New Sovietskiy Perekat Surface Effect Ship Corvette:


Surface Effect Ships use rigid sidewalls for stability and support, with lift fans generating air which is trapped between the sidewalls and the flexible seals or “skirts” forward and aft. This design permits high speed operation (80+ Knots) due to there being less hull area in the water to create drag. This differs from the design of air cushion vehicles which contains the lift air entirely with a flexible skirt.


The United States experimented with the idea in the late Twentieth century and at one time a frigate sized Surface Effect Ship was proposed. Large Surface Effect Ships were not progressed with in the United States Navy and remained an interesting experiment. Instead they went with more conventional and trimaran hull designs for the most part.


A small number of other Surface Effect Ship designs were built aft the United States mostly gave up on the design. Most of these were built by Norway although the old Soviet Union did produce a pair of surface effect type missile corvettes. Even though the Soviet Bora class corvettes were generally considered successful, they were decommissioned and scrapped by Russia long before Communists took over the nation for the second time.


It was not until the later part of the Twenty-First Century that the concept of a Surface Effect Ship was further developed in the Soviet Navy. The Soviet navy had been reborn after the Communist government took over the nation in the 2027. Initially, a large number of light combat ships of the Tashkent class were produced to replace a number of older corvette and patrol boat classes.


Still, the Soviet Navy wanted a much faster corvette design and decided that the Surface Effect Ship design would be the best way to achieve this. There were several roles proposed for this design including that of a fast attack ship and as a fast anti-submarine vessel. The fast attack role mission would include these vessels making high speed missile strikes against larger vessels. The high speed anti-submarine role would include a high speed race to the location of an enemy submarine and saturation attacks. Preferred styles of attack would planned on using large numbers of these Surface Effect Ships.


The prototype vessel of the Perekat class was laid down in 2084 and was commissioned in just two years. Due to the design being so unique, the vessel was tested more extensively than most Soviet designs. Testing actually took almost a year but the vessel was incredibly successful in the tests that it was put to. At that point, production was made a high priority and six additional Surface Effect Ship corvettes were laid down. The rest of the world looked at these vessels with concern and worked on developing counters to them.


By the time that the Great Cataclysm consumed the Soviet Union along with most of the rest of the world, a total of about forty of these vessels had been completed, In addition, there were at least ten more under construction at the time. Most of the vessels are believed to have been destroyed during the Great Cataclysm although a few are known to have survived in various locations around the oceans of the former Soviet Union.


Compared to more traditional designs, the hull of the Perekat class corvette are far wider in relation to the vessels length. The whole corvette is constructed from high strength composites including the vessel’s skirts / flexible seals. Still, the skirts are considered a weak point and the boat’s speed is greatly reduced when not riding on an air cushion.


When the Soviet Union first reformed, reducing the radar cross signature was not a major priority. One of the few exceptions was the Tashkent class fast attack craft. Still, efforts were comparatively modest, especially compared to designs produced in the West. Far more effort was made to reduce the radar cross signature of the Perekat class corvette although it is still considered to lad behind the best warship designs from the West.


Power is provided by six lightweight fusion turbines based on those designed for aircraft. It was far easier to fit these fusion turbines to the corvette than the larger fusion plants planned for larger combat designs. Four of the fusion turbines provide thrust using four water jets which are semi-submerged while a pair of the fusion turbines provide lift for the Surface Effect Ship. During testing, the Perekat class corvette was able to reach up to 82 knots, actually slightly greater than originally designed for top speed of 80 knots.


Because the hull of the corvette is mostly out of the water in most cases, the Perekat class corvette does not mount a hull sonar but instead mounts only a towed array sonar. Even so, the towed sonar is considered far less effective when the boat is traveling at high speeds. As a result, the corvette will usually slow down and settle off the air cushion when it is using the towed array sonar.


A key improvement over the previous Tashkent class fast attack craft was that a lightweight single rotating active phased array system replaced the more conventional system mounted on the older vessel. While the older system actually had slightly greater power and range, the new “Flail Eye” system is able to act as fire control, track far greater targets, and is far better in a jamming environment. Prior to the Great Cataclysm, there was strong consideration given to upgrading the Tashkent class fast attack craft with the same system.


There was no real option to mount a 152 mm cannon as was mounted on most larger Soviet warship. The older Tashkent class fast attack craft mounted a 100 mm cannon. As a result, it was decided to mount a 100 mm cannon on the Perekat class corvette. A new electro-thermal design was developed however with increased range while retaining the high rate of fire of the original conventional cannon. While the vessel does not need to carry large propellant charges, the weapon mount does require a series of special capacitors to provide the power bursts required for the electro-thermal cannon to first bursts of rounds.


Breaking from previous warship classes, a new generation of vertical launch systems was developed able to carry different classes of missiles in the same manner. Future Soviet warship classes would adopt these new launch systems as well. Evaluations of these launchers by Western military experts indicate that the launchers to be effectively copies of the American Mk 41 vertical launch system. Compared to previous Soviet missile launchers, these were considered by most to be far more effective.


While these launchers were too short to carry cruise missiles, they could a pair of long range missiles or four medium range missiles per missile cell. A total of sixteen missile cells are carried aboard the Perekat class corvette with eight cells on either side of the Surface Effect Ship’s superstructure. The most common missile payload is sixteen long range missiles and thirty two medium range missiles.


Behind the launchers, the Perekat class corvette has twin twenty-one inch torpedo tubes on either side. Larger than most torpedo tubes carried on Western warship designs, the torpedoes are primarily for use against submarines but are also considered effective against surface ships. As an additional anti-submarine and torpedo weapon, the Perekat class corvette features a “killer dart” interceptor torpedo system mounted on the stern of the vessel.


For close range point defense against missile strikes, the Perekat class corvette mounts a pair of Kashstan CADS-N-6 CIWS systems. Mounted on the forward and aft part of the superstructure, each combined a pulse laser with short range missile launcher. Interestingly, the Perekat class corvette was the first class to mount the point defense system as built.


With regard to crew, the standard compliment of the Surface Effect Ship is actually larger than the Tashkent class fast attack craft due to the needs of the lift fans and other systems. Even so, due to automation, standard crew is still only thirty-eight officers and enlisted. It can be operated by a crew of twenty-two and many post rifts operators use these vessels with reduced crews compared to the Soviet Navy. Crew compartments are reasonably comfortable for such a small vessel although are considered on the cramped side.


The Perekat class corvette also include space for twelve troops. In some cases, these troop include human or light cyborg personnel but the vessel is not designed for heavy cyborg troops. If required, six heavy cyborg troops are sometimes ride on the deck of the Perekat corvette. However, this was rarely done in Soviet service. There are no facilities for any aircraft and the vessel does not even have a helicopter pad.


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: Perekat Surface Effect Ship Corvette.

Vehicle Type: Ocean, Surface Effect Ship Corvette.

Crew: 38; 6 officers, 32 petty officers and enlisted crew members (Has a high degree of automation and can be run effectively by 22 crew members.)

Troops: 12 troops for shipboard defense / boarding (including partial conversions and light cyborg personnel / not often carried.) Can carry up to six heavy cyborg troops on the outside of the vessel as well although rarely carried.


Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

None.


M.D.C. by Location:

 

[1] Single Barrel ERK-100 Electro-Thermal Gun Barrel (1, gun mount):

80.

 

Single 100-mm ERK-100 Electro-Thermal Gun System (1, forward):

120.

 

CADS-N-6 Combination Anti-Missile Defense Systems (2, superstructure):

225 each.

 

Tactical Length 8-Cell Vertical Launch Systems (2, sides):

150 each.

 

Killer Dart “Interceptor” Torpedo Launcher (1, aft):

80.

 

Twin 21 inch (533 mm) Torpedo Launchers (2, sides):

100 each.

 

[2] “Flail Eye” Active Phased Array Radar (1, superstructure):

150.

 

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

10 each.

 

Bridge / Superstructure:

550.

 

[3] Propulsion Water-Jets (4, rear):

120 each.

 

[3] Skirts (2, forward and aft):

80 each.

 

[4] Main Body:

1,000.

Notes:

[1] 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.

[2] Destroying the “Flail Eye” rotating active phased array radar panel will destroy the ship’s main fire control systems. However, weapon systems have backup fire control systems.

[3] Destruction of a water-jets will reduce top speed by one quarter by each water-jet destroyed. Destruction of a skirt will reduce top speed to 20 knots (23.0 mph / 37.1 kph)

[4] Destroying the main body destroys propulsion and power systems, disabling the ship. The ship is fitted with an advanced polymer armors that allow the ship to withstand up to -200 M.D.C. before losing structural integrity and sinking. There are enough life preservers and inflatable life boats to accommodate everyone on the ship.


Speed:

On Water, Hull Borne: 23.0 mph (20 knots/ 37.1 kph).

On Water, On Air Cushion: Calm Seas: 94.4 mph (82 knots/ 152.0 kph). Rough Seas: 73.7 mph (64 knots / 118.5 kph).

Range: Effectively unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 10 years and requires maintenance as well). Ship carries two weeks of supplies on board.


Statistical Data:

Draft:    Hull Borne: 22.5 feet (6.9 meters), On Air Cushion: 8.5 feet (2.6 meters).

Width:   78.7 feet (24 meters).

Length:  185.4 feet (56.4 meters).

Displacement: 1,050 tons standard displacement, 1,255 tons displacement with full load, and 1,520 tons maximum displacement.

Cargo: Can carry 40 tons (36.3 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: 6 Mini Nuclear Fusion Reactors, average life span is 10 years.

Black Market Price: 300 to 450 million credits on the black market for an intact model.


Weapon Systems:

  1. One (1) Single Barrel 100-mm ERK-100 Electro-Thermal Gun System: Mounted on the bow of the vessel. Same caliber as of the cannon carried on the Tashkent class patrol vessel but has better range than the standard cannon. Cannon has a special recoil system to reduce felt recoil. The projectile is loaded into the barrel, behind which there is a “propellant”, which is a dot of light metal. A powerful electromagnetic force is applied to the metal, which causes its atoms to “switch” directions. This happens so violently that the metal turns to plasma, and this expanding gas then drives the projectile forward. The mount has a 360 degree rotation and can elevate up to 85 degrees as well as depress 5 degrees. The gun can fire rapidly at the rate of 50 rounds per minute and is radar directed. Weapon inflicts large amounts of damage when rapidly fired on a single target. The weapon is useful on land, surface, and air targets. Plasma rounds are a late pre-Rifts innovation and are rare and expensive.

    Maximum Effective Range: 12.4 miles (10.8 nautical miles / 20 km).

    Mega-Damage: High Explosive: 1D4x10+10 with 12 foot (3.7 meter) blast radius per single shot and 3D4x10+30 with 25 foot (7.6 meter) blast radius for three round burst. High Explosive Armor Piercing: 1D6x10+10 with 5 foot (1.5 meter) blast radius per single shot and 3D6x10+30 with 10 foot (3 meter) blast radius for three round burst. Plasma: 2D6x10 with 15 foot (4.6 meter) blast radius per single shot and 6D6x10 with 30 foot (9.1 meter) blast radius for three round burst.

    Rate of Fire: Up to four (4) single shots or bursts per melee round.

    Payload: 180 rounds total.

  2. Two (2) Kashstan CADS-N-6 CIWS Systems: One is mounted on the forward and aft parts of the vessel’s superstructure. One is mounted on either side of the frigate’s superstructure. Combination Anti-Missile Defense Systems which combines both a rapid fire laser and a short range missile launchers. While mounted in one system, both defense systems have separate tracking systems. Short range missiles are designed to be able to track and target multiple missiles simultaneously. Laser system fires four blast bursts and is capable of destroying missiles and inflicting serious damage on aircraft. Laser is similar to the S-500 Cyclone Pulse Laser Rifle with extended range. System can be targeted against surface targets and ground targets.

    Maximum Effective Range: Laser Cannons: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters). Short Range Missiles: As per short range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Mega Damage: Laser Cannons: 1D6x10 for four blast burst. Short Range Missiles: As per short range missile type - Usually fragmentation warheads (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Laser Cannons: Six (6) attacks per melee. (+2 to strike aircraft; +3 to strike missiles.) Short Range Missiles: can fire short range missiles one at a time or in volley of two (2), three (3), or four (4) short range missiles per launcher. Can fire up to two (2) times per melee round in place of gun fire.

    Payload: Laser Cannons: Effectively unlimited. Short Range Missiles: Thirty-two (32) short range missiles per mount.

  3. Two (2) Tactical Length 8-Cell Vertical Launch Systems: Mounted on the sides of the superstructure. Believed to be virtually a copy of the very reliable American Mk-41Vertical Launch System which dated back to the previous century and was exported to numerous allied nations. These are too short to be able to fire cruise missiles but have been adapted to be carry two long range missiles or four medium range missiles per cell. Destroyer normally carries sixty-four medium range missiles in launchers. Anti-Submarine rocket launched torpedoes can be fired from these launchers (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.) but are rarely carried.

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

    Mega-Damage: As per 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 volley of two (2), four (4), or sixteen (16) missiles per melee and can be fired at multiple targets at the same time (All launchers are combined together.)

    Payload: Eight (8) missile cells in each VLS launcher for a total of sixteen (16) cells (Can carry a total of 32 long range missiles.) Two (2) long range missiles, or four (4) medium range missiles may be carried per cell. Usual missile load is thirty-two (32) medium range missiles and sixteen (16) long range missiles.

  4. Two (2) Twin 21 inch (533 mm) Torpedo Launchers: Twin launchers are mounted on either side of the vessel. Mainly design for anti-submarine warfare but can be used against surface targets. They fire a heavy twenty-one inch (533 mm) torpedo, larger than those fired by the surface ships of the United States and allies. These are modern, variable option torpedoes that are about 25% faster than the latest U.S. torpedo designs of the time period. There is an automatic torpedo loading system which reduces time required to reload and fire. These torpedoes are considered the equivalent of smart missiles and have advanced tracking and avoidance systems that give them a +5 to strike, +3 to dodge, and two attacks per melee until they strike their target or run out of fuel.

    Maximum Effective Range: Conventional Torpedoes: 40 miles (34.8 nautical miles / 64 km). Rocket Boosted Torpedoes: Rocket: 120 miles (104.3 nautical miles / 193 km). Torpedo: 20 miles (17.4 nautical miles / 32 km).

    Mega-Damage: Conventional Torpedoes: By heavy torpedo warhead type (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.) Rocket Boosted Torpedoes: By medium torpedo warhead type(See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Can fire heavy torpedoes one at a time or in volleys of two (2) heavy torpedoes per side. Reloading both tubes takes one full melee round.

    Payload: Two (2) heavy torpedoes/ missiles for launcher for a grand total of four (4) heavy torpedoes/missiles [Has sixteen (16) heavy torpedoes/missiles for reloads.]

  5. One (1) Killer Dart “Interceptor” Short Range Torpedo Launcher: The launcher is mounted on the fantail of the vessel. These so called “Killer Darts” are a Russian interceptor torpedo, designed primarily for intercepting and hitting incoming torpedoes, with a secondary function against small submersibles and submersible power armors. They mount in a similar position to the ASW Rail launchers carried on late Twentieth Century Soviet vessels. In contrast, American and European designers prefer to fire interceptor torpedoes from their standard torpedo tubes. Launcher is primarily designed to intercept incoming torpedoes but can be used against other vessels, against large submarines, and even against underwater troops. Other torpedoes can be used but are very rarely used.

    Maximum Effective Range: 2,000 feet (609.6 meters) using interceptor torpedoes, other torpedoes use standard rules (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.)

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

    Rate of Fire: Each launcher can fire salvos of up to eight (8) light interceptor torpedoes per melee round.

    Payload: Forty-eight (48) interceptor torpedoes.

  6. Two (2) Chaff / Decoy Launchers: Located in the superstructure of the vessel, 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 difference. 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 Vessel.

    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: Twelve (12) each for a total of twenty-four (24) canisters.

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 Mischa (E-Mail Mischa).

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


Initial Concepts by Marina O'Leary (LusankyaN@aol.com ).


Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2002, 2010, 2017, & 2019, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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