Type: Crossbow Standoff Attack Cruiser In Service: Did not enter service Number in Service: 0 Mass: 960,000 tons KF Integrity: 19 Sail Integrity: 5 Thrust: 4/6 Fuel: 2500 tons SI: 85 Armor: 900 tons Lamellor Ferro Carbide (Fore/Aft: 136 + 9 Sides: 157 + 9) Heatsinks: 5000 Docking Collars: 2 Fighters: 0 Small Craft: 2 Crew: 400 Lifeboats: 20 Escape Pods: 50 Grav Deck: 2 (both 150 meters) Cargo: 26,319 tons Bays: Bay 1: Small Craft 2 Doors Bay 2: Cargo 2 Doors Weapons: Forward: 3 NL/55 10 LB-10X 10 ER Large Lasers Fore Left/Right: 5 AR10 10 LB-10X 10 ER Large Lasers LBS/RBS 6 Heavy Naval Gauss 10 NL/55 Aft Left/Right: 5 AR10 10 LB-10X 10 ER Large Lasers Aft: 3 NL/55 10 LB-10X 10 ER Large Lasers Ammo: 240 Rounds Heavy NGauss Ammo 1000 Killer Whales Missiles 150 Tons LB-10X Ammo Overview: The Crossbow was developed in response to a request from the SLDF for a ship capable of engaging the SDS Casper drones at extreme ranges. After the start of the Amaris coup, the SLDF had a difficult time defeating the Casper drones of the HegemonyŐs SDS system. Numerous warships in the effort to defeat the SDS system. Admiral Grec issued a a request for a new design capable of engaging and destroying the Drones before they could close with the fleet. The Delhi Warships was chosen to develop the new ship for two reasons. The first reason was their success with developing the Defender class AA Cruiser for the SLDF. The second was because Chancellor Liao was willing to fund the work, so long as it was done at a Capellan company. [Ed Note: As with the Defender this was not an act of altruism, but rather a ploy to gain access to advanced Hegemony and SLDF Technology] Delhi completed the design in late 2776 and presented it to the Admirals of the SLDF. They chose not to procure any Crossbows, since the first ship would not be completed until after the invasion of Terra had begun. Even though no ships were ever produced, design elements of the Crossbow would later be incorporated into the Dragon class Battleship which was built by Delhi for the Capellan Confederation. Capabilities: The Crossbow was designed for a single purpose, to engage enemy ships at extreme ranges. In order to meet this requirement the ship mounts only weapons that were capable of engaging the enemy at extreme ranges. The primary guns of the Crossbow were 12 Heavy Naval Gauss Cannons. The weapons provided a powerful broadside and could out range any Naval Autocannon in existence. Unfortunately the size of the guns severely limited the other weapons that could be mounted. To support the Gauss Cannons, the ship mounts an array of Naval Lasers and AR10 Missile Launchers. The AR10s have an exceptionally large ammunition stock of 1000 Killer Whale missiles. [Ed Note: It is believed that the large ammunition storage was intended to allow the ship to be refit to carry the newly developed Adcap missiles. From surviving Delhi records, it appears that the CEO of Delhi was very upset when he learned the reason why KresterŐs Ship Construction had licensed the Luxor design as the SLDFŐs order for Luxor class ships that were capable of carrying the Adcap missile was very large. Delhi intended that the Crossbow would replace the Luxor as the primary platform for the Adcap Missile. The fact that the Krester facilities were slag and there would be no Adcap missiles available for some time seemed to be overlooked by Delhi.] The ship mounts most of the weapons on the broadside arcs, there is only limited weaponry on the fore and aft of the ship. Many Star League Admirals felt this was a serious vulnerability and this may have been a contributing factor to the decision to not procure the design. The fighter protection was based on the same concepts as the Defender which was also produced by Delhi. While not as extensive as the Defender, the AA defenses of the Crossbow proved adequate in most cases. The armor protection of the Crossbow consists of 900 tons of Lamellor Ferro-Carbide Armor. This was considered barely adequate protection. The designers had hoped to add more armor, but this would have reduced the cargo space to unacceptable levels.