Of any United States Vessels, Coast Guard vessels were the most likely to survive the coming of the Rifts. Specifically, it is believed that a good number of Baker class patrol vessels were able to survive the coming of the Rifts in various locations. Some settlements near locations of Pre-Rifts Coast Guard outposts are believed to use these vessels still.

While any Coast Guard vessel longer than 65 feet are considered to be cutters but what most people consider Coast Guard cutters are the high endurance cutters which are almost the size of a frigate. The Baker class patrol boats were designed to be highly capable but are only 130 feet long. The vessels were designed to be used for Search and Rescue, Interdiction, and Anti-Submarine Warfare. Along with all of these roles, these vessels were designed for 90 day patrols and they can be extended to 120 days. These vessels had been serving for 12 years before the coming of the Rifts and had replaced almost all previous large patrol boats in the Coast Guard.

There was strong consideration for the vessels to be built as hydrofoils but this was rejected due to that making the vessels more maintenance intensive. A convention hull design was decided on but the larger cutters were built as a tri-hull design. It was decided to build the Baker class cutters incorporating as many stealth features to improve the vessel's capabilities in interdiction. This included using radar absorbent materials and a hull and superstructure to reduce the radar cross signature of the vessel. The propulsion system and hull are designed to operate very quietly at low speeds. Still, the engines of the Baker class patrol boat are very powerful and can propel it at more than 45 knots in up to rough seas. The design is a small fusion turbine engine and gives the vessels incredible endurance.

Weaponry and sensors are far more powerful than those carried on Coast Guard patrol vessels used during the late twentieth and early twenty-first century. The vessel carries a combination rail gun and short range missile launcher on the bow. This system is the same as the point defense mounts carried on most United States Naval vessels operating at the same time. Cruise missile strikes were seen as one of the largest dangers to ships and this mount was seen as the best lightweight solution. The vessels were designed for ant-submarine warfare and carry two torpedo tubes on either side to fulfill this role. These vessels were designed to be able to be used in anti-ship strikes and can carry up to four long range missiles in tubes. This is a throw back to the old style harpoon canisters and were most often not carried. In addition to the patrol boat's weapon systems, the vessel carried a very capable but small radar system and towed array sonar.

These vessels have small crews like most Coast Guard Vessels. Because these ships were often used to board other vessels, there are enough small arms for all crew members. While originally not designed to carry power armors, in the later days, often one or two flying power armors were carried. These would normally board before the actual full boarding party.

Model Type: WPB 8585 class Patrol Boat
Vehicle Type: Ocean, Patrol Boat
Crew: 16; 2 officers, 2 Chief Petty officers, and 12 enlisted (Has a high degree of automation)
Troops: possible 8 for boarding parties

Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

2

Semper Fi Power Armors (Has Flight Packs / Sometimes replaced by PA-04A SAMAS)

M.D.C. by location:

	Bridge:	250
	Combination Anti-Missile Defense System (1, Front):	200 each
	Torpedo Launchers (2, sides):	35 each
	Missile Canisters (4 total, Rear of vessel - Optional):	80 each
	[1] Main Body:	650

Notes:
[1] 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: 55.3 mph (48 knots/ 89 kph) in up to moderate seas)
Range: Unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 8 years and requires maintenance as well). Patrol Boat carries three months of supplies on board. This can be increased to four months in an emergency.

Statistical Data:
Length: 130 feet (39.6 meters)
Draft: 7.5 feet (2.3 meters)
Width: 26 feet (7.9 meters)
Displacement: 205 tons standard and 255 tons fully loaded
Cargo: 30 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 8 years
Market Cost: Not for Sale but if found on the black market would probably cost 55 million credits.

Weapon Systems:

1. One (1) Combination Anti-Missile Defense Systems: The weapon system is mounted in front of the Patrol Boat. This anti-missile defense system combines both a rapid fire rail gun and a short range missile launcher. While mounted in one system, both defense systems have separate tracking systems. The short range missile launchers can target up four targets and can fire a volley up too twice per melee. The rail gun is capable of destroying any missile or inflicting serious damage on aircraft. The rail gun can fire on automatic at up to six targets per melee (Has +3 to strike missile and +2 to strike aircraft). The rail gun is very similar to those carried on the Sea King Cruiser and it is likely that the Sea Kings rail guns came from a prototype of this system. The system also can be used against other ships and ground targets. The system has a 360 degree rotation and can elevate up to 90 degrees to fire at targets directly overhead.
   Maximum Effective Range: Rail Guns: 11,000 feet (2 miles / 3.2 km). Short Range Missiles: As per short range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Damage: Rail Guns: 3D4x10 MD per burst of 40 rounds (Can only fire burst). Short Range Missiles: As per short range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Rate of Fire: Rail Guns: 6 attacks per melee. Short Range Missiles: 2 attacks per melee, can fire one at a time or in volleys of two or four.
   Payload: Rail Guns: 8000 rounds (200 burst) Short Range Missiles: 16 short range missiles.
2. Long Range Missile Canister Launchers (4): These launchers are special canisters mounted behind a superstructure. These canisters are very similar to Old 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). See revised 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 volleys of two or four (All launchers operates together)
   Payload: One missile each launcher for a grand total of four long range missiles (Has no missiles in storage for reload).
3. Two (2) Medium Torpedo Launchers: Mainly design for anti-submarine warfare but can be used against surface targets. There is one launcher on each side of the ship with two tubes each. The tubes have an automatic reloading system and can be fired quickly. The ship carries a total of 16 torpedoes for reloads. By Medium torpedo warhead type.
   Maximum Effective Range: 20 miles (32 km)
   Mega Damage: By Medium torpedo warhead type (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes).
   Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2 per side, launcher can fire a maximum of two volleys per melee each launcher
   Payload: Has 16 torpedoes for reloads.

Special Systems:

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

• Radar: Long range air search radar system. Has a 200 mile (322 km) range and can track up to 192 different targets.
• Towed Array Sonar System: Mounted under the bow of the ship. Sonar system has a range of around 16 nautical miles (18.4 miles / 29.6 km). This towed array sonar system has both a passive and active system built in. Sonar system can track up to 16 targets at one time.
• Sonar Masking System: The Ship uses water bubbles to form a barrier against sonar as well. Gives a -10% penalty to any Read Sensory Instrument rolls to detect this ship using sonar.
• Radar Defeating Profile & Radar Absorbing Materials: The ship superstructure is designed so that the radar profile of the ship is reduced and the ship is covered with radar absorbing materials. Because of this, attempts to detect the ship using radar are made with a -40% penalty to read sensor rolls when attempting to detect this ship Go to General Detection Penalties for more information on penalties and bonuses to use with stealth.
• E.S.M.: The system can detect another radar system at 125% of the range of the transmitting radar. This includes all active radar guided weapons.

[Golden Age Weaponsmiths 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.]

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune ).

Copyright © 2000 & 2001, Kitsune. All rights reserved.