Paris-class French Missile Cruiser

Copyright © 1996 by Mark Fletcher.  All Rights Reserved.
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Background

The Paris-class missile cruiser is another spinoff from the ill fated Suffren II project.  French Naval command required a vessel that could rival most other missile cruisers yet remain economical at the same time.

The architects involved in the design felt that the Kennedy-class missile cruiser would be the standard for which France's new generation of missile cruisers would be set against.

In the end, the Paris is considered to be a worthy competitor to the Kennedy-class Missile Cruiser.  As a comparison, the Kennedy is cheaper; just by only 5Mlv however.  The Kennedy remains the fastest missile cruiser in human space.  Despite that, the Paris-class is still fast; at a warp efficiency of 3.707 it outpaces the Suffren-class as well as every other class of missile cruiser in human space (bar the Kennedy of course).

The Paris also boasts a better armament-to-cost ratio than its American counterpart, and has a slightly better target profile.

The first vessel of the class, the Paris, is scheduled for launch in mid-2305.  Other vessels of the same class have been laid down, and are scheduled for completion in mid-2306.  They have been tentatively christened the "Dunkirk" and the "Alsace".

In appearance, the Paris resembles a small Suffren.  The Paris-class is so cheap because it relies on a "very simple, inexpensive stutterwarp drive design" (read Old Commercial).
 

Design Characterisics

Warp Efficiency: 3.707; Power Plant: 180MW Fusion; Fuel: None; Range: 7.7ly;
Mass: 8980.24tns; Cargo Capacity: 1400 cubic m; Comfort: 0;
Total life support: 120; Price: 159,128,000 lv (164,984,000 lv with payload)

Movement: 7; Screens: 0; Radiated Signature: 4 (7 unmasked);
Radial Reflected: 5; Lateral Reflected: 6; Targeting Computer +2;
Radial Profile: -1; Lateral Profile: +1

Hull Hits: 17/34/66
Power Plant Hits: 24/120

Surface Fixtures:
Weapons all in masked turrets with UTES.
Three x2 +1, 1234 ( Arc numbers are clockwise counting from the bow arc);
Three x2 +1, 1678;
Three x2 +1, 2345;
Three x2 +1, 5678;
24 Ritage-2 missiles distributed over 6 bays.

Crew
Bridge 11, TAC 20, Engineering 27, Ships Troops 40, Medical 4

Critical Hits, Crew Section
TAC: Active Operator, Passive Operator, 6x Remote Pilot, 12x Gunner
Bridge: Captain, Navigator, Communications, 4x Engineer, 4x Computer

Damage Control: 14