YAMATO CLASS
AEROSPACE RESEARCH / TRANSPORT

RPG Stats by Harvey Neil Johnston ([email protected])
Background information from Robotech Research Guide

During the reconstruction of the SDF-1 Macross, the UN Spacy also began development of new spaceship designs, including the Oberth and Hermes class vessels. The UN Navy was simultaneously constructing the first four of their oceanic Prometheus class aircraft carriers. The fledgling UN Spacy had need of large hulls in which to test their starship engine configurations and anti-gravity theorems. To this end, three of the four Prometheus hulls were transferred to the UN Spacy, and were converted to an airtight design and all oceanic items (such as propulsors and anchors) were removed.  Four large reflex furnaces and anti-gravity systems were placed in the large hangar bays, and their configurations fluctuated wildly as the OTEC groups progressed with their technological advancements, until the final configuration was established. Outwardly resembling the Prometheus carriers, these 'Yamato' vessels visibly differed only in that they had a central bridge tower and a differing aft end due to the engines. Much of the ships' systems were automated and they only required a skeleton crew.

Following the Yamato vessels' use in starship developmental research, their large upper decks and anti-grav systems were used in the ships' new role as a transport. In this role it was used to transport bulk cargo from Earth's surface to orbit. In this capacity, the Yamato helped the rapid establishment of lunar ore production centers, and the L-5 and lunar shipyards. Despite the wishes of the UN Navy brass, who desired the vessels to be returned to earth and refitted as carriers, the Yamato ships remained in service with the UN Spacy. From 2008 to 2009, the role of the class was again changed, when they were converted to remote controlled vessels. This would allow them to be used as target vessels or decoys, for use in training purposes. When docked, a crew could take possession of the ship. Later plans were made to remove the bows of the ships and replace them with four particle beam cannons, similar to those mounted on the Oberth class. Alongside intended engine upgrades, the ships would have the equivalent firepower to a destroyer. These upgrades were intended to serve as mobile gunships that would be stationed over Moon Base Apollo and the L-5 factories, until enough Oberth and Hermes ships were produced. However, the vessels never had the opportunity to be upgraded.

During the initial Zentraedi assault on Earth in February of 2009, the Yamato vessels were sent out as decoy craft to distract the invading fleet.  Along with several of the other Spacy vessels, all the Yamatos were all destroyed. Ironically, the CVS-101 Prometheus (the fourth hull of the Prometheus class), was the vessel to log the most space hours. After it accidentally got caught in the fold sphere with the SDF-1 Macross along with the SLV-111 Daedalus, it was converted for use as a component that vessel. The SDF-1's computers contained the technical data about the Yamato conversions from the Prometheus class, and this knowledge was used to refit the Prometheus and Daedalus as the 'arms' of the Macross.

RPG STATS

Government: United Nations (UN)
Ship Type: Aerospace research / transport
Class: Yamato class
Manufacturer: UN Spacy / OTEC (built at the Brest, Nikolayevsk, and Newport News shipyards)
Crew:
      (pre-2008) 345 men (life support limits for full crew and about 60 supernumeraries, 410 total).
      (post-2008) 0 men (converted to remote control vessels, life support limits for 410 men total).
Notable Ships of Class:

MDC BY LOCATION:

 

* Main body	3000
** Main engines (2)	1500 each
*** Bridge tower	1000
*** Sensory array	500
Main flight deck	1000
Secondary flight decks (2)	500 each
Mecha elevators (9)	500 each
Armored hull (per 10x10 ft area)	150 each

* Depleting the MDC of the main body will put the vessel out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
** Depleting the MDC of one main engine reduces maximum speed by half. Depleting the MDC of both main engines will leave the ship adrift in space. If in an atmosphere, the ship will crash (destruction of the main engines will render the antigravity system useless due to loss of power).
*** Destroying the command tower will instantly destroy the remote control systems and deprive the ship of all forms of long range communications, radar and targeting. The range and targeting capabilities of the secondary systems are equal to that of a VF-1 Valkyrie. The ship can still operate, but is at -3 on initiative, -3 to strike, and number of attacks per melee of the weapon systems are reduced by half. Destroying the main sensory array on top of the command tower will have the same effect, but the remote control systems will not be destroyed (but they still may not be controlled remotely).

STATISTICAL DATA:

Length: 1679.8 ft (512 m).
Height: 229.7 ft (70 m).
Width: 298.6 ft (91 m).
Mass: 298,000 metric tons.
Fuel mass: 32,450 metric tons.

PROPULSION SYSTEMS (final configuration):

Main power system: (4x) SPR-2 fusion reflex furnaces with a rated output of 53 Terawatts each. The furnaces can operate for fifteen minutes at maximum power before overheat initiates autoshutdown.
Maneuvering Thrusters: (8x) FATT-X1 fusion-plasma reaction thrusters clusters with steerable nozzles.. Four are located at the aft edges of the vessel, four  are located around the bow.
Anti-gravity System: (30x) OTEC TAG-03 anti-gravity pods.
Reaction-mass Thrusters: (2x) OTEC FuRT-02X fusion-plasma reaction thrusters with fusion energizer mounted in the rear of the hull.

The Yamato vessels never had a standard complement of mecha. However, due to that fact that they were originally designed as aircraft carriers and also saw service as cargo transports, they could store up to 45 aircraft or variable fighters, if necessary. Most of the internal hangar space was converted for locating the fusion reactors and engines.

The Yamato class does not possess any weapon systems.

• ANTIGRAVITY PROPULSION SYSTEM: The Yamato vessels are equipped with an anti-gravity propulsion system used for planetary landings and liftoffs. The system is good for vertical ascent/descent only and can lift the ship at speeds of up to 1320 feet (400 m) per minute. The system will function so long as the main engines can supply energy to it.
• ELECTRONIC COUNTERMEASURES (ECM) STEALTH SYSTEMS: In 2008, the Yamato vessels were refit with ECM gear and sensor reflectors for its use as a decoy vessel. These systems disrupt enemy radar and tracking systems, making it difficult for them to lock onto the vessels with weapons. The stealth systems give the Yamato a +1 to initiative, +2 to strike and +3 to dodge against other starships. Attacks by aircraft and mecha are not effected by these systems. The vessel's stealth systems will fail if the main engines are destroyed.
• HYPERSPACE COMMUNICATIONS: The Yamato was equipped with a hyperspace communication system, which was a prototype for the systems used onboard the Oberth and Hermes vessels. The hyperspace communications relay allows faster-than-light communication between the Yamato ships and other vessels or planetary bases.
• LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS: The Yamato ships have sufficient life support to provide breathable air and comfortable temperatures for 410 people for up to 12 months (air is recycled). The endurance of the dry stores endurance is 3 months before needing to restock. However, the vessel was rarely en route for more than 10 days.
• LONG-RANGE LASER / SATELLITE RELAY COMMUNICATIONS: Yamato vessels have impressive communications arrays for their time. The communication system has a direct range of 900 miles (1440 km), which can be boosted indefinitely by using satellites or other spacecraft to relay communications.
• LONG-RANGE RADAR: The radar array of the Yamato can track and identify up to 200 craft simultaneously. The radar system has a 1000 mile/1600 km range.
• REMOTE CONTROL EQUIPMENT: In 2008, the Yamato vessels were refit with extensive remote control equipment for its use as a decoy vessel. As such, it can be controlled remotely by another UN Spacy vessel.

REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN

Original name: Prometheus class aircraft carrier
Appearances:  Space Fold (Super Dimension Fortress Macross: episode 03)
References used:
      Robotech Reference Guide by Peter Walker and Pieter Thomassen.
      Macross: Perfect Memory by Minori Library, Big West and MBS.

The Yamato was never an actual space vessel design, but rather was the result of an animation error. During a scene in which the UN Spacy fleet fought the Zentraedi, several Prometheus class carriers were shown in space alongside Oberth and Hermes vessels. The Robotech Reference Guide solved this problem, by suggesting the vessels shown were test platforms for spaceship engine configurations using a Prometheus hull.