Chief Flight Officer or Air Boss)
CTO (OPS) - Chief Tactical Officer, Strategic Ops Officer
CE (CFMO) - Chief Engineer, Chief Flight Maintenance Officer
Eng-(X) - Engineering/Flight Maintenance Officer (limited to Eng-2)
CMO - Chief Medical Officer
Med-(X) - Medical Officer (limited to Med-2)
COS - Chief Of Security
Sec-(X) - Security Officer (limited to Sec-2)
CSO - Chief Science Officer
Sci-(X) - Science Officer (limited to Sci-2)
WCO(X) - Wing Commanding Officer (one per wing)

NPC Positions:

SCO (NCP/PC) – Squadron CO
FL (NPC) - Flight Leader
PL (NPC) - Pilot
CC (NPC) - Crew Chief (each fighter has one) enlisted rank

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Ships of this class:

USS Kansas, Flagship, NCC-24200
USS Nebraska, NCC-24201
USS Hawaii, NCC-24202
USS Missouri, NCC-24203
USS Pennsylvania, NCC-24204
USS Maryland, NCC-24205
USS Iowa, NCC-24206
USS Georgia, NCC-24207
USS California, NCC-24208
USS Utah, NCC-24209
USS Idaho, NCC-24210

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NOTES:

*Until such time as more fighters are developed. The Icarus and Omicron will function fine as the ships fighter craft. The Fighter wing will have a different weapons load out than the dedicated multi-roll wings. The Omicron Recon Sled is a Omicron Assault Sled fighter, stripped of nearly all weaponry with additional sensor pods and a ECM Pod to aid in making the fighter harder to detect.

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Special thanks to Owen Townes and the crew at the Abraxas Ship Works, without whom this ship design would not of been possible. Thanks also to Randy McCullick, Jeff Fields, and Ralf Steen.

Butch Carter

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The Icarus Class fighter was designed to strike a balance between speed, firepower, and endurance, though the final product leans to the latter. Its missions include deep space patrol, ship/fleet escort, interception, and a variety of assaults on everything from planetary installations to heavy cruiser fleets.
To survive this heavy combat, the Icarus Class designers added extra maneuvering jets to dodge what it can, and extra shield generators to survive what it can't dodge.
It's size, somewhat larger than a Type 9A shuttle, but smaller than a runabout, allows it to be carried onboard starships, in place of their regular shuttle compliment, for delivery to a target area or to serve as a defense unit for the mothership.

Dimensions: Length: 15.09m Wingspan: 9.45m Height: 4.75m
Weapons: 2 Linear Emitting Phaser Cannons 2 Pulse Phasers 2 Mini-Torp Launchers, 10 minitorps in bay 4 Inertial Anti-Matter Torpedo Launchers, 20 torpedoes per launcher 1 Tractor Beam Mini-emitter
Engines: Maximum Impulse(only with Warp Sustainer Field): .63c Cruising Speed (without Warp Sustainer Field): .34c

The Icarus Class uses a cluster of microfusion power cores to provide power for weapons, shields, engines, thrusters, etc, etc.
A Warp Sustainer Field, modeled after the system found in photon torpedoes, and powered by a matter/anti-matter fuel cell, buffers the Icarus from relativistic concerns by bending space-time around the ship much like a standard warp field protects a ship in FTL flight. Acceleration to high speed is attained by activating the WSF while already at full impulse, giving the 75% increase in speed. The WSF creates only a small depression in space-time, compared to the full bubble created by a true warp field, just enough to attain high sublight velocities without significantly disrupting the time continuum for observers or travelers. The use of the WSF system to attain speeds of .63c is recommended only for emergency situations, due to the high energy drain which empties the m/am fuel cell in less than an hour at maximum impulse. While it does maintain the same speed-to-turning-radius ratio, the great increase in speed means a proportional increase in the turning radius.

All weapons on the Icarus are from the great gristmill at Abraxas Spaceworks.

The linear emitting phaser cannons emit their energy out of a barrel (as opposed to the bands used in phaser arrays) using a single Type V emitter ringed by 5 Type III emitters. Output from these emitters is combined and directed in the phaser cannon's barrel. This sacrifices the multi-directional capability of the standard phaser 'array' by channeling the energies down the barrel, but it provides more precision and a more significant punch from the phaser.

The pulse phasers are Type IV-pulse emitters upgraded for faster recharge rates and better accuracy at long range, coupled with a cryogenic cooling system to prolong duration and lessen system wear.

The miniature torpedo launchers use the micro-torpedo design employed by the Danube Class runabouts, but with the length increased from 13.3cm to .9m, with proportional increases in overall size and yield. The mini-torps are capable of fire-and-forget tracking and fully-spherical targetting. Mini-torps are accelerated out of the launcher by the same magnetic acclerators found in standard torpedo launchers, and are also acclerated by their Warp Sustainer Fields. If the fighter's WSF is engaged, then the mini-torp does accelerate ahead of the fighter, but not as quickly, as its acceleration is only due to the magnetic acclerators and the related increase in speed from the WSF.

The small tractor beam emitter can both attract and repel. It is useful in landing operations and in combat situations, when it can be used to hold opponents in weapons range longer or for maneuvers near large objects.

Multiple targets can be tracked and prioritized by the Abraxas Ship Works/TI-1701 main ship-board computer.

Shields are approximately half again as powerful as the Danube Class shields, with a refresh rate of 5 * 10 ^-8 seconds and a frequency modulation double that of the Danube Class.

Ablative armor provides extra protection over sensitive systems and volatile components (including protection for the mini-torp and AMT systems and the m/am fuel cell as well as other engine components, and also protection for the cockpit).

Also included is a sensor shadow generator, employing false sensor signals and holographic projections. Much like the system of the F-111 of the late twentieth century, it creates multiple sensor images and ghosts, disrupting targetting sensors and confusing opponent computers, making targetting of the craft more difficult (though, not impossible).

The Icarus Class has a hardpoint on each wing tip and the upper surface of each wing and two on the under surface of each wing.

The hardpoints are rigged for attachment of a Type IV phaser emitter, a microfusion generator, a shield generator, two minitorps on a twin rack, or a launcher of ten inertial AMTs.
Power-consuming systems, such as the backup shield generator or phaser emitter, require a microfusion generator also be attached to a hardpoint to provide power.

All hardpoints consist of a forward and aft magnetic locking mechanism. Power and computer signal flow is provided by an attachment between the two locks, including a computer control line and an EPS tap.

The phaser emitter is housed in a losenge-shaped casing 2.3m in length and .3m wide, with the forward-pointing emitter crystal the only break in the casing. Behind it are the pre-firing chamber and the beam generation chamber.

The microfusion generator houses the reaction chamber for a standard fusion generation system, as well as shielding, with in a casing measuring 2m long and .5m in diameter.

The shield generator contains a standard polarized graviton generator with emitters along all six axis. The shield generator casing is 2.3m in length and .5m wide.

The minitorp twin rack holds the two torpedoes with magnetic locks. When power to these locks is cut, the torpedoes detach (either singly or in tandem) and fly forward on the craft's inertia and their own Warp Sustainer Fields (note: if the fighter's WSF is engaged the torpedo's WSF will only maintain its velocity). The magnetic locks, upon detachment, also give the torpedo a slight nudge away from the fighter to move it out of close proximity to the fighter.

The AMT launcher houses the ten torpedoes in a casing 1.9m long and .5m in diameter. The ten torpedoes each have separate launch tubes, which use magnetic fields to accelerate them out of the openings in the conical front end of the casing.

The wingtip hardpoints, due to their frailty, can only have an AMR launcher or phaser emitter attached, due to the stress a more massive system would place on the wing's structural components. Also, it is advised that the more massive attachments be attached in such a manner that their masses balance out, to avoid engine efficiency loss to thrust compensation for the imbalance.

While an unbalanced hardpoint load would mean a slight shift in the mass center of the fighter, the overall mass is large enough to make the effect on linear acceleration effectively non-existant. Though an unbalance does effect turning somewhat, it can be easily compensated for by the pilot and the computer's input into the thrusters.

The pilot of the Icarus sits in a slightly cramped, high-tech bathtub. A ring of auxillary inertial dampeners augments the dampeners placed throughout the ship, providing an even greater cushion between the pilot and high-G maneuvers. The cockpit is encased in a thin layer of quantoberilium armor and the strength of the viewpane is reinforced by a forcefield projected between two layers of the transparent aluminum.

The cockpit also serves as an ejection chamber, detaching from the hull of the fighter and accelerating outward. Ejection can be initiated manually, either through voice command or an "eject" button on the left armrest, or by the computer, if it detects a necessity (such as eminent destruction, an unconscious or disabled pilot unable to initiate a necessary eject command, etc.).
The ejection chamber provides protection against space debris, and also some weak shielding against weapons fire. An emergency beacon contained in the pilot's flight suit activates after the ejection sequence is completed. (Creator's Note: While this does endanger the pilot, it is hoped that the opposition will adhere to certain conventions of warfare. Also, it is preferrable to the pilot being incinerated in the fighter's explosion)

Space for life support is eliminated to free up space for other systems, and such functions are taken over by a pressure suit and rebreather, capable of EVA if necessary.

Flight control systems, including display locations (Viewscreen, panel display, or helmet projection), control type (control pad steering and throttle or control stick), and control locations, can be configured specific to the pilot with modular cockpit units easily replicated by any starship or starbase.

Creator's note: The Icarus Class is intended for use on ships with shuttle or fighter support capabilities, and as NPC vessels in RPGs when needed.

Named after the celestial home of the ancient Norse Earth gods, the VALHALLA class runabout can be used regularly as a high-speed personnel carrier. It's design is modeled after the Darwin class starships, with modular components for multi-purpose missions capabilities. Curently designed modules include medical, scientific, security, cargo, and engineering.

All of the mission modules contain specialized computer cores/processors specific to their task.

Other modules are to be designed.

Proposed vessel names (deities in ancient religions).

• Valhalla
• Olympus
• Zeus
• Loki
• Jupiter
• Thor
• Hera
• Saturn
• Mars
• Hermes
• Mercury
• Poseidon
• Neptune
• Hesvestus
• Vulcan

The

The EUNIX system is a network of processing nodes spread throughout a starship. Standard fiberoptic cables are used to transmit between nodes and between sub-nodes within each processing node. Each node is a bank of processors in and of itself. Depending on the purpose of the node, its composition varies from almost completely bioneural to completely isolinear.
Bioneural circuitry is used for specialized, repeated tasks, from shield modulation to warp core monitoring.
Isolinear units are used for higher processing requirements.
Isolinear and bioneural sub-nodes are used concurrently in combinations deemed most suited to the tasks assigned each node.
Also, the multiple nodes provide backup and support for other nodes. There are virus blocks between each node and due to the de-centralization of processing, rendering the computer inoperable is impossible for all but the most skilled intruders with access to high-level codes.
Nodes are placed in space that might otherwise be useless, while the space normally taken up by bulky processing cores is used instead for other functions.
A programming glitch gives the EUNIX computer system a rather shrill voice. Other than that, software functions as per spec.

The EUNIX Nodular Core Network, is a division of Abraxas Ship Works. EUNIX will be used on vessels produced by ASW as well as other contractors.

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