Galactica type battlestar
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This article discusses the original battlestar class (of which Galactica is a member) of the re-imagined series. For information on the battlestars of the Original Series, see Battlestar (TOS). For information on the newer Mercury-class battlestars, see Mercury-class Battlestar (RDM).
Overview
The 'Battlestar is a capital Colonial warship that combines the functions of aircraft carrier and battleship. The first twelve battlestars were laid down in the early days of the Cylon War, each representing one of the Twelve Colonies (Mini-Series). This article concerns that original, and unnamed, class.
Following the end of the war, the original battlestars remained in service, and many newer battlestars were built. At the time of the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, the soon-to-be-decomisssioned Galactica was the last of her kind still in service, and the newer Mercury-class represented the top of the line.
Battlestars are space-going leviathans. Some 4,640ft in lengthTemplate:Ref, they combine the role of a modern airacraft carrier with that of a battle cruiser. Housing some 80 "Viper" space superiority fighters arranged in 4 squadrons of 20 apiece, a fully-armed battlestar is capable of a wide range of offensive actions, while her defensive armaments ensure she is fully capable of both protecting herself from attack, and of engaging an enemy at close quarters.
Layout
The design common to Galactica and her sister ships can be broken down into two main sections: the main hull, and the twin flight pods.
Main Hull
This comprises the bulk of a battlestar, and can itself be divided into three sections:
The "Alligator head" contains the primary living space for the crew, recreational facilities, mess halls, shipboard operations centres (such as the CIC and Situation Room)Template:Ref; water storage tanks (Water).
The midships area contains the pod retraction mechanisms, crossways linking the hanger pods for the transfer of equipment and personnel, as well as all the necessary hoists for such transfers (Mini-Series). Main munitions stores and distribution mechnanisms to "local" munitions stores for main and secondary batteries; fabrication facilities; etc Template:Ref label.
The stern section contains sublight engines, FTL drive coils, etc. Note that 4 of the sublight engines are mounted externally in engine pods, with 2 more mounted between the pods, in the stern of the battlestar's main hull.
Flight Pods
The flight pods are mounted on either side of the hull and contain a battlestar's offensive Viper force. During normal operations, they are extended away from the main hull. During FTL jumps, the pods are retracted against the hull. Each pod comprises two main decks for flight operations: the upper landing bay, which extends the full length of the pod; and the lower launch bays, which provide some 40 launch tubes per pod.
The landing bay serves as a recovery area for incoming Vipers and Raptors. Approaches are made from the stern. The preferred approach is a slow run into the hanger, prior to making a vertical landing on a defined landing area. However, in emergencies, "rolling" combat landings can be made, in which a Viper or Raptor approaches at speed and makes a running landing on its undercarriage.
The forward end of the landing bay also serves as a launch area for Raptors and shuttles. Each hanger bay is large enough to accept a variety of other Colonial vessels, at least as large as "heavy" passenger ships such as Colonial Heavy 798. Docking collars are located throughout the upper sections of the landing bay in order to provide a pressurised connection between an docked vessel and the battlestar
The hanger bays in the pods are used as general dispersal areas for Vipers. The hanger bays are used for maintenance & repair of Vipers / Raptors, re-fuelling, re-arming and launch operations. The hangar bay runs the length of the flight pod, but can be divided and sealed off into five sections for damage control puroposes. Each hangar bay section has eight launch tubes, two launch control stations, and an elevator that leads to the landing bay above. Viper flight operations are overseen by a Landing Signal Officer LSO, with each launch supervisor being directly responsible for all launch operations for a group of four launch tubesTemplate:Ref label.
Dimensions
Hull:
- Length (approx): (4,640ft) (1,414.2 meters)
- Beam (approx): 1,820ft (554.736 meters) (flight pod to flight pod - extended)
- Draft (approx): 585ft (178.308 meters)
Flight Pods:
- Length (approx): 2,019ft (615.391 meters) HI
- Beam (approx): 360ft (109.728 meters)
- Draft (approx): 211ft (64.3128 meters)Template:Ref label
An appreciation of the size of an original battlestar can be gleaned from the following: A battlestar is over 4 times longer than a Nimitz-class US Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The flight pod of an original battlestar is almost twice the length of a Nimitz class carrier, is some 150ft wider and is approximately as tall as a Nimitz class carrier measured from the waterline to the top of the carrier's communications and ELINT tower. The beam of an original battlestar's "alligator head" is as broad as a Nimitz-class carrier's flight deck is long. Each of the nacelles of an original battlestar's outer four sublight engines is large enough to house a Nimitz-class carrier.
Propulsion
- 2 x FTL engines and drive coilsTemplate:Ref
- 6 x sublight engines
- 2 x Hull-mounted
- 4 x outrigger engine pods
- 40 x manuevring engines (10 clusters of 4 apiece)Template:Ref label.
Despite their massive size, battlestars are extremely maneuverable (Mini-Series and can dock with space stations such as the Ragnar Anchorage depot. Battlestars are not designed for atmospheric flight, although their hulls can manage a tenuous upper atmospheric storm like that surrounding the gas giant Ragnar. A battlestar's FTL systems are capable of very accurate Jumps, able to place them precisely in synchronous orbit above any point on a planet (Mini-Series) and of placing them in the midst of debris fields, such as an asteroid belt, without risk of a devastating impact (The Hand of God) or dense fleet of ships (Scattered). However, they are grossly inferior to Cylon systems in range (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I).
Endurance
Battlestars are intended to operate for long periods without resupply. Their water purification capabilities alone are so efficient that, barring an emergency or unforeseen event, a battlestar can operate without re-tanking "for several years before replenishing" (Water). They also appear capable of undertaking large-scale repairs following battle damage (Mini-Series, Water), and may have small manufacturing/fabrication facilities on-board (Litmus). Vegetable stores and canned goods are kept in Titanium lockers (Final Cut).
Computer Systems
The original battlestar vessels deliberately avoided the use of networked computer systems and wireless devices, as the Cylon enemy were adept at infiltrating and subverting such systems (Mini-Series).
Although they do employ computers for such functions as FTL calculations, navigation, damage control and fire control (Scattered), these are not connected with each other. This design is intended to naturally quarantine individual systems in the event that one becomes compromised.
Armament
- 24 large flak turretsTemplate:Ref (mounting 2 guns apiece)
These are mounted on the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the main hull and the ventral surface of the "alligator head". The two guns on each turret fire explosive flack rounds in tandem at a rate of 2.23 seconds per round.
- NumerousTemplate:Ref smaller turrets (mounting 2 guns apiece)
These are smaller two-gun turrets mounted on the flight pods and other surfaces. Each barrel fires non-explosive rounds in bursts, with a rate of fire of 200 rounds per turret per second (estimate based on one tracer per four rounds).
- 4 squadrons of 20 "Viper" air/space superiority fightersTemplate:Ref
Even the latest Mk. VII vipers remain compatible with this class's launch and recovery facilities.
- Numerous "Raptor" reconnaissance vehicles Template:Ref
Crew
Galactica's crew complement prior to her scheduled decommissioning was approximately 2,800Template:Ref. This figure may be higher for a fully staffed and operational battlestar.
Sources
- Template:NoteTemplate:Note labelTemplate:Note label No source provided. Figures and comments which are unsourced are being considered for deletion, in compliance with the Citation Jihad.
- Template:NoteTemplate:Note labelTemplate:Note label Originally sourced to Zoic without explanation.
- Template:Note Tigh: "Engineering/Combat. Please spin up FTL drives One and Two." (Mini-Series)
- Template:Note These have been referred to as railguns by some fan sources, but there is substantial evidence against this. See Railgun for more.
- Template:Note Unsourced figures have ranged from 252 to 512.
- Template:NoteAfter the destruction of 20 Vipers during the Cylon Attack, Galactica was still able to muster a 40-Viper strong defensive screen by combining their remaining squadron of Mk. VII vipers with a full squadron of Mk. II vipers from a museum exhibit in the starboard flight pod. This suggests that Galactica, with a single operational flight pod, was fielding two squadrons from it, and that when fully operational it could have fielded an additional two squadrons from the starboard pod as well.
- Template:NoteAt the time of the Cylon Attack, Galactica was apparently equipped with at least eight. See Galactica (RDM)#Raptors for a running count.
- Template:Note In the Mini-series, Adama states that he has "close to 2,000" people on board when he confronts Leoben Conoy at Ragnar Anchorage. However, in In "Water" Baltar says there are 45,265 civilians in the fleet. Given the stats of total fleet population in that episode, that means there were 2,693 military personnel in the Fleet at the time. In addition to the 85 killed in the flight pod fire, 29 Viper pilots lost on-screen in the first three sorties, and Helo going MIA, that makes for a pre-attack total of 2,808. It is unclear if this is a retcon or a mistake, but we favor the more recent figure.