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Iron Heart Industries Sea Leopard class Corvette:

Just before being taken over by the Coalition, Iron Heart Industries had just finished the first of a new series of small naval vessels. There were to have been seven more of the vessel to have been completed within the next two months with half of the vessels having been ordered by Free Quebec and the rest already having prospective clients. This included the Republic of Columbia who has already sent protest to the Coalition ambassador. When Coalition attacked the factories, the completed the one that had been completed was able to escape from the area but the remainder were captured by the Coalition. The Coalition has completed the unfinished vessels and uses them mostly for their lake patrols being some of the most useful small boats in their fledgling navy. The vessel design was also relatively inexpensive and would likely have sold quite well if produced in larger numbers. It is likely that it would have been popular if it had been sold to mercenaries.

The Sea Leopard was supposed to fill the role between the new James Bay class destroyer and the Triton patrol boat. Its small size and shallow draft means that it can operate in far shallower waters than a frigate could, let alone a destroyer. It can be used in many rivers. Even so, it is large enough that it can operate in open the very stormy weather that can sometimes be found in the northern Great Lakes and in the open ocean making it quite flexible. The design has a much better balanced and longer ranged weapons load than the Triton class patrol boat. The design seems to be based on an older pre-Rifts navel vessel produced in the United States for Thailand.

The most interesting part of the vessel is the propulsion system. The engine is based on the engine carried on the Grey Falcon class attack jet. This engine gives a good cruising speed but can also produce much larger amount of power for much higher speeds much like activating a fighter's afterburner. The engines can only be run at these higher power settings for a comparatively short period of time but the cooling system on the Sea Leopard is more efficient than those on the Grey Falcon allowing for longer durations than the aircraft. While the Sea Leopard has a convention hull form, the vessel is surprisingly tough and is built from high strength alloys and composites.

Along with copying larger caliber cannons each as eight and five inch cannons, the engineers at Iron Heart were able to copy the rapid firing three inch cannons that were popular on many smaller designs. The ship mounts one of these on the front of the vessel. Behind this mount and on the next deck up, is a specialized interchangeable mount. Available mounts include a powerful rail gun (a twin rail gun mount carried on the Triton, Sea King, and James Bay classes), a modified copy of the pre-Rifts Vulcan CIWS mount, or a 24 short range missile box launcher. On the sides of the ship's superstructure are two Vulcan laser cannon mounts that are identical to those carried on the Iron Hammer class battle tank. The ship has twelve long range missile tubes that are similar to the Harpoon Canisters that were popular on late twentieth century naval vessels. These missiles are most often used against other vessels and a planned tactic was to have multiple of these vessels launch on a larger vessel to overwhelm it. Finally, the vessel has a twelve cell box launcher for medium range missiles on the fantail of the vessel. The box launcher is loaded from a ready magazine that contains 36 medium range missiles as reloads. Finally, the corvette has torpedo launchers on either side to be used against submarines.

Radar and sonar systems on the Sea Leopard are less powerful than the large units on the Sea King and James bay class but are more powerful than those carried on the Triton. The systems are mostly standard systems carried on other vessels and on giant vehicles. It was decided not to fit a towed array sonar system due the shallow waters that the vessel often operates in.

The ship carries a crew of 34 crew members and 16 soldiers in power armors. Most often flying power armors such as the SAMAS, Flying Titan, or TRIAX Predator are carried. The ship has no space to carry a helicopter or VTOL aircraft. The Sea Leopard normally only carries two or three officers and about the same in chief petty officers.

Model Type: IH-MFL-20 Sea Leopard Corvette
Vehicle Type: Ocean & Waterway, Corvette (Light Frigate)
Crew: 34; 3 officers, 3 Chief Petty officers, and 28 enlisted (Has a high degree of automation)
Troops: 16 pilots for Power Armors

Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:
16Power Armors (Most often SAMAS, Flying Titan, or TRIAX Predator)

M.D.C. by location:
3 inch (76-mm)/62-cal DP Mk 75 (Forward):180
Rail Gun Turrets (Optional, behind 3 inch cannon):150
Short Range Missile Launchers (Optional, behind 3 inch cannon):180
Phalanx Gun CIWS (Optional, behind 3 inch cannon):100
IH-44L Vulcan Laser Turrets (Sides of bridge):75 each
Missile Canisters (12 total, 6 on each side behind bridge):80 each
Medium Range Missile Box Launcher:250
Torpedo Launchers (2, sides):50 each
Bridge (Superstructure):300
[1] Radar System (Superstructure):80
[2] Main Body:1,000

Notes:
[1] Destroying Search Radar Tower will eliminate air search radar system but the ship still has backup fire control sensors.
[2] Destroying the main body causes the ship to lose structural integrity, causing the ship to sink. There are enough life preservers and inflatable life boats to accommodate everyone on the ship.

Speed:
Surface: Maximum cruise is 36.8 mph (32 knots /59.3 kph) which can be sustained indefinitely, can travel at 41.4 mph (36 knots / 66.7 kph) for 20 hours before engine overheat, and can travel at a maximum of 46 mph (40 knots / 74.1 kph) for 6 hours before engine overheat.
Range: Unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 10 years and requires maintenance as well). Ship carries 4 months of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:
Length: 255 feet (77.7 meters)
Draft: 7.8 feet (2.4 meters)
Width: 32 feet (9.8 meters)
Displacement: 990 tons
Cargo: 35 tons of nonessential equipment and supplies. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ships officers have more space for personal items. Most of the ship's spaces are taken up by extra ammo, armor, troops, weapons, and engines.
Power System: Nuclear Reactor, average life span is 10 years
Market Cost: The ships were being marketed at 320 million credits.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

  1. One (1) 3 inch (76-mm) 62-cal DP Mk 75 Naval Gun: The ship mounts a rapid fire three inch gun on the front of the vessel. The gun is very reliable and fires very rapidly (About 85 rounds per minute). The main weaknesses of the gun are its relatively short range and the fact it cannot use rocket assisted projectiles. The gun was carried on many ship classes around the world until well into the twenty first century. The guns can be used against other ships, against ground targets, and against aircraft.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4.9 miles (4.3 nautical miles/8.0 km) for standard projectiles
    Mega-Damage: High Explosive: 1D4x10 MDC per single shot and 3D4x10 MDC for three round burst. High Explosive Armor Piercing: 1D6x10 MDC per single shot and 3D6x10 MDC for three round burst. Plasma: 2D4x10 MDC per single shot, 6D4x10 MDC for three round burst
    Rate of Fire: Equal to Gunners Hand to Hand (Three round bursts count as one attack).
    Payload: 60 rounds. Ship normally carries usually carries 25 High Explosive, 25 High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 10 Plasma.
  2. Interchangeable Mount: This mount is behind the mount for the three-inch gun mount and is one deck higher to have an unrestricted arc of fire. Three different weapon systems can be mounted in this position and it requires only about four hours to remove one mount and replace it with another.
    1. Long-Range Automatic Rail Gun Turret: The rail gun is a heavy weapons designed to knock down missiles and enemy aircraft, as well as to engage other seagoing vessels and land targets at a distance. The weapons can be used on surface targets as well as against missiles and aircraft.
      Maximum Effective Range: 11,000 feet (about two miles / 3.2 km).
      Mega-Damage: A burst is 40 rounds and inflicts 3D4 x 10 M.D.; can only fire bursts.
      Rate of fire: Six bursts per melee.
      Payload: 8000 rounds (200 bursts).
    2. Short Range Missile Launching System: Launcher has the ability to launch 24 Short Range Missiles and automatically reloads every time a missile or missiles are fired. The launcher is fitted with multiple fire control systems and can target missiles on multiple targets. Normal missile mixture is 50% Armor Piercing Missiles and 50% Plasma missiles.
      Maximum Effective Range: As per short range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Mega Damage: As per short range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Rate of fire: One at a time or in volley of two, four, six, twelve, or twenty four
      Payload: 72 short range missiles total.
    3. MK 15 Phalanx Block II 20 mm Autocannon: This weapon is simply the standard pre-rifts phalanx system that is using Ramjet rounds instead of standard. The weapon systems are still quite effective at destroying incoming missiles and are fully automated. The weapons can be used on surface targets as well as against missiles and aircraft. The autocannon can fire on automatic at up to six targets per melee (Has +3 to strike missiles and +2 to strike aircraft).
      Maximum Effective Range: 5,000 feet (1,524 meters)
      Mega-Damage: 2D6x10 for a burst of 60 round (2D4 for each round but gun always fires in bursts).
      Rate of Fire: Six bursts per melee for mount (Has +3 to strike missiles and +2 to strike aircraft).
      Payload: 600 rounds (10 bursts). Ship carries an additional 600 rounds of ammunition in magazines. Autocannon requires 2 minutes (8 melees) to reload by properly trained personnel (Double for untrained crews).
  3. IH-44L Vulcan Laser Turrets (2): These weapons are in secondary turrets mounted on the sides of the ship's superstructure. The weapon consists of six rotating laser cannons, cycling through bursts of six blasts per second! The weapon is very effective at devastating both navel ships and aircraft.
    Weight: 1,200 lbs. (540 kg)
    Maximum Effective Range: 4000 feet (1200 meters)
    Mega-Damage: 3D4 x 10 M.D. per instantaneous burst (counts as one blast/attack).
    Rate of Fire: Can shoot up to six times per melee per mount!
    Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
  4. Long Range Missile Canister Launchers (12): These launchers are special canisters with six on each side of the ship's superstructure. These canisters were copied from Old United States Harpoon canister launchers. While the launchers are reusable, they are still inexpensive and are easily jettisoned if damages. While any long range missile type can be carried, usually special surface skimming missiles will be carried in launchers and are used against surface targets only.
    Maximum Effective Range: As per long range missile type (Surface skimming missiles have 25% less range than normal long range missiles, Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
    Mega Damage: As per long range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
    Rate of fire: One at a time or in volley of two, four, or eight (All launcher operates together)
    Payload: 1 missile each launcher for a grand total of 12 long range missiles (Has no missiles in storage for reloads).
  5. Medium Range Missile Battery (1): The Battery is located on the aft of the ship behind the long range missile launchers and is in the form of a 12 cell box launcher similar to the Pre-Rifts Sea Sparrow box launcher. The systems can launch up to 12 simultaneously each and automatically reloads the launcher after each firing. This acts as the ships main point defense and is normally used to engage incoming air targets and missiles. Launcher looks like a box launcher similar to the Pre-Rifts Sea Sparrow launchers but has more actually launchers and tilts down to accept reloads.
    Maximum Effective Range: As per medium range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
    Mega Damage: As per medium range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
    Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of two, four, six, or twelve
    Payload: 12 medium range missiles in launcher with 36 medium range missiles for reloads.
  6. Two (2) Torpedo Launchers: There is one launcher on each side of the ship on deck under the long range missile launching tubes. Each torpedo launcher has two torpedo tubes instead of three launchers on either side common to many larger naval vessels. The primary purpose is for use against submarines but may be fired against surface targets as well. Ship carries 24 reloads for torpedoes. Treat warheads as medium range missile warheads.
    Maximum Effective Range: 20 miles (32.2 km)
    Mega Damage: By Medium torpedo warhead type (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes).
    Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of two per side, Reloading takes one full melee
    Payload: 2 torpedoes each launcher for a grand total of 4 torpedoes (Has 16 torpedoes for reloads)

Special Systems:
The ship has all systems standard on a robot vehicle plus the following special features:

[Free Quebec, Golden Age Weaponsmiths, Wellington Industries, and TRIAX are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

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