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U.S. CAN-161 Concord class Gun Cruiser:


The Concord class cruiser was one of the first United States naval vessel class to be laid down that incorporated into her design the new super strong alloys and composites that were being developed. Like the previous Ticonderoga class guided missile cruisers, this class was mostly named for battles.


While the vessels carried a large number of missiles, the ships were designed as gun platforms and were designated gun cruisers instead of missile cruisers. Still, the design is fully multi-role and is capable of anti-submarine warfare and missile defense.


One of the intended secondary roles for the Concord class cruiser was to escort amphibious vessels and needed to be able to perform all the roles of a normal escort vessel. There was an advanced destroyer design derived from the DD-21 program had been designed to address the problem but the vessel simply did not carry enough firepower to do a good job of offshore troop support.


The idea of reactivating the remaining Iowa class battleships or building a new battleship class was actually discussed but ultimately these solutions were rejected. How serious it was is hard to say. The Iowa class battleships would be too crew intensive even if automation was added and were by this time over eighty years old. The development of a new battleship class was considered prohibitively expensive.


It was decided that a gun cruiser design using mostly existing weapon, propulsion, and sensor systems would be the most cost effective solution. As many systems as possible were pulled from previous designs including the previous destroyer designs and advanced missile cruiser designs. The origin of these classes was with the DD-21 program, known as the Zumwalt class destroyer originally, which became the DD(X) in later development.


The Concord class gun cruiser design was developed in only a year and a half and construction was started on the first of the class just two years after the request for the ship was first written. The class was a fairly limited in numbers compared to other classes with only sixteen built but all remained in service until the coming of the Rifts.


With the new Cold War that dominated the later part of the Twenty First Century, the gun cruisers were often called on to keep the peace where the events did not seem to support the deployment of a carrier. None of these ships are known to have been recovered but the vessels were built of incredibly strong alloys and composites that were virtually corrosion free and could very well remain intact.


Just before the coming of the Rifts, a new gun cruiser design was under development. This design carried the same basic weaponry layout as the Concord class but would have carried powerful 200 mm electro-thermal cannons as the main battery. This vessel class was also a trimaran design. None of the new class were ever completed but the first vessels of the class were under construction at Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula Mississippi.


These ships were armed with the same basic 155 mm cannon carried on the destroyer class that proceeded the Concord but new triple barrel versions were developed. One was mounted forward on the bow of the vessel and the other was mounted aft on the vessel behind the vessel’s helicopter flight deck.


Two strike length Mk-41 vertical launch missile systems were carried on the forward and aft of the ship. One was mounted behind the forward turret on a slightly raised platform to partially protect the launcher cells from the blast of the heavy cannons. The second was mounted in the rear hanger in the same fashion as the Flight IIA Burke class carried its rear Mk-41 missile launcher. The Mk 59 vertical launch system was still under development and could not later be retrofit into the vessel.


Initially, it was planned that the ship would carry two tactical length Mk-41 VLS on either side of the ship as defensive missile launchers but these were replaced by Mk-55 automatic reloading vertical launch systems while the Concord was still under construction. These missile launchers had been initially designed for the Ranger class carrier but were found to be useful replacements for the MK-49 VLS system and the small MK-41 VLS system.


These ships initially carried four Mk 49 RAM missile launchers but these were replaced with “Sea Sabre” combination missile and rail gun defense systems later in the ship’s service lives. The ship carried a four tube torpedo launcher on either side mainly for use against submarines but can be used against surface vessels as well.


The ship’s propulsion was electric which was initially powered by four powerful gas turbines engines that could drive the ship up to 33 knots at full power. Later these engines were replaced by fusion turbines developed for aircraft. These engines increased the cruiser top speed to 36 knots. The ship used variable pitch screws and could maneuver radically. This was found to be very useful when making sharp turns to bring both the forward and after main guns to bear on a target.


The ship was fitted with stabilizers to make the ship a more steady platform but the ship was wide hulled and was already surprisingly stable. The hull and propellor were designed with bubble masking systems and the ship design was surprisingly quiet for its size. The ship was designed using with a radar reducing cross signature and used radar absorbent materials in many places.


For sensor systems, the cruisers carried an active phased array radar that while surprisingly capable although not as powerful as those mounted on later vessel classes. The vessel also carries both an advanced hull mounted sonar and towed array sonar for anti-submarine operations.


Like most of the ship design of the time, the Concord class was designed with automation designed to reduce crew requirements. The Concord class nominal manning is 245 crew members. The United States Navy had just a few years previously gone to vessels with even lower manning but this was reconsidered. There were concerns about damage control parties and manning the ship if many crew members were injured. It was also found that under wartime conditions that the with the lower crew manning, the ships simply did not large enough crews to stay at full performance and fatigue became a problem after a few weeks of wartime sailing.


Initially these ships were designed to be able to embark up to forty marines in addition to the crew but marines were rarely carried until after the New Cold War began in the later part of the Twenty-First Century. At this time, the gun cruisers began carrying 30 marines with 20 of them in power armors. Later this was increased up to the full forty in many cases. Due to shortages in the “Semper Fi” power armor, usually half the power armor compliment were the older PA-04 SAMAS power armors. The Concord class were designed to be able to carry two helicopters or other vertical take off aircraft.


Author Note: With respect to time line, these designs may or may not reflect our modern time line. The time line of these writeups diverged from our time line starting around 1999. Consider the universe that these designs are created for to be an alternate universe not bound by ours.


Model Type: CAN-105 class Cruiser.

Vehicle Type: Ocean, Gun Cruiser.

Crew: Normal of 245; 28 officers, 22 Chief Petty officers, and 195 enlisted (Has a high degree of automation and can be run effectively by 125 crew members).

Troops: 4 Helicopter / VTOL Pilots, 12 Pilots for SAMAS, 12 pilots for Semper Fi Power Armors, and 16 soldiers in body armor that are retained on board the ship.


Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

Power Armor Compliment:

 

10

USA-PA-04A SAMAS Power Armors.

 

10

APA-15 “Semper Fi” Power Armors (with flight packs).

Aircraft Compliment:

 

2

Helicopters or other VTOL Aircraft (Usually EVS-84A Kingfisher ASW model).

M.D.C. by Location:

 

Bridge:

650.

 

[1] SPY-3H Phase Array Radar Panels (4, superstructure):

200 each.

 

Mk 59 155 mm / 62 Cannon Barrels (6, 3 per mount):

100 each.

 

Mk 59 Triple Turret 155 mm / 62 Cannon Mounts (2, forward and aft):

500 each.

 

Mk 44 “Sea Sabre” Combination Anti-Missile Defense Systems (4, superstructure):

200 each.

 

Mk 41 Strike Length 64 Cell Vertical Launch Systems (2, forward and aft):

440 each.

 

Mk 55 Medium Range 8 Cell Vertical Launch Systems (2, sides):

300 each.

 

Mk 52 Quad 12.75 inch (324 mm) Medium Torpedo Launchers (2, sides):

40 each.

 

[2] Chaff /Decoy Launchers (2, superstructure):

10 each.

 

Hanger (aft):

400.

 

VTOL / Helicopter Pad (aft):

300.

 

Outer Hull (per 40 foot / 12.2 meter area):

100.

 

[3] Main Body:

3,200.

Notes:

[1] Destroying the SPY-3 phased array radar panels will destroy the ship’s fire control systems but guns have backup systems and panels can compensate for each other.

[2] These are small and difficult targets to strike, requiring the attacker to make a “called shot,” but even then the attacker is -4 to strike.

[3] Destroying the main body causes the ship to lose structural integrity, causing the ship to sink. There are enough life preservers and inflatable life boats to accommodate everyone on the ship.


Speed:

Surface: 41.5 mph (36 knots/ 66.7 kph).

Range: Effectively unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 20 years and requires maintenance as well). Ship carries six (6) months of supplies on board.


Statistical Data:

Draft:    24.6 feet (7.5 meters) hull and 30.5 feet (9.3 meters) including sonar dome.

Length:  688 feet (209.7 meters).

Width:   80 feet (24.4 meters).

Displacement: 14,820 tons standard and 17,750 tons fully loaded.

Cargo: Can carry 800 tons (726 metric tons) of nonessential equipment and supplies. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ship’s officers have more space for personal items. Most of the ship’s spaces are taken up by extra ammo, armor, troops, weapons, and engines.

Power System: Originally conventional gas turbine propulsion, converted to four nuclear fusion turbine reactorswith an average life span of 20 years.

Market Cost: Not for sale but if found on the black market would probably cost 600 million or more credits. Cost does not include embarked craft and power armors.


WEAPON SYSTEMS:

  1. Two (2) Mk 59 Triple Barrel 155 mm / 62 Naval Guns: One mount is mounted in the front of the vessel and the other mount is mounted on the rear. Based on the gun carried by the DD-21 class destroyer and shared similarities to army artillery weapons. The weapon is more powerful than the previous 127 mm cannon carried on many destroyers and cruisers. The weapon mount if heavily automated and is capable against other ships, against ground targets, and against aircraft. The weapon can use special artillery rounds, rocket assisted rounds, and can even fire Extended Range Guided Munitions. The mounts can rotate 360 and have a 90 arc of fire.

    Maximum Effective Range: 13.7 miles (11.9 nautical miles / 22 km) for standard projectiles, 23.5 miles (20.4 nautical miles / 36.4 km) for rocket propelled rounds, and treat Extended Range Guided Munitions as medium range missiles (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Mega-Damage: Standard Projectiles: 2D6x10 to a blast radius of 25 feet (7.7 meters) for High Explosive, 3D6x10 to a blast radius of 6 feet (2 meters) for High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 4D6x10 to a blast radius of 25 feet (7.7 meters) for Plasma. Rocket projectiles: 2D4x10 to a blast radius of 20 feet (6.1 meters) for High Explosive, 2D6x10 to a blast radius of 4 feet (1.2 meters) for High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 3D6x10 to a blast radius of 20 feet (6.1 meters) for Plasma. Extended Range Guided Munitions: Treat as medium range missiles (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Use the statistics for 155 mm artillery warheads (Go to Battlefield Artillery for Rifts for more information - standard or rocket assisted as appropriate) when using artillery rounds.

    Rate of Fire: Normal Projectiles: Up to four single shots per barrel per melee round (Can fire up to 12 shots per mount per melee round or up to 24 shots with both mounts). Extended Range Guided Munitions can be fired at the rate of one shot per barrel per melee [Can fire up to three (3) shots per mount per melee round or up to six (6) shots with both mounts.]

    Payload: 3,000 rounds total (1,500 per turret) - Each Extended Range Guided Munitions round takes up space for two normal rounds.

  2. Four (4) Mk 44 “Sea Sabre” Combination Anti-Missile Defense Systems: One system is on the front of the superstructure, one system on the rear of the superstructure, and one is on either side of the superstructure. This anti-missile defense system combines both a rapid fire rail gun and a short range missile launcher. While mounted in one system, both defense systems have separate tracking and fire control systems. The short range missile launchers can target up four targets and can fire a volley up to twice per melee. Quite powerful, the rail gun is capable of destroying any missile or inflicting serious damage on aircraft. The rail gun can fire on automatic at up to six targets per melee (Has +3 to strike missiles and +2 to strike aircraft). In its design, the rail gun is very similar to those carried on the Sea King cruiser and it is likely that the Sea King’s rail guns came from a prototype of this system. The system also can be used against other ships and ground targets. The system has a 360 degree rotation and can elevate up to 90 degrees to fire at targets directly overhead.

    Maximum Effective Range: Rail Guns: 11,000 feet (2 miles / 3.2 km). Short Range Missiles: As per short range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Mega-Damage: Rail Guns: 3D4x10 M.D. per burst of 40 rounds (Can only fire bursts). Short Range Missiles: As per short range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Rail Guns: Six (6) attacks per melee round. Short Range Missiles: Two (2) attacks per melee round, can fire short range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2) or four (4) short range missiles.

    Payload: Rail Guns: 8,000 rounds (200 burst) each. Short Range Missiles: Sixteen (16) short range missiles each.

  3. Two (2) Mk 41 Strike Length 64 Cell Vertical Launch Systems: Both launchers have sixty-four cells for the provision of missiles due to the forward part of the ship having more room than on the Burke class destroyer. These are the longer strike version of the missile launcher and can carry the longer cruise missile. From the beginning, the launchers have been found to be very flexible and adaptable. The launcher was originally designed for the Tomahawk and Standard SM-2 Missile. In later service, the launchers have been adapted to hold one cruise missile, two long range missiles, or four medium range missiles per cell. Cruise missiles are usually used against hardened fixed targets, long range missiles are normally used against aircraft and other large targets, and medium range missiles are normally used against closer targets such as incoming missiles. Anti-Submarine rocket launched torpedoes also can be fired from the launcher (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.) Normally, the launchers carry all cruise missiles and long range missiles. For close defense, medium range missiles are carried in the Mk-55 missile system

    Maximum Effective Range: As per cruise, long range, or medium range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Mega-Damage: As per cruise, long range, or medium range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), sixteen (16), or thirty-two (32) missiles for both launchers per melee and can be fired at multiple targets at the same time.

    Payload: Sixty-four (64) cells for missiles in forward VLS launcher and sixty-four (64) cells for missiles in aft VLS launcher (128 missile cells with a possible total of 256 long range missiles). One (1) cruise missile, two (2) long range missiles, or four (4) medium range missiles may be carried per cell. Ship carries no reloads.

  4. Two (2) Mk 55 Medium Range Vertical Launch Systems: Unlike most vertical launch systems, these launchers fire the missiles on a six degree angle to the side. This is because the system was initially designed for carriers and is to prevent a missile that fails on its launch from crashing into aircraft on the flight deck. The missiles are arranged in a two by four pattern, and each launch cell has six reloads. One launcher is mounted on either side of the hull of the cruiser and require much less deck space than a Mk-41 or Mk-49 vertical launch system. Each system can launch up to eight missiles simultaneously each and the launcher is automatically reloaded. These launchers often act as the ship’s middle point defense and are normally used to engage incoming air targets and missiles.

    Maximum Effective Range: As per medium range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Mega-Damage: As per medium range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Each launcher can fire medium range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), or eight (8) medium range missiles. Each launcher operates independently.

    Payload: Eight (8) medium range missiles in each launcher, with forty-eight (48) medium missiles in each magazine for automatic reloads, for a total of one hundred and twelve (112) medium range missiles for both launchers including missiles in launchers.

  5. Two (2) Mk 52 Quad 12.75 inch (324 mm) Medium Torpedo Launchers: Mainly design for anti-submarine warfare but can be used against surface targets. Interceptor torpedoes are also available for launchers / tubes to use against incoming torpedoes. There is one launcher on each side of the ship with four tubes each. The tubes have an automatic reloading system and can be fired quickly. The ships carries a total of 80 torpedoes for reloads. Treat warheads as medium range missile warheads.

    Maximum Effective Range: 20 miles (17.4 nautical miles / 32 km) for standard torpedoes.

    Mega-Damage: By medium torpedo warhead type (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Can fire medium torpedoes one at a time or in volleys of two (2) or four (4) medium torpedoes per side, launcher can fire a maximum of two (2) volleys of torpedoes per melee each launcher.

    Payload: Four (4) medium torpedoes each launcher for a grand total of eight (8) medium torpedoes. Has an additional eighty (80) medium torpedoes for reloads.

  6. Two (2) Chaff / Decoy Launchers: Located on the superstructure of the ship, they are designed to confuse incoming missiles. Both launchers must be operated or effects will be reduced. Rifts Earth decoys systems are assumed to not be effective against Phase World / Three Galaxies missiles due to technological differences. Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (Add +20% to rolls for smart missiles) and reduce effects of launchers by 10% per launcher not used (Add +10% to rolls per launcher not used.) Only useful against missiles, not useful against torpedoes underwater.

    Range: Around Ship.

    Mega-Damage: None.

    Effects:

    01-35

    Enemy missile or missile volley detonates in chaff cloud - Missiles are all destroyed.

     

    36-60

    Enemy missile or missile volley loses track of real target and veers away in wrong direction (May lock onto another target.)

     

    61-00

    No effect, enemy missile or missile volley is still on target.

    Payload: Twenty-four (24) each for a total of forty-eight (48) canisters.

  7. Four (4) SLQ-52B Naiad Advanced Towed Torpedo Decoys: The vessel carries four advanced towed decoy drones. They are each a small automated vehicle that creates a false sonar image designed to mimic the vessels. The decoy is dragged behind the vessel using a cable. If decoys are not destroyed, they can be recovered and repaired. Rifts Earth decoys systems are assumed to not be effective against Phase World / Three Galaxies guidance and targeting systems due to technological differences.

    M.D.C.: 20 each.

    Range: Not Applicable although decoy is deployed approximately 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) from the vessel.

    Effects: The decoy has an 80% chance of fooling ordinary non military sonars and non smart guided torpedoes, the decoy has a 50% chance of fooling military level sonars (like those of the Coalition) and non “smart” torpedoes, and the decoy has a 25% chance of fooling advanced military sonars (Like those of the New Navy and Triax) and “smart” torpedoes.

    Rate of Fire: One can be deployed at a time and requires two (2) minutes to deploy (reel out) another decoy.

    Payload: Four (4) towed decoys.

Special Systems:

The ship has all systems standard on a robot vehicle plus the following special features:


[ Altarain TM, Bandito Arms TM, Brodkil TM, Chipwell Armaments TM, Coalition States TM, Cyber-Knight TM, Federation of Magic TM, Free Quebec TM, Golden Age Weaponsmiths TM, Horune TM, Iron Heart Armaments TM, Kankoran TM, Kittani TM, Kydian TM, Larsen’s Brigade TM, M.D.C. TM, Mechanoids TM, Mega-Damage TM, Megaversal Legion TM, Millennium Tree TM, Mutants in Orbit TM, Naruni Enterprises TM, Naut’Yll, New Navy TM, New Sovietskiy TM, NGR TM, Nog Heng TM, Northern Gun TM, Phase World TM, Psyscape TM, Rifter TM, SAMAS TM, S.D.C. TM, Shemarrian TM, Splugorth TM, Stormspire TM, Sunaj TM, Tolkeen TM, Triax TM, Wellington Industries TM, Wilk’s Laser Technologies TM, Xiticix TM, and Zaayr TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

[ Beyond the Supernatural®, Heroes Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Ninjas & Superspies®, Palladium Fantasy®, and Rifts® are registered trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]


Image drawn and copyrighted by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune). & Mischa (E-Mail Mischa). Click on line drawing for a better view.

Mischa has no art home page at present but many other items on my site.


Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2001, 2002, 2017, & 2018, Mischa & Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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