Type: Mitchell Class Fast Carrier In Service: 2766 Number in Service: 4 Mass: 800,000 tons KF Integrity: 16 Sail Integrity: 5 Thrust: 4/6 Fuel: 5000 tons SI: 90 Armor: 1200 tons of Ferro-Aluminum ( 120 + 9 per side) Heatsinks: 6737 Docking Collars: 4 Small Craft: 108 aerospace fighters Crew: 625 Lifeboats: 70 Escape Pods: 50 Grav Deck: 2 (both 90 meters) Cargo: 42,378 tons Other Equipment: LF Battery Bays: Bay 1: Fighters (108) 8 doors Bay 2: Cargo Bay 3: 2 platoons of Jump Infantry Marines Weapons: Forward: 20 Small Pulse Lasers 10 ER Large Lasers 4 NAC/25 Fore Left/Right: 20 Small Pulse Lasers 10 LRM20 with Artemis 2 NAC/25 LBS/RBS 10 Light Naval PPCs 2 NAC/25 5 Barracuda Launchers Aft Left/Right: 20 Small Pulse Lasers 10 LRM20 with Artemis Aft: 20 Small Pulse Lasers 10 ER Large Lasers 5 Light Naval PPCs Ammo 800 rounds NAC25 ammo 100 tons LRM ammo 200 Barracuda Missiles Overview: The Mitchell Class Fast Carrier was the last design built by Boeing Interstellar of Terra. In the middle of the 28th century, two problems from the past returned to challenge the SLDF. The first was the resurgence of independence movements and rebellion in the periphery, the second was an increase in pirate raids. [Editor's Note: Many of these "pirate" raids were either supplied by the great houses or in some cases launched by the great houses themselves.] The problem facing the SLDF navy was that it was equipped to fight enemy warship fleets, not pirates and insurrections. What was needed was a new ship that was designed to meet the new unconventional threats facing the SLDF Navy. The ship needed the ability to deal with enemy fighters and also be able to carry ground troops to deal with planetary uprisings. Boeing Interstellar won the bid against fierce competition from Blue Nose Clipperships, Krester's Ship Constructors and Mitchell Vehicles. Construction started at Boeing's Facility orbiting Terra in late 2765. The SLS Mitchell was undergoing a shakedown cruise when the Amaris Coup occurred and was one of the first ships destroyed in the war. There were 3 other ships which were in various stages of assembly at the time of the coup. These would eventually be completed for use by the Amaris Navy. Capabilities: The Mitchell class was designed to be the flagship of the SLDF's new light task force. These task forces would consist of a Mitchell, supported by several fast destroyers and cruisers. In order for the Mitchell to be able to keep pace with the other ships in the task force, the designers equipped the ships with interplanetary drives capable of generating 3G's of acceleration. The high acceleration of the ships gave them a reputation for being very nimble opponents. The primary weapon of the Mitchell class was the 2 fighter regiments that are carried. The fighter regiments were intended to be used in both the offensive and defensive operations conducted by the task force. Typically 2 squadrons were deployed at all times flying BARCAP in defense of the task force. [Editor's Note: BARCAP- Barrier Combat Air Patrol is an old term from the days of wet navies for carrier defensive fighter patrols.] The remaining fighter squadrons could be used in a variety defensive or offensive roles. The weapons array was designed to provide additional defensive capabilities to the ship, beyond those provided by the fighters. The designers did not intend for the Mitchell Class to directly engage enemy capital ships, except in an emergency. As a result the weapons array was designed around anti-fighter defenses. The Mitchell class mounted a number of ER Large Lasers, LRM Racks and Barracuda missiles to fight off any enemy fighters which were able to break through the Mitchell's defensive screen. To provide point defense against enemy missile attacks, the ship mounted an extensive array of point defense weapons. The capital weapons on the ship were very limited , it was intended they would be primarily used for self defense, or against the occasional destroyer or light cruiser. The designers did not intended for the Mitchell to engage battlecruisers or battleships directly, but rather to use it's massive fighter complement against them. The ship mounted 12 class 25 Naval Autocannons, which were supported by 25 light Naval Lasers. The Mitchell class also had the ability to carry 4 dropships, allowing it to carry troop transport dropships. For normal operations it was not expected that the Mitchell would carry any dropships, but if the ship were assigned to deal with planetary uprisings or to attack pirate bases, it would be able to carry the necessary ground troops for the operation. Deployment: The SLS Mitchell was completed in late 2766 and had begun it's shakedown cruise shortly before the start of the Amaris Coup. [Editor's Note: The SLS Mitchell was named for William Mitchell, an early proponent of airpower] The ship was in the New Earth system at the time of the coup and immediately came under attack by the Republican navy and the SDS systems on New Earth. The ship fought a two day running battle against the Republic forces. With only half of it's fighter complement on board, the Mitchell was hopelessly out numbered. Even so the Mitchell and her 2 escorts (the Dewey Class SLS Mahan and SLS O'Kane) managed to damage the Nicholas Shipyards facility, denying their use to the Amaris forces and also destroy 2 Amaris corvettes and 3 Casper Drones. The ships also provided limited air support and (sporadic) orbital fire support for the SLDF troops fighting on New Earth. Eventually the ships' luck ran out and all 3 were destroyed before they could jump out of the system. The other 3 Mitchell Class ships that were under construction were eventually completed for the Amaris forces, although partisan efforts delayed their completion by several years. The RWS Death Stalker (ex SLS Rickenbacker) and the RWS Red Baron (ex SLS Red Baron) were both destroyed in battles with the SLDF Navy. [Editor's Note: Apparently Stefan Amaris liked the imagery of the name Red Baron and ordered that the ship retain it's SLDF name.] The last ship, the RWS Black Avatar (ex SLS Boyington) was captured by the SLDF during the battle for Ozawa in a daring boarding operation by the SLDF Marines. Repaired by the Newgrange class SLS Cosmos, the newly renamed Boyington entered service with the SLDF Navy in 2775. The ship served as part of taskforce 47 until the liberation of Terra. During the remainder of the Amaris Crisis, the Boyington and her crew developed a reputation as misfits and troublemakers. The ship and her troops would routinely take excessive risks and disobey orders in an effort to destroy the Amaris forces. While General Kerensky wanted to reprimand her Captain, Jared Hartford, he could not as the Boyington had became a media darling due to her successes against the Amaris troops and any reprimand would have been bad for morale. During the Exodus, the Boyington, still under the command of Commodore Hartford, was assigned to escort the Texas class Battleship Prinz Eugen. When the Prinz Eugen rebelled and headed for the Inner Sphere, the Boyington was one of the 8 ships to join the Prinz Eugen. The Boyington was recaptured and returned to the SLDF fleet. [Editor's Note: Commodore Hartford was a close friend of Major General Wilbur Braso and may have been the originator of the idea to return to the Inner Sphere. While the records are very sketchy, it appears both were executed when the Prinz Eugen and her task force were recaptured by the SLDF troops.] Upon arriving at the Pentagon worlds the Boyington was pressed into service as an explorer vessel to supplement the 2 surviving Daniel Boone Class explorers and was used to help explore the Kerensky Cluster. As a result the ship avoided the Exodus Civil War and eventually became a part of the Wolverine Touman. Clan records are unclear as to the fate of the ship and it is possible that it managed to escape the Wolverine's Annihilation.