UMCS VALLEY FORGE

Yes, I've seen the film SILENT RUNNING... No, we don't allow lunatic greenies aboard our ships.

-- Commodore John Weymouth, Commander of Valley Forge Task Force.

Although the Poor Richard class escort carrier could do a fairly good job of supporting their big sisters, the Victorious class light fleet carriers, they still had the tactical disadvantage of being two-gee ships in an otherwise four-gee fleet. The Navy Department decided to replace the Poor Richard with a vessel that could carry the same fighter-group and accelerate at four gees in a thousand displacement-ton hull. Thus was born the Valley Forge class support carrier.

A dispute arose within the Navy Department and the Confederation Senate over the number of Valley Forge support carriers (which some wags referred to as an ultra-light carrier) that were to be built. Four or six? A compromise was eventually reached where the navy would build eight support carriers.

Part of the reason for building eight support carriers was the reorganization of the Main Force or Battle fleets.

The Main Force of the Ursa Major Confederation Navy was originally divided into three battle fleets: The Coreward Fleet based at Eos; The Central Fleet based at Galtswelt; And the Rimward Fleet based at Freya. Each battle fleet was originally centered on a Victorious class light fleet carrier and its group of escorts.

Under the reorganization, the Rimward Fleet at Freya which was closest to the most likely potential belligerent, the Auroran Empire, would have two Victorious class and two Valley Forge class carriers. The Coreward Fleet at Eos, facing the potentially hostile Republic of New Texas, would get one Victorious class and two Valley Forge class carriers. The Central Fleet at Galtswelt would receive the four remaining Valley Forge class carriers. The old Poor Richard class escort carriers would be independently based, one at Freya, two at Galtswelt, and one at Eos, in support of convoy escort or Marine landing forces as required.

Valley Forge-Class Support Carrier

Ship: Valley Forge
Class: Valley Forge
Type: Support Carrier
Architect: UMCN Bureau of Ships
Tech Level: 11

USP
CVS-A7244E2-050000-30000-0 MCr 717.593 1 KTons
Bat Bear 4 2 Crew: 60
Bat 4 2 TL: 11

Cargo: 28, Fuel: 270, EP: 40, Agility: 3
Craft: 1 x 50T Modular Cutter, 1 x 30T Fuel Module, 8 x 15T Kurnass Fighter-Interceptor, 12 x 6T Dagger Attack Fighter
Fuel Treatment: On Board Fuel Purification
Architects Fee: MCr 6.856 Cost in Quantity: MCr 580.474

Detailed Description

HULL: 1,000 tons standard, 14,000 cubic meters, Dispersed Structure Configuration
CREW: Pilot, Navigator, 8 Engineers, Medic, 6 Gunners, 29 Flight Crew, 14 Other Crew
ENGINEERING: Jump-2, 4G Manuever, Power plant-4, 40 EP, Agility 3
AVIONICS: Bridge, Model/5fib Computer
ARMAMENT: 2 Triple Beam Laser Turrets organised into 2 Batteries (Factor-3)
DEFENCES: 8 Triple Sandcaster Turrets organised into 4 Batteries (Factor-5)
CRAFT: 50 ton Modular Cutter (Crew of 1, Cost of MCr 30), 30 ton Fuel Module (Cost of MCr 2), 8 x 15 ton Kurnass Fighter-Interceptors (Crew of 2, Sold Separately), 12 x 6 ton Dagger Attack Fighters (Crew of 1, Sold Separately)
FUEL: 270 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance, plus 30 tons of additional fuel), No Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant
MISCELLANEOUS: 30 Staterooms, 28 Tons Cargo
COST: MCr 692.448 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 6.856), MCr 548.474 in Quantity, plus MCr 32.000 of Carried Support Craft
CONSTRUCTION TIME: 120 Weeks Singly, 96 Weeks in Quantity

COMMENTS: The Valley Forge class support carrier (sometimes called an ultra-light carrier) was constructed to replace the Poor Richard class escort carrier in the role of supporting main fleet operations. There is additional accomodation for a task force commander and 13 support staff

A total of eight units were constructed. Valley Forge, Ticonderoga, Cowpens, and Bunker Hill were built at Galtswelt. Waterloo, Blenheim, Salamanca, and Agincourt were built at Freya.
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