U.S. Coast Guard Margaret L. Baker class Patrol Boat (Cutter):


Of any United States vessels, Coast Guard vessels are among the most likely to survive the coming of the Rifts. Specifically, it is believed that a good number of Baker class patrol vessels were able to survive the coming of the Rifts in various locations. Some of the ports these vessels operated out were quite remote and survived the worst of the destruction. Some settlements near locations of the remote Pre-Rifts Coast Guard outposts are believed to use these vessels still.


While any United States Coast Guard vessel longer than 65 feet are considered to be cutters, actually what most people consider Coast Guard cutters are the high endurance cutters, which are almost the size of a U.S. Navy frigate. Most Coast Guard cutters however are far smaller than that. For example, the Baker class patrol boats are only around one hundred and fifty-six feet long. Still these small vessels are considered to be highly capable and effective vessels.


The vessels were designed to be used for various roles including search and rescue, interdiction, and anti-submarine warfare although most crews considered the anti-submarine warfare role strictly secondary. Along with all of these roles, these vessels were designed for ninety day patrols and they can be extended to one hundred and twenty days. These vessels had been serving for twelve years before the coming of the Rifts and over time had replaced almost all previous large patrol boats operated by the United States Coast Guard. Additional patrol boats were produced for foreign military sales as well.


There was strong consideration for the vessels to be built as hydrofoils but this was rejected due to that making the vessels more maintenance intensive. A convention hull design was decided on even though the larger cutters such as the Hazzard and Valiant classes were built as a trimaran hull designs. It was decided to build the Baker class cutters incorporating as many radar reduction features to improve the vessel’s capabilities in the interdiction role. This included using radar absorbent materials in the construction as well as a hull and superstructure angled to reduce the radar cross signature of the vessel. Even though far smaller than the older Harriet Lane class medium cutters, the Baker class patrol boat is consider almost as tough as the larger cutter.


The propulsion system and hull are designed to operate very quietly at low speeds. Still, the engines of the Baker class patrol boat are very powerful and can propel it at more than 45 knots in even in surprisingly rough seas. The Baker class is around as fast as the old Pegasus class hydrofoils and far faster than any previous United States Coast patrol boat design. For power, the Baker class uses a pair small fusion turbine engines similar to those used in some small aircraft designs. Effectively they give the vessel indefinite endurance.


Weaponry and sensors are far more powerful than those carried on Coast Guard patrol vessels operated during the late Twentieth and early Twenty-First century. The vessel carries a combination rail gun and short range missile launcher on the bow. This system is the same as the point defense mounts carried on most United States Naval vessels operating at the same time. Cruise missile strikes were seen as one of the largest dangers to vessels and this mount was seen as the best lightweight solution.


As the vessels were designed in part for anti-submarine warfare, they carry two torpedo tubes on either side to fulfill this role. Otherwise, the boats do not operate any other anti-submarine weaponry. These vessels were designed to be able to be used in anti-ship strikes and could carry up to four long range missiles in externally mounted canisters. In general design, these canisters are a throw back to the old style Mk 141 Harpoon canisters and were rarely carried.


In addition to the patrol boat’s weapon systems, the vessel carried a very capable but small radar system and towed array sonar. The radar system is one of the smallest active phased array system ever developed. It is a single rotating phased array however, not a multi-panel system as is mounted on many larger vessel. Previous Coast Guard cutters of similar size only mounted surface search radar systems.


These vessels have small crews as is common with most smaller United States Coast Guard vessels. Only sixteen crew are required to operate the patrol boat effectively. There is berthing for eight extra crew or other personnel. Often they would be embarked for boarding parties. As these vessels were often used to board other vessels, there are enough small arms and conventional armor for all crew members. Often this would be navy surplus equipment.


These vessels are too small to have any aviation facilities. However, they do have a stern ramp to enable them to quickly launch a small boat for vessel boarding operations. Such boats much be considered the descendants of the rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB) of the late Twentieth and early Twenty-First Century. The system to launch and retrieve the small boat is largely automated and requires only a single crew member.


While originally not designed to carry power armors, in the later days, often one or two flying power armors were often carried. These would normally board before the actual full boarding party. As the “Semper Fi” marine armor was in relatively short supply, the USA-PA-04A SAMAS was far more commonly embarked aboard these patrol boats.


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: WPB-156855 class Patrol Boat.

Vehicle Type: Ocean, Patrol Boat.

Crew: 16; 2 officers, 2 chief petty officers, and 12 enlisted (Has a high degree of automation).

Troops: Possible 8 for boarding parties.


Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

 

2

USA-PA-04A SAMAS Power Armors (Optional APA-15 “Semper Fi” with flight packs.)

M.D.C. by Location:

 

Bridge / Superstructure:

250.

 

[1] Spotlights (4):

20 each.

 

[2] SPS-94 Rotating Active Phased Array Radar System:

80.

 

Mk 44 Combination Anti-Missile Defense System (1, front):

200 each.

 

[1] USA-M31 Medium Defense Rail Guns (2, sides):

50 each.

 

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

35 each.

 

Missile Canisters (4 total, Rear of vessel - Optional):

80 each.

 

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

80.

 

[3] Main Body:

675.

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 SPS-94 rotating phased array radar panel will destroy the vessel’s main fire control systems but the vessel has backup systems with a shorter range (Equal to robot vehicle sensors).

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


Speed:

Surface: 55.3 mph (48 knots/ 89 kph) in up to moderate seas.

Range: Effectively unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 8 years and requires maintenance as well). Patrol Boat carries three months of supplies on board. This can be increased to four months in an emergency.


Statistical Data:

Draft:    7.5 feet (2.3 meters) including hull mini-sonar.

Length:  156 feet (47.5 meters).

Width:   26 feet (7.9 meters).

Displacement: 305 tons standard and 355 tons fully loaded.

Cargo: Can carry 30 tons (27.2 metric tons) of nonessential equipment and supplies. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Vessel’s officers have more space for personal items although still extremely limited. Most of the vessel’s spaces are taken up by extra ammo, armor, troops, weapons, and engines.

Power System: Nuclear Reactor, average life span is 8 years.

Black Market Cost: Not for sale but if found on the black market would probably cost around 55 million credits. Cost does not include embarked craft and power armors.


Weapon Systems:

  1. Two (2) USA-M31 Medium Defense Rail Guns: These weapons are mounted with one on either side of the vessel for defense against small boats and similar threats. Not considered effective against aircraft or missiles. These rail gun mounts were identical to those carried on the USA-PA-04A SAMAS power armor although outfitted with a double sized ammunition drum. The rail gun has fewer bursts and is heavier but the rail gun inflicts more damage than the post Rifts C-40R.

    Weight: Rail Gun: 110 lbs (49.9 kg), Double Ammo Drum: 280 lbs (127.0 kg).

    Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters).

    Mega-Damage: A burst of 40 rounds inflicts 1D6x10. One round inflicts 1D4+1.

    Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).

    Payload: Each has a 4,000 round magazine for 100 bursts.

  2. One (1) Mk 44 “Sea Sabre” Combination Anti-Missile Defense Systems: The weapon system is mounted in front of the Patrol Boat. 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. Four (4) Long Range Missile Canister Launchers: Not always carried, these launchers are special canisters mounted behind a superstructure. These canisters are very similar to the old Mk 141 Harpoon canister launchers. While the launchers are reusable, they are still inexpensive and are easily jettisoned if damages. While any long range missile type can be carried, usually special surface skimming missiles will be carried in launchers and are used against surface targets only.

    Maximum Effective Range: As per long range missile type (Surface skimming missiles have 25% less range than normal long range missiles - See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

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

    Rate of Fire: Can fire long range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2) or four (4) long range missiles with all launchers operating together.

    Payload: One (1) long range missile each launcher for a grand total of four (4) long range missiles (Has no missiles in storage for reload).

  4. Two (2) Mk 52 Dual 12.75 inch (324 mm) Medium Torpedo Launchers: Mainly design for anti-submarine warfare but can be used against surface targets. There is one launcher on each side of the vessel with two tubes each. The tubes have an automatic reloading system and can be fired quickly. The vessel carries a total of sixteen 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) medium torpedoes per side, launcher can fire a maximum of two (2) volleys of torpedoes per melee each launcher.

    Payload: Two (2) medium torpedoes each launcher for a grand total of four (4) medium torpedoes. Has an additional sixteen (16) medium torpedoes for reloads.

Special Systems:

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


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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010, & 2017, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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