Midway-class heavy carrier

Midway-class heavy carrier
Type	Multi-Role Heavy Carrier
Manufacturer	TSY Arcology
Primary User	Terran Confederation
Ships of the Line	TCS Midway (CVX-1) TCS Mistral Sea (CVX-2) - Destroyed TCS Tafanda Bay (CVX-3) TCS Coral Sea (CVX-4) TCS Jutland (CVX-5) - Destroyed TCS Ptoloman's Rift (CVX-6) TCS Enyo III (CVX-7) TCS Bataan (CVX-8) - Missing TCS Tripoli (CVX-9) - Missing TCS Port Broughton (CVX-10) - Scuttled and Salvaged
Introduction	2681
General Characteristics
Length	1,800 meters
Mass	200,000 tonnes
Spacecraft Carried	252
Performance
Maximum Yaw	5 dps
Maximum Pitch	5 dps
Maximum Roll	5 dps
Acceleration	45 k/s2
Velocity
Maximum	80 kps
Armament
Turrets
Dual-mounted Laser Turret (25) Dual-mounted Ion Gun Turret (6) IFF Missile Launcher (6) CapShip Missile Launcher (6)
Components
Jump Drive	Yes
Defense
Armor
Front	2,000 cm
Rear	2,000 cm
Side	2,000 cm
Source	Wing Commander: Prophecy Wing Commander: Secret Ops Wing Commander: Arena

The Midway-class was a class of Confederation capital ship which first entered service in 2681 and saw service in the Nephilim war. A 'megacarrier' designed to serve as both a launching platform for more than two hundred fighters and as a mobile starbase, they were envisioned to replace almost every ship in a traditional carrier battle group with one vessel. A total of ten ships were completed between 2681 and 2686. By the end of the war, four of the ships had been lost, with a fifth so badly damaged that she was salvaged as a refugee base.

Class Overview

The Midway-class represented a shift in the direction of carrier design undertaken by the Confederation towards the end of the 27th century. Still reeling from the massive financial cost of the Kilrathi War, the Confederation Navy realized that it could not afford to keep fielding large carrier battle groups. However, the need for force projection and the ability to interdict pirates and Kilrathi raiders still existed. Midway was designed to contain all the necessary aspects of a battle group within one hull. More of a mobile star base than a simple carrier, the class possesses its own research and development, intelligence and supply divisions, combining roles normally filled by specialist ships. One of the key purposes of the Midway design was the ability to operate unsupported in enemy territory, a feature that is shared with the Kilrathi war era Bengal-class. One of the biggest advocates of the class was Commodore Christopher Blair, who helped design the ship with the knowledge gained from his experiences in the Kilrathi War.

Design and Construction

The TCS Midway.

Midway was laid down at the TSY Arcology circa 2676. Her features were designed around an ability to be able to operate behind enemy lines for extended periods without resupply or assistance from other vessels. Her launch and landing bays are decentralized, ensuring that a single torpedo hit cannot disable or destroy her ability to launch fighters, a problem that plagued many Confederation carriers during the war. Her hull is split down the middle from the bow to the bridge tower, creating a distinct flat profile with two 'wings'. The separation of these hull components limits the possible spread of damage, allowing one wing to continue operating even if the other has taken hits.

Unlike the preceding Vesuvius-class, the Midway-class is not designed with heavy energy armament. She is equipped with six capital-ship missile launchers, allowing a stand-off capacity against enemy warships should they enter range. With 25 dual mount laser turrets, six dual mount ion turrets and six IFF missile launchers, the class also possesses a formidable anti-fighter armament. Her armor, while still heavy, is significantly thinner than that seen on the Vesuvius-class, allowing more usable space for the ship's science and support facilities. Similarly, her engines are less powerful. The ship mounts six forward facing launch tubes and two landing bays. Midway has the facilities to field a wing of 252 spacecraft, though early ships often sortied with fewer fighters than they were capable of carrying.

The class is also designed to be adaptable to its environment. Many components are removable, allowing much shorter refit times than a conventional fleet carrier. Her facilities were designed with upgrades in mind, so that the ship could be continually updated to meet new threats. One of the best examples of this adaptability was seen when TCS Midway mounted a captured Nephilim ship killing device to its hull for use against an enemy fleet in 2681.

Service History

Midway entered service in 2681 and was deployed to the territories of the former Kilrathi Empire to combat piracy and aggressive Kilrathi raiders. When the Nephilim incursion occurred in the Kilrah system, Midway was instrumental in defeating the initial Nephilim push, giving the Confederation enough time to mobilize its forces for the coming war. The carrier was able to sustain operations behind the lines for an extended period, showcasing the best traits of Midway's 'all in one' design. Her sister ship, the Mistral Sea, entered service shortly thereafter. The final ship of the class, TCS Port Broughton, was commissioned in 2686.

The class grew to a total of ten ships, all of which saw service during the Nephilim war. They distinguished themselves in combat, though at a heavy price. Mistral Sea and Jutland were destroyed at some point during the conflict, while Bataan is still listed as missing in action. Also missing is TCS Tripoli, which never returned from her patrol and is assumed lost. Port Broughton was scuttled in 2694 after fighting a delaying action to allow Confederation relief forces to arrive and defend Firekka. Salvaged by local militia, as of 2701 she is a home for thousands of displaced refugees, her combat capabilities removed.

References

• Wing Commander: Prophecy
• Wing Commander: Secret Ops
• Star*Soldier Manual

Images

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  TCS Port Broughton