The Heitan-class is a multi-role fightercraft carrier created by Ketsurui Fleet Yards for the Star Army of Yamatai that became available in YE 31.
The Heitan-class is designed to provide a formidable fighter presence in combat areas. The carriers are not intended to directly engage enemy capital vessels. They are equipped with weapons to protect them from enemy missiles, fighters, and other small craft. They are typically part of a battle-group and depend on the vessels in that group for protection from enemy warships.
During the early days of the Second Mishhuvurthyar War it became clear that the NMX were depending heavily on small attack craft during their engagements. This prompted Mikasa Sorano-Taisho to put in a design request for a fighter carrier to counter this threat.
Design work began late in YE 31, with the first ship of the line entering service before YE 31 ended.
The Heitan basic appearance not only gave rise to its name Heitan meaning flat, but was intended to offer the smallest profile to the enemy. Attached to the main section are the hangar modules mounted above and below. The ship's hull is two-toned, with some parts a dark gray while other parts are the standard blue-gray. As with all modern Star Army vessels, it is marked with a Star Army Hinomaru on its dorsal surface.
The Heitan-Class has typical warship speeds.
This ship is equipped with Anti-FTL field countermeasures.
Service Lifespan: Estimated 20 years of constant use, possibly longer with refits.
Refit Cycle: Frequent minor updates through the PANTHEON system and a refit once every four to five years.
See Damage Rating (Version 3) for an explanation of the damage system.
Hull: 40 Shields: 40 (Threshold 4)
The following compartments are unique to the Heitan.
The Heitan has a second Standard Medium Starship bridge. It is for use by an embarked Admiral and their staff. It is located beneath the bridge.
The Heitan has three separate hangar decks.
Alpha and Beta are identical in size and configuration and are for fighters. They are located on the upper portion of the ship. Alpha and Beta deck are 440 meters long, 160 meters wide and 13 meters high with 2 meters of maintenance area beneath each. Forward of each hangar is the launch/recovery bay and aft of it is the workshop. Each hangar has 84 berths which means each can hold seven squadrons of fighters.
At the forward end of each hangar deck is the launch/recovery bay. Each bay has a containment force field on the entrance as well as an armored door. A Durandium Alloy blast shield protects the interior of the hangar from the engine exhaust. Alpha and Beta hangar decks have two bays. Each bay can launch four fighters arranged two side by side. Each bay also has several KFY Graviton Beam Projectors to assist damaged craft with recovery.
Each fighter craft assigned to the Heitan has a specific berth location in the hangar decks. This is where the craft are checked, and prepared for their mission. Each has diagnostic interfaces and a standard Star Army Tool Locker. Each berth is typically 20m x 20m but the space can be reconfigured to accommodate larger craft should it be necessary. Every fourth berth has a Firefighting Version of the tool locker. These are indicated on the hangar layout by red circles.
Craft on the hangar deck are placed on pallets which are used to move them from their pit location, to the workshop, or the launch/recovery bay. Each pallet is hexagonal and has configurable clamps that secure the craft to the pallet.
Gamma is as large as the other two combined and is intended for special equipment. Gamma deck is 440 meters long, 160 meters wide and 28 meters high with 2 meters of maintenance area beneath it. It has a single large launch recovery area.
Aft of each hangar deck is the workshop. This is where craft that have sustained structural damage are taken for repair or cannibalization. Between the ship's fabrication and the workshop, a Heitan can manufacture replacement fighters if necessary.
The Heitan has a pair of hyperspace fold emitters which allow the carrier to produce a fold bubble large enough to encompass the entire compliment of fighters and jump with them deployed. They are located on the sides of the carrier.
The Boosters allow the Heitan to generate a hyperspace bubble of one kilometer in radius.
This is where all launch and recovery activities are controlled on the Heitan. The room has several Volumetric Display displays that show the status of each Launch and Recovery bay. They also display the position of all the craft around the carrier.
This section contains the unique system information for the Heitan.
The Heitan has a one meter thick hull of Yamataium. The frame of the ship is Durandium Alloy. All windows on the Heitan are made of Transparent Durandium.
The Heitan uses a KAMI for command and control of shipboard systems and is equipped with a Psionic Signal Controller.
On the Heitan Forcefield-Nested Isolation Doors are used instead of older style shutters.
The Heitan uses four Ketsurui Fleet Yards Turbo Aether Plasma Drive drives for propulsion at sub-light speeds.
The Heitan uses a Ketsurui Fleet Yards Combined Field System for FTL propulsion
The Heitan has two Ketsurui Fleet Yards Hyperspace Fold Engines. One is sufficient to allow the carrier to travel. However for certain combat situations, the Heitan uses both of them to create an extended hyperspace bubble to allow it to deploy its compliment of fighters, take them into hyperspace for rapid engagement of the enemy when they drop out.
The Heitan is primarily focused toward defending the ship.
The number and type of craft carried in Gamma Hangar depends on the mission.
The Heitan carries fourteen Fighter Squadrons. Fighters that currently can be used are:
The carrier gets to within range of its objective. It then launches Ke-V7 "Ginga" Bombers and fighter escorts. Two Bombers are paired with a Squadron. The Ke-V7 "Ginga" Bomber then uses their hyperspace fold system to take 6 fighters as escort. Once they return to normal space the bombers make for the objective while the fighters provide cover for them.
The carrier launches its contingent of Fighter Squadrons and whatever other craft are deemed appropriate. Two of them are designated as CAP to defend the carrier when it arrives. It then jumps into hyperspace using the field boosters taking all of the launched craft with it. When it arrives the fighters are already launched and can immediately engage the enemy.
| Star Army Logistics | |
|---|---|
| Supply Classification | Class A - STARSHIPS |
| Products & Items Database | |
|---|---|
| Product Categories | starships |
| Product Name | Heitan-class |
| Nomenclature | Ke-A1-1a |
| Manufacturer | Ketsurui Fleet Yards |
| Year Released | YE 31 |
