Bengal (Handbook)
| Bengal-Class Strike Carrier | |
|---|---|
| General Characteristics | |
| Length | 625 meters |
| Mass | 55,000 tonnes |
| Performance | |
| Velocity | |
| Cruise | 70 kps |
| Maximum | 130 kps |
| Armament | |
| Turrets | |
| Default Missile Loadout | |
| |
| Defense | |
| Shields | |
| Fore | Meson shields cm equivalent |
| Aft | Meson shields cm equivalent |
| Armor | |
| Front | 24 cm |
| Rear | 20 cm |
| Side | 25 cm |
| Source | Official Authorized Wing Commander Confederation Handbook |
Bengal-Class Strike Carrier
The Bengal class has been Confed's primary utility carrier since before the Pilgrim War (first commisioned in 2619). Development on a replacement carrier is ongoing, with a scheduled rollout no later than 2657, but for now the sturdy Bengal remains the mainstay of Confed's fighter operations.
The Bengal class includes hangar space for up to 104 fighters or bombere― enough for one to four full squadrons (depending on the ship's mission). Given reasonably experienced pilots and crew, a Bengal is capable of executing a full flush scramble (launching all 104 fighters) in as little as 12 minutes.
Modern Bengal-class ships carry enhanced map room imaging facilities for planning tactical operations. Crew capacity is 550 (including pilots and flight deck personnel), plus space for a marine complement of 50. In addition to full hangar and repair facilities for its fighters, a Bengal class can also carry and service corvettes and light transports with a cross-section of no more than 35 meters.
In addition to its fighter complement, the Bengal class mounts eight turreted lasers for antifighter defense. Its torpedo tubes are primarily used for ship-to-ship munitions, but can be modified for strategic ship-to-planet devices.
