U.S. DDN-1052 Nicole Rosette class Nuclear Destroyer:

The Concord and Charleston class cruisers made a good basis for the fleet in the middle of the twentieth century. Unfortunately, previous destroyer classes had not been able to take advantage of the new alloys and composites and were not as strong as new construction vessels. Some reinforcement with the materials was done but they still were not as strong as newly built vessels would be.

As a result, the United States Navy requested that they could construct a new class of destroyers based on the two recent cruiser classes. They got authorization and started development immediately. There was intense debate on the class. Most senior officers wanted to develop a slightly smaller hull but there were also many senior officers who wanted to take the Charleston class missile cruiser and simply use the same radar as the slightly older Concord class gun cruisers. Their argument was that the development of a new hull would actually make the smaller ship more expensive that simply using the already developed hull. The math can be looked at either way but eventually the majority view prevailed. The first vessel of the class was laid down before the last several of the Charleston class cruisers were completed.

Like most smaller combatant vessels, destroyers and frigates, in the United States Navy, the ships in the class are named after historic officers and enlisted personnel of the United States Navy and other historically important individuals such as Secretaries of Defense and friendly Prime Ministers. Nicole Rosette was the helms-person of a destroyer in which a hand carried anti-tank missiles was fired by terrorists into the bridge of the vessel through an open hatchway. She won the Congressional Metal of Honor for piloting the ship out of harms even though she was mortally wounded.

The Rosette class destroyers, along with the Concord and Charleston class cruisers, formed the backbone of the United States surface combatants during the middle part of the Twenty First Century. The destroyers filled virtually all roles for surface combatants. In size, most navies would have considered them to be cruisers not destroyers. They acted as escorts for the Ranger class carrier, they escorted amphibious groups and helped to support them, they fired long range cruiser missile strikes on ground targets, and patrolled many hot spots around the globe.

They were considered excellent ships and the next class of destroyer was designed as a special purpose vessel with a huge helicopter hanger under the helicopter deck. Originally, the United States considered adapting the Rosette class instead of designing a new class but the design could not be adapted for the large hanger and the Navy wanted a more conventional hull for better sea keeping. While the sea keeping of the Rosette and similar classes is not bad due to stabilizers, in high storm conditions, a conventional bow is superior. The Rosette class served until the coming of the Rifts although supplemented by Darcey class frigates and there were no plans to decommission the old destroyers.

There were plans for a new class of trimaran destroyers to supplement the Rosette class but events overtook this possibility. It is known that some of these vessels were in port in Japan and are now crewed by people from the Republic of Japan. It is quite likely that due to the large number of these vessels constructed that at least a few more of these vessels survived the coming of the Rifts. The special alloys and composites that the vessels are constructed from makes them virtually immune to attacks by the elements.

Even though they use a different hull compared to the Charleston and Concord classes, the hulls of Nicole Rosette class destroyers are very similar to the two cruisers and is developed from the DD-21 program. The vessel is very similar to some of the original ideas for the destroyer design from the turn of Twenty-First Century. The Rosette does use the same exact superstructure, with only minor internal changes, that is carried on the Concord class gun cruiser.

While officially considered conventional destroyers and not missile destroyers, the Rosette class has excellent missile firepower and a highly capable fire control system. The radar and computer systems are virtually identical to those carried on the Concord class cruiser. The vessel has two Strike Mark 41 vertical missile launching systems with sixty-four missiles each. In most cases, these vessels carried defensive missiles and anti-submarine missiles but their carried cruise missiles for use against ground targets far more often than the Charleston class.

Due to having a narrower hull, the Rosette does not carry medium range missile launchers on the sides of the superstructure like the Concord and Charleston classes. It does carry the combination point defense weaponry carried on most vessels in the United States Navy. The vessel originally carried RAM missile launchers but they were replaced in later refits on all vessels in the class. The Rosette was planned for the using in anti-submarine warfare and was armed with torpedo tubes on either side and was designed with sophisticated sonar systems. Both a towed array and hull sonar was carried. The destroyers were designed with systems designed to quiet the vessel as well as decoys to form a final layer of protection for vessel from attack.

Like the Concord and Charleston class cruisers, these destroyers were originally fitted with gas turbine engines. Due to a narrower hull form, the Rosette class was actually more efficient than the larger cruisers but the gas turbine engines put in the hull were less powerful and gave the vessel a slightly slower speed. The Rosette classes’ original to speed was 32 knots compared to the 33 knots for the other classes. The new engine design was far more fuel efficient and was designed to extend the range of the destroyer. The engines were later replaced by the same nuclear turbines identical to those that replaced the gas turbines on the cruiser classes. These engines were far more powerful than the original engines and gave the vessel a top speed of 37 knots compared to 36 knots for the two similar cruiser classes. When the gas turbine engines were replaced by nuclear engines, the destroyers were changed in designation from DD to DDN.

To reduce crew manning, these vessels featured large amounts of automation. Even so, a certain minimum number of crew were retained for smooth operations and to allow for enough personnel for damage control operations. The crew is only slightly smaller than what is carried on the Charleston class cruiser. These ships were designed to carry 20 additional personnel over what was carried for the helicopter crew. This space was later used for the carrying of marines with a small marine berthing area being created from part of deck berthing. The marines often were equipped with flying power armors.

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: DDN-1052 class Destroyer.

Vehicle Type: Ocean, General Purpose Destroyer.

Crew: Normal of 223; 22 officers, 18 Chief Petty officers, and 182 enlisted (Has a high degree of automation and can be run effectively by 115 crew members).

Troops: 4 Helicopter Pilots, 6 Pilots for SAMAS, 6 pilots for Semper Fi Power Armors, and 8 soldiers in body armor that are retained on board the ship.

Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

Power Armor Compliment:

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

Aircraft Compliment:

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 58 Single Barrel 155 mm / 62 Cannon Barrels (2, mounts):	100 each.
	Mk 58 Single Barrel 155 mm / 62 Cannon Mounts (2, forward and aft):	225 each.
	Mk 44 “Sea Sabre” Combination Anti-Missile Defense System (4, superstructure):	200 each.
	Mk 41 Strike Length 64 Cell Vertical Launch Systems (2, forward and aft):	440 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.
	[2] Main Body:	3,000.

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: 42.6 mph (37 knots/ 68.6 kph).

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

Statistical Data:

Draft: 24.2 feet (7.4 meters) hull and 30.5 feet (9.3 meters) including sonar dome.

Length: 645 feet (196.6 meters).

Width: 68 feet (20.7 meters).

Displacement: 12,220 tons standard and 14,800 tons fully loaded.

Cargo: Can carry 600 tons (544 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.

Black Market Cost: Not for sale but if found on the black market would probably cost 400 million or more credits. Cost does not include embarked craft and power armors.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Two (2) Mk 58 Single 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 is 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/cannon per melee round (Can up to 8 shots with both turrets). Extended Range Guided Munitions can be fired at the rate of one shot per barrel/cannon per melee round (Can fire up to 2 shots with both turrets).

Payload: 1,000 rounds total (500 per turret) - Each Extended Range Guided Munitions round takes up space for two normal rounds.
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.
Two (2) Mk 41 Strike Length 64 Cell Vertical Launch Systems: Both launchers have 64 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 launchers (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.)

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.
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. 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.

5 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.

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:

SPY-3H Three Dimensional Active Phased Array Search Radar System: While not as powerful as those systems design for true missile cruisers, the system is still quite effective. The system is a powerful and flexible active phased array radar system that is comprised of four panels that each emit radar waves. System can simultaneously track and identify up to 512 targets. As well, the system controls missiles launched from the missile launchers and the system can track and guide each individual missile to an individual target for up to 128 targets. If a target is eliminated, missiles are automatically guided to a new target. The system can also control missiles launched from other linked vessels as well and can also act as fire control for gun mounts. Active phased array radar systems are harder to detect and jam due to being able to rapidly jump across frequencies. Range: 250 miles (217.4 nautical miles / 402.3 km), subject to the radar horizon. Bonus: The system gives +10% to Read Sensory Instrument skill rolls, +2 on initiative, and +1 to strike.
SQS-68 Advanced Hull Sonar: Mounted under the bow of the ship. This hull sonar system has both a passive and active system built in and sonar system can track up to 32 targets at one time. Range: 25 miles (21.7 nautical miles / 40.2 km).
SQR-25 Advanced Towed Array Sonar System: The system is basically a long and very sensitive sonar system carried behind the ship on a long cable. This towed array sonar system has both a passive and active system built in. Sonar system can track up to 64 targets at one time. Range: 100 miles (86.9 nautical miles / 160.9 km).
Sonar Masking System: The hull and propulsion are designed to minimize noise from the vessel and uses air bubbles to form a barrier against sonar as well. Bubble masker protects both the hull and propellers against detection. Gives a -15% penalty to any Read Sensory Instrument skill rolls to detect this ship using sonar and bubble masker reduces ability to classify vessel.
Radar Defeating Profile & Radar Absorbing Materials: The ship’s superstructure and hull are designed so that the radar profile of the ship is reduced and the ship is covered with radar absorbing materials. Because of this, attempts to detect the ship using radar are made with a -20% penalty to any Read Sensory Instrument skill rolls when attempting to detect this ship and vessel will appear to be smaller on radar than it would otherwise. Go to General Detection Penalties / Bonuses for more information on penalties and bonuses to use with stealth.
SLY-4 Advanced Integrated Electronic Warfare Suite: Combination of radar / radio detection system (ESM) and an active jamming (ECM) system. The system can detect another radar system at around 125% of the range of the transmitting radar and is usually subject to radar horizon. This includes the ability to detect radar guided weapons. Can be used for limited targeting. In jamming mode, causes -25% to detection but when it is active, other vehicles/ bases can detect that it is jamming, and some missiles will home in on jamming signals. Some missiles also have AESA type radars themselves and/or have backup infra-red sensors. Jamming also causes a -4 penalty to all radar guided weapons. Can be used to jam a wide area or for focused jamming against several targets.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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