Ticonderoga A-Class Battleship

The Ticonderoga A-Class Battleship is a multi-purpose ship-killer currently in production. Out of the three that have been planned for service in 2590, only one, the UNSS With Iron Resolve, has been completed. With Iron Resolve is currently under-going trials in the Epsilon Eridani system and will complete them and be commssioned in June 2590.

External Anatomy
Ticonderoga A Battleships closely resemble the structure of the common UNSC Combat Frigate. However, at 12 times the length and 15 times the displacement, T-A battleships pose a far greater threat. The bow is vertically split into the forked design, common with UNSC frigates. Battlestations A and B are located on either side of the ship. The bottom prong features a small lower observation deck and the primary forward sensory array. The command bridge is located at the ship's waist, allowing for a clear spectrum and line of sight. The two engine prongs and their plate shielding (see below) along with a vehicle bay and hyper cooling unit (see below) dominate the aft section of the ship.

Internal Anatomy
While large on the outside, due to the advanced weapons systems of T-A battleships, most of the space inside the hull is reserved for said weapons systems and their cooling units. The Lower Observation Deck on the bottom forward prong is usually occupied by the Second Officer and his cabinet of selected officers. Battlestations A and B hold up to 75% of the ship's weapons systems' ammunition. Only the rear of each battlestation is personnel-accessible. The thin waist of the ship holds the barracks and crew armory as well as the ODST stationing facility. These barracks are often dimly lit and confined albeit it is one of the thickest sections of hull plating as the ships' two "halves" literally join here. The armories contain only small arms weapons-thousands of them.

The P-Monorail system, designated for personnel and small, non-combustive material/cargo, is stationed at the waist as well. Moving at speeds of up to 85mph on a bipolar linear induction (magnetic levitation and propulsion) track the P-Monorail allows for very fast transfer of personnel.

The D/C-Monorail System is stationed in the vehicle bay. It is designated for heavy cargo, primarily munitions for the ships' armament. Three trams total, which operate using the same mechanism as the P-Monorail, move equipment to each of the battlestations and the primary weapon system in the upper prong. Each monorail tram is AI controlled and runs around the clock.

The security stations within the ship are not necessarily for actual combat against hostile forces. Rather, they are to keep the crew and ship safe during non-combat situations and also serve as check-in/out stations.

The command bridge is of typical UNSC design although more spacious and with greater visibility. Six officers are standard on deck although a "smart" AI commonly controls the ship around the clock. Manual control can be attained if the captain requests so.

The inside of the ship where personnel access is permitted is climate controlled and kept 40% humidity, regular atmospheric presure at sea level on Earth (1013 Mb) with variable adaptation when the ship enters an atmosphere. The temperature inside is maintained at a stable 70 degrees fahrenheit.

The ships' water and air recycling system is standard and kept constant. The ship can be on tour for up to 18 years before having to dock and resupply air and water contents. The recycling machinery also requires maintenance every 18 years. Food supply is sustainable for 4 years straight of service. However, the ship does not need to dock for this, resupply freighters soft dock and tranfer supplies when needed.

Armament
The Ticonderoga-A Class Battleships have immense firepower. The principle armament, located in the upper bow prong, is a 220mm 600MJ VELAC (Velocity Extreme Linear Accleration Cannon) Railgun. The 300M VELAC is capable of sending a 3,500 ton tungsten/depleted-uranium ferrous projectile at a target at speeds capping off at 14 times the speed of light outside an atmosphere. The rails are cooled after each shot by the hyper cooling unit, which pumps liquid helium 4 into a network of tubing surrounding the rails. This ludicrous cooling is required as each shot heats the rails to over 10,000 degrees kelvin. As rapid cooling and heating causes the rails to become brittle, a maximum of 125 shots can be fired safely before the rails must be serviced.

Two more 145mm 490MJ VELAC Railguns are situated parallel to the 300M, one in each battlestation. These launch a 2,350 ton projectile at around 12.5 times the speed of light outside an atmosphere. The same cooling and servicing mechanism is retained.

Each battlestation is also outfitted with two 105mm 168MJ Gaussian Cannons. Each is mounted on individual universal swivel joints allowing for 175 degrees of motion on the x and y axes. Each fires a 1500 ton tungsten/depleted uranium projectile at speeds up to 4 times the speed of light. Because of their lower power, Gaussian technology, and the fact that 90% of the cannon is outside the hull, these 168MGC's do not require hyper cooling technology and require far less maintenance. They also operate on different principles. While still utilizing a Linear Induction Motor to create a powerful electrical current, instead of simply creating a circuit and letting the natural "Lorentz Force" do the work (Railgun), Gauss Cannons send the current through super conductive coils surrounding the barrel, in a series, which creates a powerful magnetic field that pulls the projectile down and out the barrel. These 168MGC's operate on the same technology as the infamous and aging MAC guns.

Also housed in and around the battlestations are 24 Archer Missile pods. Although aging and innefective against shielded oppostion, the Archer Missile is a valuable asset nonetheless. Each pods contains 32 of the shaped charged warheads which are most commonly programmed to embed themselves into the target's exo-structure, then detonate.

The new PDMS Phalanx Missile System standard on T-A battleships replaces the standard Point Defense Cannons on current UNSC ships. The Phalanx Missile System utilizes a personal AI in each missile. This AI makes tactical target decisions and has un-matched timing which increases each missile's effectiveness exponentially. Phalanx missiles are used to pick off the devious Covenant Plasma Torpedoes, Seraph fighters, and gunboats. Unshielded enemy ships also have reason to fear the Phalanx as it is remarkably good at puncturing lateral plasma conduits on Covenant cruises and corvettes. Albeit the Phalanx has a small warhead and does little area damage to larger, heavier shielded targets.

Gatling Guns have proven to be a valuable asset as well when it comes to point defense. The 8-barrel Gau-12 especially. This cannon, highly accurate, spits out up to 10,000 sabot discarding incendiary 45mm rounds per minute. An AI controls each battleship's network of 32, coordinating fire to create lethal crossfire. The Gau-12 AI and PDMS AI often coordinate fire to take down Seraphs and plasma torpedoes.

Armor
T-A Battleships' offensive capabilities match that of its defensive. Each battleship is heavily armored, consisting of:

-Bottom-most Layer of HoneyComb fiberglass compound insulation and gel backing *moving outwards*

-Layer of Titanium-A (4.5 inches)

-Layer of hydrostatic aero-gel (8 inches)

-Layer of HexaFlex Titanium Ferrite Plate Armor (12.5 inches)

-Layer of hydrostatic aero-gel (4 inches)

-Outer "shell" of Tungsten plating (3 inches)

The Tungsten shell is designed to shatter upon kinetic impact (tungsten is far more brittle naturally than Titanium) and provide extreme resilience against heat damage (i.e. plasma). Each layer of the infamous dark green-black hydrostatic aero-gel provides immense cushion and shock absorbtion-the gel often liquifies and then quickly hardens and resets to gel when heated above 500 degrees kelvin. The gel also serves to cushion the flex on the HexaFlex Plates and prevent them from damaging themselves and the other layers of armor. The HexaFlex Titanium Plate Armor provides the most revolutionary and extreme protection. Upon kinetic impact the hexagonally-shaped Titanium-A Ferrite plates flex and dispense the energy throughout the layer and hydrostatic aero-gels. Against heat damage the 12.5 inches of Titanium-A ferrite provides extreme resilience. The inner-most layer of Titanium-A serves as a last line of defense. The honeycomb insulation compound and gel backing are used to maintain the ships inner climate control.

Ground Combat Element
While Frigates are typically designated for such use, T-A Battleships play a supporting role in ground engagements. 2500 Type 96 HEV Pods are available for each battleship's complement of 3,000 Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODST). Currently, the 321st EE/I HellJumper Regiment is assigned to With Iron Resolve.

Up to 150 M808C-E Scorpion Battle Tanks, 200 M12-B/G/R/T Warthog LRV's, 25 HGT Elephants, and a number Mongoose LRV's ﻿can be packe into the GCE section of the primary cargo/vehicle bay. Enough fuel and ammunition for each type of vehicle is also kept secured in the bay.

Space/Air Combat/Defense Element
The battleship also contains 50 GA-TL1 Longsword heavy fighters for close in combat, bombing runs, and defense. Up to 100 D87-TC Pelican Dropship Trabsports/Gunboats are also stationed in the SC/AD section of the bay. For Air Defense in atmosphere 45 HAG-GS1 Vulcan Gunboats and 125 AD-A78 VTOL Falcon Combat Transports are available.

SHIPCOM Element
The Ship Communications element, or SHIPCOM, acts as an Air Traffic Control Center to direct aircraft, such as longswords, exiting, entering, or in the airspace vacinity of the ship.

Security Element
168 Military Police Guards help ensure the operation of the ship remains smooth and all crew members and equipment safe and secure during non-combat situations.

Deck Element
The Command Bridge consists of The Captain, NAV Officer (1st), COMMS Officer (1st), LOGIS Officer (1st), WEP Officer 1 (1st) and 2 (2nd), and the "smart" AI.

History and Developement
The Ticonderoga A-Class Battleships didnt go over firmly with several ONI officials (names disclosed*) and the first alledged production line-Fireli (figh-rehl-ee) Heavy Shipyards over Reach. ONI officials stated that the design was ludicrous and to have the first production model launch from the location of the ONI Headquarters on Reach would only draw attention to the mysterious "basement" of Sword Base-only 17 miles south from the staging and commission area of Fireli Heavy Shipyards. The Shipyards, at the time of the proposition, were not adequetly supplied with the personnel, man power, press team, or resources to finish the project within four months of its due date. Fireli also argued that the tonnage of the ship as far to great to be built and commissioned in-atmosphere.

However, desperate to get the project launched, the chief designer of the T-A Battleship pressed for Fireli's orbital construction dry docks to be brought to Reach and proposed the ship be built there (each was undergoing a minor upgrade to improve the launching procedure). Three months later in April of 2563, Fireli agreed to the contract. The ONI Officials could no longer argue about attention being drawn to the public eye anymore either.

In Spring 2584, the ship was complete and comissioned later that summer-her name was to be the UNSS With Iron Resolve-BC-37. Two more Ticonderoga A-Class Battleships, Dawn of Winter and Ignis Fictae. Each are scheduled for completion and comission in 2595.