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Dropships dedicated to power armor operations.

Fred

Fred

Retired Staff
The Star Army of Yamatai and allied forces seem to have quite a complement of different Power Armors are their disposal, but their ways to effectively expedite them for longer distance and support them seem to be limited.

I mean, the following points would be a defenite plus :

- Re-arm/resupply in battle in order to fix armor, replace modules and such without having to return to the mother ship.

- Dispatching power armor units beyond their effective range relative to their mother vessel.

- Support non-atmospheric transit capable units with that capability.

- Be able to assist and rescue disabled pilots.

- Be able to insert troops in an area where larger ships would be conspicuous.

- Allow additional storage space when docked with Mother Ship, allowing for the said vessel to carry a bigger complement of power armors.

Okay, here's what I'm thinking. Make a rather big shuttle with very tough armor and shielding on it, minimal point defense systems, low sensor profile and a camouflage suite along, good trust & maneuvrability along with FTL/Hyperspace fold capabilities and decent cargo capacity; that would be able to dock on the airlock of a ship like the Nozomi-class (one on each side) and be able to travel with it.

With a capacity of, say, 6 power armors with the proper installations to launch/retrieve/rearm/fix them, you could have a tough, versatile unit which could carry a squad of power armor covertly to any target without risking the mother ship while being able to make orbit-to-plant transit and such.

This would, I believe, increase the active range of power armors, not to mention increase their use AND their life expectancy. It would also effectively counteract some effect the Nekos suffer from battle fatigue bymaking sure they are well supplied when they are in combat.

In summary, a power armor supply/transport ship that can do it's job while under fire.
 
You can design one, but it'd more than likely take up more space than anything. Almost all armors are transatmospheric for a reason~
 
I wouldn't mind seeing such a design.
 
Can we we some linkage, Derran? :D
 
Phoenix Aerospacy CT-11C Orbital Dropship - "DRAGONFLY II"

I. Background Information

The CT-11 dropship is a high-powered, transatmospheric, hyperspace-capable craft that is used by the militaries of the Nerimian Defense Initiative and Draconian Alliance for insertions on enemy planets and enemy warships. Roughly three times the size and mass of a Uriko bomber, the Dragonfly II dropships are capable of carrying up to 36 fully-loaded troopers into battle or alternatively, up to 6 light hovercraft or 4 hovertanks.

While the Dragonfly II possesses no serious anti-mecha or starfighter weapons, it wields four 40mm TRC-11 assault cannons, 2 18mm pulse lasers, and a single missile pod in order to blast enemy ground positions, allowing it to serve as a heavy gunship in close-air-support situations.

II. Historical Information

Asthetically, the CT-11 is identical to its predecessor, the CT-4, though its avionics, weapons, and cargo capacity are drastically improved. The Dragonfly II has served with the NDI since the Chaos and Hive Wars, which was the first major ground operation after the First Draconian War. There the Dragonfly II served admirably and since then, the NDI has consistently upgraded its fleet of dropships with the latest computer technologies, allowing it to interface with the SLICS tactical combat network and integrate seamlessly with the infantry squads it carries into battle.

III. Statistical Information

Manufacturer: Phoenix Aerospace Corporation
In use by: Nerimian Galactic Confederation, Draconian Alliance
Unit Type: Orbital Dropship
Designation: CT-11
Nickname: Dragonfly II
Production: In service with all branches of the NDI.

Crew Information: 1 pilot, 1 co-pilot, 2 weapons systems officers

Dimensions (in meters): 15.75 m x 8.55 m x 9.443 m

IV. Performance

Speed (sublight): .99c (can accelerate to this speed in approximately four minutes)
Speed (atmospheric): Mach 7+ supercruise in an Earth-type atmosphere
Speed (hyperspace): ~88,524,663c

The Dragonfly II is fully transatmospheric and is equipped with an anti-gravity propulsion system to provide additional lift in High-G environments.

V. Weapons

TRC-11 40mm Assault Cannons (4): Designed primarily for aerial fire-support, these weapons fire a mixture of high-explosive, armor-piercing, and incendiary rounds at hypersonic velocities (Mach 20+) that are devastatingly effective against most infantry and light armored targets.

Purpose: Assault
Damage: Moderate to heavy against infantry, mecha, and light armor targets. Light to minimal damage against heavier targets.
Range: 1,800 meters
Rate of Fire: 9,000 rounds per minute
Payload: 5,000 rounds per cannon

ARC-7 18mm Pulse Laser Cannons (2): These are dedicated point-defense weapons, one mounted on a dorsal arc and the other on a ventral arc. They are fast-tracking and can track enemy interceptors and missiles and destroy them with incredible precision. The ARC-7 has been rated at 25,000 TW.

Purpose: Point-Defense
Damage: Moderate to heavy against enemy mecha and starfighters.
Range: 500 miles in an atmosphere
Rate of Fire: 2 pulses/second

Missile Pod (1): Designed to deliver heavy ordnance, the Dragonfly II's missile pod carries 24 "Black Arrow" anti-infantry munitions and 12 "Puma" anti-armor munitions. These munitions are considered precision-guided weapons.

Purpose: Assault
Damage: Heavy.
Range: 25 miles in an atmosphere
Rate of Fire: 4 missiles every second
Payload: 24 "Black Arrow", 12 "Puma"; 36 total

Systems: Ion Impulse Drives x 2, Anti-Gravity, Xentronium Armor, Integrated Sensors Suite, Integrated Communications Suite, ECM Suite, Damper Field, Barrier Shields, Chaff & Flare Dispensers, Distortion Field Generator, Emergency Beacon, Cryostasis Pods
 
That's close. I'd imagine the Star Army version would lean less heavily on ground assault, lightening the weapons load... not to mention 6 power armor are a lot less bigger than 4 hovertanks ^_^

Some of the extra space made by offloading the ground weapons and replacing with energy weapons could be used for retrieval, cargo capacity and repair installations. We are talking about only 6 suits, after all.

However, I'd be surprised if while in combat 6 suits from a ship would need repairs simulteanously, so, it ought to be able to attend for a lot more in combat situations. I never imagined this vessel as having any living accomodations except for emergencies.

I wanted to expose a concept - I don't feel confident making it myself though. It just looked like something that could have been useful, seeing the troubles the Mikomi, namely, ran into when it crashlanded on Tami. I'm not saying the dropship would have been useful then and there, but the situation did expose some lacks trhat could have been covered.

Also, if you read about how things went in the Battle of Neplesia, the Mindys gave a good showing of themselves but eventually were losing to attrition because there were a lot more SMX attack/officer pods. Having supply ships close by to which they could return to reload ammunition/fix small repairs would considerably lessen that, even when faced with superior enemy numbers...

Why? No hesitation in employing ammo and using ressources. Pilots tend to be cautious about that in case they need them for later and then BANG, they screw up and die. It could save a great many lives, not to mention go along pretty well with the Type-29 Light Fleet project by helping conserve assets.
 
A dropship that can only carry 6 suits into battle seems kinda.....useless. It doesn't project enough force to be worth the cost of its production. The Dragonfly II, on the other hand, can not only carry an entire company of infantry, but it can alternatively carry vehicles and other support things troops on the ground may need. It also carries such a hefty weapons load in order to secure an LZ before troops get to the ground and defend those troops until they are in a position to move against the enemy.

The only point I agree with you is the need for some kind of repair module, which isn't a big deal for me to add into the design.

But outside of that, I feel the Dragonfly II fits the role of a high-speed insertion craft that you're looking for.
 
I was comparing with a slightly smaller number than what the Nozomi-class scout ship could carry (8 in each bay) because I thought it'd be neat if those could be small enough to attach themselves to each of the wing's airlocks.

Not to mention there is ammunition and spare parts to be carried around whom would probably take a good deal of room. I trust you'll agree with me that 6 'repair slots' in a supply/maintenance ship is more than enough in a battle if the refit time stands around 20 seconds (that is for reloads, module attachments. Repairs could be longer).

I'll agree that space for six power armor might be a small force... but seeing the power differencial between the 36 infantry troopers carried by the CT-11C and, say, 6 Kylie power armor... the power armors should still be 'worth' more as a taskforce (I mean, each is the relative strength of a aerospace fighter, from what Rei told me).

We could argue around this longer... but as far as insertion goes, you are right. I was only thinking that the dropship should also avoid being ponderously big, like Rei said, which is why I was taking a small number like '6'.
 
I've already got a Landing Ship in the planning stages for the Abwehrans. It will probably be designed during one of the many R&D roleplaying posts I'm going to do.
 
The NDI considers troops in Phalanx armor (which is on par with a Mindy in terms of capability) as infantry. All NDI infantry units wear power armor. That means a Dragonfly II can carry a full company of Phalanx suited troopers into battle -

And there's no reason to deploy less than company strength power armors on the ground save for special operations.
 
Indeed, which is why my Landing Ship is more along the lines of deploying armored units like tanks and large mecha.

For troop drop, I've actually designed a troop transport that launches small single-soldier pods into a planet's atmosphere in company-division sized groups.
 
Oh, I thought those we're normal infantry soldiers. ^_^;

You've defeated my arguments. XD

So, perhaps make a more streamlined version made to be a hybrid between transport and support ship?
 
You could actually fit 6 power armors in a Ke-T2 or T3 shuttle, since they're roughly human-sized.
Primary Purpose: Interstellar Transport
Secondary Purpose: Planetary Landings
Range: 10 days of travel (about 13.7 light-years at maximum speed)
Speed: 500c, Mach 5 in atmosphere. Transatmospheric.
Load Capacity: 8 personnel with gear or 2 personnel with cargo.
Weapons: 2 Phased Pulse Cannons

Purpose: General
Damage: Moderate
Range: 10,000 miles
Rate of Fire: 3 times a second
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

Systems: ADN, Anti-Gravity, Armor (Zesuaium), CDD, Communications, Chaff/Flare Dispensers, Emergency Homing Beacon, Shields, Sensors, Stasis system, Thermoptic Camouflage.

Notes: contains 72 standard Star Army rations, 150 gallons of water, a WickedArms TA-17 survival kit, and a WickedArms TA-13 field surgery kit. The stasis function has a maximum use of twenty years. The Ke-T2-1a is essentially the same as the -2b, but without the stasis function and homing beacon.
Click to expand...
 
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