Frost Bite class System Defense Boat

Frost Bite class System Defense Boat
Type: B Fleet
Category	ACS
Size	3,000 Tons
Hull Configuration	Needle Hull
Streamlining	Streamlined Hull
Tech Level	TL–8
Engineering
Computer	Model 2/bis
Jump	J-0
Maneuver	5 G
Fuel Treatment	Scoops
Armaments
Hardpoints	30
Offensive	1 100t particle accelerator bay, 1 100t missile bay, 10 triple laser turrets
Defensive	Armored hull
Accommodations
Staterooms	26
Personnel
Crew	48
Officers	11
Enlisted	37
High/Mid Passengers	0
Payload
Cargo	70 Tons
Fuel tank	210 Tons
Construction
Origin	Distant Fringe
Manufacturer	Morrow (world)
Price
Cost	MCr4,413
Architect fee	MCr4.41
Statistics
Universal Ship Profile	B-C1057S2-800000-20607-0
Images
Blueprint	No
Illustration	No
Source
Canon	Unpublished, fan design
Designer	Ronald B. Kline Jr.
Design System	High Guard
Era	1105
Reference	Fan: Ronald B. Kline, Jr.

The Frost Bite class System Defense Boat is a TL–8 designed System Defense Boat.

Description

The Frost Bite-class system defense boats are produced locally on Morrow (Far Home 2031). They are flown in squadrons by AstroForce among others. The design has spawned several variants, from transporting small units of commandos and others fitted with fighters. Streamlined to take advantage of any environment for wilderness refueling, and for lying in wait for invasion convoys attempting refueling. They can be launched from vertical silos hidden on several moons and asteroids scattered around the system. They are the biggest hulls possible within the constraints of the limited computational power available. They are as fast and as heavily armored as local technology levels permit. Their lasers and the particle accelerator robs some agility. Their security detail conducts routine search and seizure of contraband from merchant traffic in the Morrow (world) system, they are cross trained for boarding actions as well as a damage control party. Ex-fleet marines are paid signing bonuses for this sort of contract work, quite lucrative after separation from service.

General Description

The Frost Bite class System Defense Boat is a streamlined needle wedge, configured as a tail sitter for vertical take off and landing. The total enclosed volume is approximately 42,000 cubic meters.

Fuel tanks wrap around the central and rear sections of the ship. The cargo hold is located forward and is adjacent to the sensor bays. The 48 crew have 26 dual occupancy stateroom equivalents.

Basic Ship Characteristics

Following the Imperial Navy and IISS Universal Ship Profile and data, additional information is presented in the format shown here. The small craft factor indicates the number of squadrons (of ten craft) carried on the ship. Tonnage on the universal ship profile is shown in kilotons (thousands of tons) where necessary.

Basic Ship Characteristics

No.	Category	Remarks
1.	Tonnage	The Personnel Transport is constructed using a 3,000 Ton hull built in a generally needle/wedge configuration. The hull is fully streamlined, giving fair atmospheric performance that is further enhanced by its onboard gravitic systems. Individual sections of the ship are divided by bulkhead walls. There are multiple airlocks located around the vessel. The cargo hold is accessed by large doors and has loading ramps. The vessel has sturdy retractable legs, allowing surface landings.
2.	Crew	Total Crew Complement: 48. x11 Command, x13 Engineering, x15 Gunnery, a 3 man security element and x6 Service Crew . Accommodations There are 26 Staterooms set aside as crew quarters. All quarters are rated as double occupancy. It is a cramped vessel with few creature comforts. There are no Low Berths typically fitted. Accessible areas of the hull are fitted with grav plates and inertial compensators and have full life support and environmental systems. There are internal monitoring and security systems throughout the vessel. Individual sections of the hull can be sealed off. There are multiple emergency lockers.
3.	Performance	The vessel mounts a Maneuver-5 drive, and a Power Plant-7, giving performance of 5-G acceleration. The ship has an agility rating of 4. The internal fuel tankage is sufficient for the power plant to have 4 weeks of operational endurance. The engineering section has a main control room. Ladders, gantries and platforms give access to the machinery.
4.	Electronics	Adjacent to the bridge is a Model/2 bis computer: the vessel has a backup Model/2 fib computer sited near engineering. The bis was thought to offer flexibility at the limits of TL–8 architecture and the fiber back up systems provide support fail over in the event of nuclear strikes and spikes in system radiation closer to the primary. There are multiple workstations and control points throughout the vessel. The vessel is fitted with communications equipment, a standard sensor array, and has an avionics suite. It is equipped with sensor and communications jammers and an ECM package. It is fitted with backup commo and sensor systems. It has a transponder unit that can be deactivated on command.
5.	Hardpoints	30 hardpoints. The battery arrangement is considered standard for the class. Alternative weaponry may be designated for other variants operated.
6.	Armament	The normal weapons fit-out is: x10 triple Pulse Laser turrets, each turret has independent fire control and the turrets collectively function as ten factor 2 batteries. One factor 6 100 ton particle accelerator bay One factor 7 100 ton missile bay
7.	Defenses	The hull is 8. The vessel is not fitted with screens or other passive defensive systems.
8.	Craft	Flight Section no sub craft were originally deployed on the prototype models, subsequent carrier refits carry small numbers of fighters. An ancient jack in the box, was a reference for this variant. These craft are fitted into space taken from the forward cargo bays. All hangars are accessed by large external doors.
9.	Fuel Treatment	The vessel has internal fuel tankage of 210 Tons. The hull is fitted with fuel scoops.
10.	Cost	The basic cost of the vessel is MCr4,413 3,530.4 in qty Architects Fee: MCr44.13
11.	Construction Time	133 weeks or 106 weeks in quantity. Build times can be reduced by mass production and the efficiencies such processes generate, by increased financing, and by allotting additional yard resources and facilities to the construction contract.
12.	Comments	Standard cargo capacity amounts to 70 Tons. The cargo hold can be sealed and has independent life support and environmental systems.

History & Background

Frost Bite class System Defense Boats are designed to be as dangerous as possible within the limitations of indigenous technology and infrastructure. Built to be maintained and repaired in the field, under adverse conditions with rudimentary equipment. The Sath are their primary concern. They close in numbers and depend on their massed particle accelerator and missile load to cripple softer targets among the sath fleets. They serve as a deterrent force, harbor safety, search and rescue around the port. They are typically faster and more maneuverable than sath capital ships, they take advantage of that to be selective about when and where to engage and break off quickly, lest they be destroyed in detail by superior technology weapon systems. Sha'a class Destroyers are faster and more agile, although smaller, they pose some concern for this class. The hope is that they can out shoot the thin skinned Sath destroyer, and absorb hits better. They are flown by local patriots and mercenaries from across the Distant Fringe. Their numerous pulse laser batteries are used defensively to pick off anti-shipping missiles and fighters.

Class Naming Practice/s & Peculiarities

The class is named after environmental hazards that make survival in hostile territory difficult. Kill marks, patriotic logos, nose art are proudly displayed. Thick layers of composite laminates, depleted uranium, carbon fiber and high tensile strength ceramic platelets absorb surface hits. The hull is reinforced with titanium spars and tungsten supports over chromium steel plates. This all creates a unique electromagnetic profile on active sensor sweeps with a trained operator who knows what to look for. This give away can foil some ambush attempts.

The vessel carries jamming equipment and an ECM package, intended to increase its chances of survival in potentially hostile situations. An acknowledged limitation at this technology level is managing waste heat from the reactors, which can present a serious tactical liability. While lying in wait, on long elliptical orbits, the design was equipped to link with static array heat sinks so that they can be made to look like thermal black bodies, holes in space.

Selected Variant Types & Classes

12 Representative Fleet (B) Classes

§ == ( Please refer to the following AAB Library Data for more information: ) == §

Type B Fleet

A

• Alahir class Heavy Scout
• Aurskos class Light Scout

B

• Bay class Surveillance Vessel

D

• Dienjzhiae class Fleet Intelligence Corvette

F

• Frost Bite class System Defense Boat

H

• Hellworld class Merchant Cruiser

L

• Lauritson class Picket Ship
• Legion class Picket Boat

• Logos Minos class Fleet Scout

M

• Militia class Military Scout

P

• Pinyin class Treasure Galleon

S

• Sacred Text class Scout

References

This article has metadata.

This ship was originally designed using one of the Classic Traveller ship design rules: Marc Miller. Starships (Game Designers Workshop, 1977), 12-23. Marc Miller, Frank Chadwick, John Harshman. High Guard (Game Designers Workshop, 1980), 20-36.

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Author: Lord (Marquis) and Master Scout Emeritus Adie Alegoric Stewart of the IISS
• Author: Lord (Marquis), Captain, and Lead Naval Architect Ronald B. Kline, Jr. of the Imperial Navy