Editing Orion class battlestar

{{Ship Data
|image= Osiris Prep to Jump.png
| title= ''Orion'' class battlestar
| race= Colonial
| type= Military
| ftl= Yes
| propol = * 4x main sublight engines <br /> * maneuvering engines. 
| crew= 150, minus pilot complement
| role= Battleship, carrier, stealth reconnaissance 
| arm= * 12x [[Battery#Gun_Clusters|primary guns]] <br> * ~32x missile [[Battery#Close-in_Weapon_Systems|CIWS]] <br> * ~4x [[missile tubes]]
| def= * Flak <br /> * DRADIS absorbent hull plating
| aircraft= * Small [[Viper Mark III|Viper Mk. III]] detachment <br /> * Small [[Raptor]] detachment
| facilities= * 1x flight deck <br /> * 18x Viper launch tubes
}}

The '''''Orion'' class [[Battlestar (RDM)|battlestar]]''' was first developed and deployed sometime before or during the First [[Cylon War]]. Also known as a "pocket battlestar," "half-pint," or grimly as "one-way wonders," the class was specifically designed for special operations and covert missions.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=45}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pgs. 45-46</ref> These vessels were approximately quarter the size of full battlestars like ''[[Galactica]]'' and incorporated the latest stealth technology available during the First Cylon War {{TRS|Blood and Chrome}}.

The ''Orion'' class appears to be among the smaller ships in the Colonial Fleet, dwarfed even by the ''[[Valkyrie Type Battlestar|Valkyrie]]'' type. It may be the smallest known battlestar class to see service during the First Cylon War.

== Design Philosophy ==

The ''Orion'' class was developed for missions deemed too dangerous for larger, more valuable battlestars. Their nickname "one-way wonders" reflected the grim reality that these ships were often assigned to extremely hazardous operations with low survival expectations.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=45}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 45</ref> The design philosophy emphasized functionality and stealth capabilities over crew comfort, resulting in vessels that could operate deep in enemy territory but at the cost of habitability.

== Layout and Design ==

The ''Orion'' class featured a distinctive submarine-like design that was long, dark, and forbidding. Unlike bigger battlestars, the class did not share the same layout and design principles, instead being built into one main, streamlined body with torpedo-like tubes for launching Vipers positioned in the bow.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=56}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 56</ref>

*'''The upper section''': The upper section of the class features the main and secondary batteries, as well as a large conning tower, which features a forward looking viewing area. The class's engine room and sublight engines are housed in the back, above the landing bay. Two more sublight engines are housed in detached cowlings off the main boosters. 

*'''The lower section''': The lower sections contain the main landing bay, Viper launch tubes, main communications tower assembly, fuel tanks, and houses another conning tower with forward facing viewing area.  

*'''Command and Control''': The ship's CIC maintained a stealthier, more submarine-like feel compared to larger battlestars, with blue LEDs glowing coolly in the dark rather than the standard lighting found on other Colonial vessels.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=56}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 56</ref>

The ''Orion'' class features very little in the way of creature comforts, and suffers from dark, cramped, wet, and humid conditions. Numerous exposed pipes line the halls and CIC, which leave little standing and sitting room, leaving many of the crew to work in tight spots. This cramped design reflected the Colonial Fleet's adaptation to prolonged warfare and resource constraints during the later stages of the First Cylon War.

== Stealth Capabilities ==

At least one ''Orion'' class ship, ''[[Osiris]]'', was outfitted with a unique reflective metallic hull which acts as an inhibitor to Cylon DRADIS, and can operate in "stealth mode" within detection range for a short period without being seen. However, as soon as the ship powered its weapons and launched its fighters, the ship immediately became visible to enemy scanners, with the corresponding DRADIS signatures giving away the ship's position.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=56}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 56</ref> It is not known if this is a standard feature, or a special, one-off design.

== Specifications ==

=== Propulsion ===
:''Main article: [[Propulsion in the Re-imagined Series]]''

The ''Orion'' class features four main sublight boosters, two of which are housed in separate cowlings off the aft upper section. The class also features RCS thrusters at key points along the fore and aft hulls. These sublight engines are further augmented with an FTL engine capable of 12-league jumps.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=52}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 52</ref> The overall propulsion design, together with the small size of the ''Orion'' class ships, makes the class highly maneuverable, an important aspect of its defensive abilities.

=== Endurance ===
Unlike larger battlestars, the ''Orion'' class is not intended to be used on extended duration missions without the aid of a corresponding battlestar group. The class features limited weapons, which restrict its ability to fight Cylon capital ships. The battlestar ''[[Osiris]]'' lasted only a few minutes in combat with a much larger basestar before taking critical damage, demonstrating the class's vulnerability when faced with superior firepower {{TRS|Blood and Chrome}}.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=58}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 58</ref>

=== Armament ===
:''Main article: [[Weapons in the Re-imagined Series]]''

Ships of this class are moderately armed, with at least thirty-two point defense batteries, twelve primary gun turrets, and multiple nuclear missile vertical launch systems, along with Raptors and the potential for a handful of Vipers. The ''Orion'' class ships are not normally outfitted with planes, and usually take on a complement from other battlestars. Compared with a basestar, the potential Viper complement is outnumbered ten to one by [[Raider (RDM)|Raiders]].<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=58}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 58</ref>

=== Aircraft Operations ===
[[File:B&C - Osiris Hangar Bay Racks from Doug Drexler.jpg|thumb|''[[Osiris]]''{{'}} [[hangar deck]] with [[Viper Mark III|Viper Mark IIIs]] on racks as seen circa {{BCH|42}}.]]
The ''Orion'' class was designed to operate specialized [[Viper Mark III]] fighters equipped for both space combat and ground air support missions. These Mark III Vipers were sleeker than standard models, with bigger wings designed specifically for the class's special operations role.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=53}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 53</ref>

The ship's aft landing bay posed significant operational challenges. The flight deck was positioned directly behind the engines and was notably short, requiring precise timing and skill from pilots. Incoming craft risked becoming "ramp roast" if they came in too slow, or smashing into the reinforced bulkhead if they came in too fast. The bay was equipped with magnetic arrestors to help stop incoming Raptors and Vipers.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=46}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pgs. 46-47</ref>

=== Crew ===
The typical crew complement of an ''Orion'' class ship is about 150, excluding Viper pilots on detachment from other battlestars. The cramped conditions meant that operations were more constrained than on full-sized battlestars, with crew members often working in tight spaces with limited amenities.

== Operational History ==

=== Ghost Fleet Operations ===

During the later stages of the First Cylon War, at least some ''Orion'' class vessels were incorporated into the Colonial Fleet's secret "[[Ghost Fleet|ghost fleet]]"―ships that were officially reported as destroyed but continued to operate covertly in Cylon-controlled space. This fleet was assembled over more than a year as part of an effort to strike at the Cylons when and where they were least expecting it.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=53}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 53</ref>

The ghost fleet concept involved taking Colonial warships that had been heavily damaged but could be salvaged, then officially declaring them destroyed while secretly repairing them for covert operations. Personnel assigned to ghost fleet vessels witnessed their own death certificates, emphasizing the complete secrecy of their operations and their official non-existence {{TRS|Blood and Chrome}}.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=54}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 54</ref>

== Ships In Class ==
{|class="messagebox sortable" style="width:100%" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" align="center"
|- class="infoboxheader"
! Name                                             !! Number                      !! Status   !! Last Seen
|-
| ''[[Osiris]]'' || 0913 (BSG 54) || Destroyed, [[Battle of Djerba]], {{BCH|42}} || ''"[[Blood & Chrome]]"''
|}

== Production Notes ==

In the pre-production script for ''[[Blood and Chrome]]'', the ''Orion'' class vessel is referred to as ''Reliant'' rather than ''Osiris'', and contains significantly more detail about the class's design philosophy, operational limitations, and crew conditions than appears in the final production.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=45}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 45</ref> The script emphasizes the class's role as expendable assets for high-risk missions, reflected in their grim nickname "one-way wonders."

== References ==
{{Reflist}}{{Ships}}

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