AC-409 - VALKYRIE CLASS FIGHTER
The AC-409 Mk I was initially designed as a carrier-based fleet engagement craft. Initially, the design proved successful, with a high survivability rate matching the heavy fire power available to bring down capital ships. Despite all knowledge beforehand that a full squadron of Valkyries would require a support squadron of Space Superiority fighters for engagements of a Dominion-War level threat, Starfleet later deemed that the project needed an upgrade.
The Valkyrie class was first tested aboard the USS Crazy Horse, NCC-50446-A. The first prototype fighters were delivered to TCS-311 Lancer Squadron, which was immediately re-designated XCS-311 to account for the new Experimental status of the squadron. The squadron, originally using AC-402 Hammerheads left over by the 51st Marine Detachment, doubled in size due to the transition to the new Valkyrie. Used to the single-seat Hammerheads, pilots had to get used to the addition of another crew member in the cockpit. Rear Intercept Officers were easy to get used to when it was realized that the efficiency and lethality of their combat skills were doubled by allowing them to focus solely on the maneuvers and weapons employment of the craft during a fight, and allowing the RIO to handle comm traffic, emergency repairs, and theatre tactics.
After the first of many conflicts in Sector 926-D, of which Lancer Squadron played an integral role, the top pilots from the squadron were invited back to Earth alongside top pilots from four other squadrons who had begun utilizing the Valkyrie. Utilizing a competition between these pilots, the design staff at Starfleet R&D were able to improve upon the design by taking data straight from those who depended on the fighter the most. From this, the Valkyrie Mk II was introduced.
Among the improvements for the Mk II were a new ablative armor compound, improved power plant, and the employment of a hardpoint system beneath the wings to increase the lethality of the Valkyrie and reducing reliance upon other squadrons for anti-starfighter defense. With the Mk II, the Valkyrie truly stepped into a class of her own.
As R&D continued to watch the success of the Mk II and fleet-wide deployment of the Valkyrie began, the heads at Starfleet Aerospace Command began looking into the Valkyrie with more interest. Initially, Aerospace Command considered this another spear in their impressive arsenal, one more in line with adding to the Fleet’s thin Capital ship interdiction units. But with this new all-in-one package presented to them, tactical planners went back to the drawing board to see how they could improve on an already formidable weapon.
The first step was to increase the command, control and reconnaissance capabilities of the design. Originally, the Valkyrie (both Mk I and Mk II) employed an Isolinear twin-core design computer system, with 372 Isolinear banks and 106 command preprocessors and data analysis units. This design was quite successful for the use of standard comm traffic control and tactical targeting by the RIO, but newer sensor package upgrades intended for the Valkyrie were hampered by a core that was already at its limit for processing power.
So, with the eagerness of little boys with a new toy to take apart, R&D began a computer system redesign from the ground up, which would lead to hull, engine and weapons redesign, end in an almost completely new Valkyrie, the Mk III.
Original Mk I & II Valkyries employ the successful horizontal matter-antimatter reaction scheme that proved its capabilities in the Danube- and Yellowstone-class runabouts. This greatly extended the Valkyrie’s range, and essentially made a carrier with one of the squadrons aboard into a small task force all in itself. But, by the time the Valkyrie Mk III upgrade project was established, newer quantite reactor cores were being successfully implemented in the experimental Knight-class interceptor. These core types could be sized variably (depending on the design requirements) while still maintaining a very high energy output. A twin-core design was drafted for the new Mk III, and projected numbers suggested the Mk III would see a 25% increase to power output than the Mk I & II series.
With this increase in power output, a larger computer core system was designed. Utilizing bio-neural processors and relays, the original frame space needed for the computer systems was reduced, and spread out through the centerline of the craft. Computational capacity and storage was increased by another 30%, and a new tactical link-up library software system was implemented. This system is designed to link the RIO into its base ship’s Flight Operations Command Center, providing a clearer and more accurate battlefield image to both the RIO and the Operations center with real-time tracking. Thus, tactical planners aboard ship and in the air could react to developing situations within seconds instead of minutes.
With this new freedom of space within the spacecraft hull, R&D decided a more streamlined hull would benefit the pilot and the RIO. Their new, sportier look reduced sensor cross-section and improved warp field stability for the twin Hyperjet Quantite Mk IV reactor cores.
With the hull design came minor changes to weapons loadout: the arrangement of the standard Type-XII pulse phaser cannons and microtorpedo launchers were changed only slightly to fit into the new spaceframe; the hardpoint system was simplified; and, more importantly, the pulse phaser cell-magazine rack was switched from a vertical feed system to a horizontal feed system – this to combat original design flaws and jams during gravity-inducing combat maneuvers.
Lastly, one more weapon was added to the arsenal: a tetryon pulse phase cannon was installed on the underside of the cockpit within its own hull compartment. This cannon – operated by the RIO – was installed for ground suppression roles, and to give the Valkyrie an added punch in the Space Superiority role. The drawback to the tetryon pulse phase cannon is its limited ammunition and craft maneuverability when utilizing the weapon. Though the weapon itself can effectively neutralize enemy engine and weapons systems as well as due considerable kinetic energy damage, the weapon itself fails at a remarkable rate when engaged in combat maneuvers. A straight-line course is required for the weapon to work effectively, limiting it to the dangerous Head-to-Head combat maneuver, and strafing of ground or orbital targets.
With these weapon enhancements and increase in power, a slightly larger pair of shield generators were installed in the Mk III spaceframe, increasing shield sustainable load to 390 isotons/second. The ablative armor was thickened from 10.7cm to 11.1cm of the newer Type III armor.
With all of these modifications, including the new engine type, the top speed and warp capabilities of the Mk III remain virtually unchanged. The increased power output from the new Quantite cores benefited the improved avionics, sensor, weapons and shield systems more than her speed; but despite of this, the Valkyrie Mk III can easily go toe-to-toe with the fastest Interceptors currently in service. What she lacks in speed, she makes up for in raw firepower.
The Valkyrie Mk III is currently still a production test model, but the first batch of twelve fighters is ready for experimental deployment. R&D could only think of one squadron that could take these new designs and test them to their limits – shipment of the Mk IIIs is due to be made to the USS Crazy Horse and XCS-211 Lancer Squadron in the very near future.
ADVANTAGES
• Wide variety of secondary weapons options • Excellent hull armor and shielding • Impressive sensors • Can dish out as much of a pounding as it takes.
DISADVANTAGES
• Low maximum/standard warp speed
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 19m Width: 18m Height: 5m Mass: 41,800 Kg
1 Standard Pilot 1 Standard RIO
1 Micro Transporter Cluster Standard Environmental System
TACTICAL
• 4 x Type XII Pulse Fire Phaser Cannons • 1 x Type I Tetryon Pulse Phase Cannon • 2 x Micro Torpedo Launchers
• 55-round 12cm Microtorpedoes each
DEFENSIVE
390 Isoton/s Shields Type XIII Deflector 11.1cm Type II Ablative Hull Armor (11.5cm OCP)
ENGINEERING
Twin-tadem Quantite Reactor Core Wave Drive Propulsion System Standard Speed: Warp 5.8 Maximum Speed: Warp 7.6
Twin Tandem ITD-900 Series Class V Impulse Drive Maximum Cruise: 0.80 C Combat Speed: 970 Km/s
Standard RCS Thruster Assembly
COMMAND AND CONTROL
Type B Bio-Neural Geldisk FTL Core High Capacity Very High Processing Speed High Data Transfer Speed
Nano Sub-processor Auxiliary Core
1 Long Range Subspace Antennae 2 Short Range Subspace Antennae
SENSORS
Advanced Tactical Sensor Suite High Resolution Sensor Range: 18,400,000 Km Low Resolution Sensor Range: 36,800,000 Km
Standard Navigational Sensor Suite High Resolution Sensor Range: 5.2 Ly Low Resolution Sensor Range: 26.2 Ly
No Scientific Sensors installed
EXTERNAL HARD POINT OPTIONS
4 External Hard Points (Wing Mounted)
• ECM/ECCM Pod • Extended Fuel Drop Pods • Additional Micro torpedo launchers with 55-round magazines • Mark I-A Tri-Nuclear Torpedo • Mark XXVII Photon Torpedo • Mark Q-IV Quantum Torpedo • Mark I Hellbore Torpedo • Mark I Graviton Torpedo • Raptor Ion Missiles • EMP Torpedo • HellHound Cluster Bomb • Quantum Cluster bomb • Plasma Gel Bomb • 'Peacekeeper' Bomb