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| MASS: 14 NPV: 62 Classification: Gunship (G) Crew: 6; 2 Officers, 4 Enlisted, plus up to 7 passengers Crew Factor: 1 Hull Integrity: 3 (1/1/1) Armor: 1 Main Drive Thrust: 5 (1.75 TW) Drive Auto-Detection Range: 1.764 AU ∆V (Combat): 22.666 km/sec ∆V (Cruise): No Cruise Mode Thrust Points: 46 (150 tons propellant) Propellant Tanks: 2 Thrust Points per Tank: 23 FTL: No Auxiliary Systems: Full Streamlining, Level-2 Hull Stealthing Combat Systems: 1x Fire Control Weapons: 1x Point Defense Battery; 1x Class-1 Battery |
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| The Merkava Class Gunship was designed
and constructed by the Uri Negev Aerospace Consortium, and serves the
fleets of the United States Space Force, the British Royal Starfleet,
the Japanese SDF and Israeli SDF. As a gunship capable of making
orbit on its own and fighting an extended action in space, the Merkava makes an excellent orbital
guard cutter, and many Merkavas
in USOG service have had their hull stealthing and point defense
battery removed to accommodate a rescue launch and related survival and
rescue gear. The ship is not meant to fight against dedicated
warships except in packs of four to six, and even then it must run the
gauntlet to close within range of its small laser arrays.
Instead, the Merkava is
envisioned as a low orbit to near surface escort and fire support
platform. Merkavas have
also from time to time been fitted out as landers and extraction boats
for teams of Special Forces, and as armed Medevac ships. The Merkava entered service in 2347 and
continues to serve in large numbers. Several dozen Merkavas were purchased by the SDC
in 2355 to act as orbital guard cutters for Fury and to protect the
Stargate at both ends. A Merkava
variant informally known as the Sweet
Chariot replaces the point defense battery for a limited (1.5
parsec) Short Jump capability. |
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