Akula Missile Submarine

[Luxan]

Overview:
Devlin Stone's coalition faced many nasty surprises from the Word of Blake as they liberated the worlds of the former Blake Protectorate and Terra. Most of these surprises were the result of technological achievements. However, the Akula class missile submarines were not particularly advanced but were quite unconventional. Submarines of this size had become quite rare after mankind took to the stars. In recent decades, the Draconis Combine had re-introduced such craft for protecting water-rich worlds, including the similar Triton class missile submarine. While the Triton was quite formidable in defending coastal areas, the Robes' Akula class submarines provided unprecedented flexibility.

Capabilities:
The Akulas were a danger to virtually every coalition force on the water worlds they were defending. Equipped with twelve of the sub-capital Pirahna missile launchers, the Akulas are capable of engaging all manner of targets. Ground units could be bombarded, atmospheric targets could be directly engaged and inbound dropships could even be targeted in low orbit. Also, in a few cases, surface naval vessels were, quite literally, blown out of the water. The key to this flexibility was the Akula's extensive communications suite. This allowed it to receive targeting data from any friendly units or satellite uplink. Further, it could deploy its own network of remote sensor buoys. So, even when completely isolated, hunting an Akula was a dangerous task.

Because the Pirahna missiles could launch from deep underwater, addressing the threat of an Akula meant either directly engaging it with other submersibles (which were rarely availible) or waiting until the Akula was forced to surface. The latter option was also difficult and tedious. With a fusion engine, a small crew, adequate kitchen facilities and a med bay, an Akula could remain submerged for months. Also, a Guardian ECM suite and a top speed of over 50 knots made an Akula's movements difficult to track and anticipate. Further, a compliment of 360 Pirahna missiles meant an Akula could remain a strategic threat for quite some time before needing to re-arm. Finally, if forced to engage other submersibles, an Akula had two torpedo turrets, each with 60 tubes. However, this defense was a last resort.

Code: [Select]

Type: Akula Missile Submarine
Technology Base: Inner Sphere
Movement Type: Naval (Large, Template D)
Cruise Speed: 64.8 km/h
Flanking Speed: 97.2 km/h
Equipment Rating: E/X-X-F-X
BV: 45,614
Cost: 392,704,047 C-bills
Mass: 22,000 tons

=======================================================
Equipment                     Type                 Mass 
-------------------------------------------------------
Chassis/Controls:                               8,583.5
Engine/Trans:                 Fusion            5,940.0
    Cruise MP:  6
    Flank MP:   9
Fuel:                                               0.0
Turret (Hex #2):                                    3.0
Turret (Hex #5):                                    3.0
Armor Factor (BAR 10):        1,189                75.0

                     Internal    Armor
                     Structure   Factor
    Front            41          170
    Front R/L Side   41/41       160/160
    Rear  R/L Side   41/41       160/160
    Rear             41          139
    Turret 2         41          120
    Turret 5         41          120

========================================================
Weapons & Equipment                  Location       Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------
12 Pirahna Missile Launchers           Body      1,200.0
360 Piranha Missiles                   Body      3,600.0
4 LR Torpedo-15                      Turret 2       28.0
Ammo (LRT-15) 96                       Body         12.0
4 LR Torpedo-15                      Turret 5       28.0
Ammo (LRT-15) 96                       Body         12.0
Remote Sensor Dispensor                Rear          0.5
Guardian ECM Suite                     Body          1.5
Advanced Fire Control                  Body        126.0


Crew: 10 officers, 26 enlisted, 34 gunners
Cargo:
    1,802 tons standard            1 Door (Front)
Notes: Features Submersible, Armored Chassis and Control Modifications,
1 field kitchen (3 tons), 7 escape pods (49 tons), 60 crew quarters (420 tons),
10 officer quarters (100 tons), MASH unit (2 theaters, 3.5 tons),
communications equipment (10 tons)


[maxcarrion]

I like the concept but I think there’s a number of things I’d change if I were designing it.  The first is that I don’t see a lot of benefit from it being so large.  Personally I’d bring it down into Light Cruiser/Destroyer displacement ranges and have more of them for the price. 

According to the Rapier Destroyer Fluff they were designed so 2 could fit – assembled - in a modified Mammoth Dropship.  This has previously led me to design a light submersible carrier (The Imagineer) that weighed in at 8,500T for use in the same cradles and I think the Akula would benefit from the same – an 8,500T submersible should be able to pack about 1/3rd of the firepower for about 1/3rd of the cost and when an Akula is found and sunk it’s a much smaller loss.  They can support many more engagements and be in many more places even if they are only bringing 4 or 6 Piranha Tubes, 120 missiles and 30 tubes of LRT.

My other recommendation would be at least 1 Vehicle Bay – a small vehicle bay for 50T would allow the Akula to launch light submersibles which can allow for a 50T combat or support vehicle to perform any of a huge number of useful roles (scout, spotter, interceptor, resupply, crew change, covert insertion/extraction, sensor spoofing etc.)

[maxcarrion]

Additionally I would not pay for "Armoured" on the Chassis - it's armour is in not being fired upon and there's a lot of weight tied up in mounting slightly heavier armour when incoming fire is likely to be LRTs and therefore 5 point clusters anyway.  That armoured chassis takes up something like 10% of the total vehicle weight and there's no way that's worth it, so much more could be done with that weight.

[Luxan]

Sure, smaller would be cheaper and could be more widely deployed.
But I was modeling this off of the modern Typhoon-class subs, which are actually a bit larger than this. (I didn't use the name Typhoon because that was already in use by a canonical combat vehicle).

And I splurged on the armored modification and an absurd amount of missile reloads because tonnage was not really a problem. Space was the limiting factor. The Piranha's take up 217 of the 255 spaces available for a vessel this size. All of the remaining space is also used up. Most of it went to the secondary torpedo launchers and only 12 spaces devoted to various creature comforts and electronics. So, I had tonnage I didn't even know what to do with. Why not go armored? What's ~ 3000 tons worth if you can't do anything else with it?

[Luxan]

And also, yes, I think the light vehicle bay is a great idea!
I just have to make it 100 tons heavier to make room.  :D