ROBOTECH Technical Files

by Pieter Thomassen and Peter Walker

edited by Tim Wing

Attachments:

• Ikazuchi-class reference file
• Ikazuchi-class gallery

Designation: Ikazuchi-class Super Dimensional Large Cruiser (SCB)

Names and disposition:

• SCB-46 UES Ikazuchi, commissioned in 2036, destroyed over Earth, 2044
• SCB-47 UES Hood, commissioned in 2037, destroyed over Earth, 2044
• SCB-48 UES Valiant, commissioned in 2038, destroyed over Earth, 2042
• SCB-49 UES Lafayette, commissioned in 2038, destroyed over Earth, 2044
• SCB-50 UES Richelieu, commissioned in 2038, in service
• SCB-51 UES Grant, commissioned in 2038, destroyed over Earth, 2042
• SCB-52 UES Bismarck, commissioned in 2038, in service
• SCB-53 UES De Ruyter, commissioned in 2038, destroyed over Earth, 2042
• SCB-54 UES Nimitz, commissioned in 2039, destroyed over Earth, 2044
• SCB-55 UES Scharnhorst, commissioned in 2039, destroyed over Earth, 2044
• SCB-56 UES Spruance, commissioned in 2039, destroyed over Earth, 2044
• SCB-57 UES Victorious, commissioned in 2039, destroyed over Earth, 2044
• SCB-58 UES Roosevelt, commissioned in 2039, missing from extended recon patrol
• SCB-59 UES Redoutable, commissioned in 2039, destroyed over Earth, 2044
• SCB-60 UES Indefatigable, commissioned in 2040, in service
• SCB-61 UES Ark Royal, commissioned in 2040, in service
• SCB-62 UES Yamato, commissioned in 2040, in service
• SCB-63 UES Blucher, commissioned in 2040, destroyed over Earth, 2044
• SCB-64 UES Iron Duke, commissioned in 2040, in service
• SCB-65 UES Guiseppe Garibaldi, commissioned in 2040, destroyed over Earth, 2044
• SCB-66 UES Yukikaze, commissioned in 2041, in service
• SCB-67 UES Bonaventure, commissioned in 2041, destroyed over Earth, 2044
• SCB-68 UES Dedalo, commissioned in 2042, destroyed over Earth, 2044
• SCB-69 UES Saratoga, commissioned in 2042, destroyed over Earth, 2044
• SCB-70 UES Vanguard, commissioned in 2043, in service
• SCB-71 UES Leonardo da Vinci, commissioned in 2044, in service

These ships were built at the Robotech Factory Satellite and the Robotech Repair Factory. Their names are written with the ‘UES’ prefix.

Ship’s complement:

• Ships’ crew (1117 men),
• One mechanized division (5350 men),
• Air group (600 men),
• Life support limits are for a full combat complement and about 800 supernumeraries (7900 men total).

Dimensions:

• Length: 702 m over all, 608 m excluding engine shielding blades.
• Height: 177 m over all.
• Width: 154 m over all.
• Mass: 1,410,000 metric tons, operational (typical).
• Fuel Mass: 147,000 metric tons, maximum (typical).

Propulsion systems:

• Main power system: RRG Mk16 protoculture-fueled Reflex furnace. The powerplant of the Ikazuchi-class vessel can deliver up to 3.38 Petawatts of power, and can operate for seventy-two minutes at maximum power before overheat initiates autoshutdown.
• Maneuvering Thrusters (8): Fusion-plasma reaction thruster clusters mounted on the bottom, top, and sides of the main hull, halfway to the bow and the stern.
• Reaction-mass Thrusters (4): Rolls-Royce/P&W SP-25 Fusion-Plasma Reaction Thrusters with protoculture energizer.
• Secondary Reaction Thrusters (2): Rolls-Royce Kestrel Mk3 Fusion-Plasma Reaction Thrusters with protoculture energizer.
• Anti-gravity System (1): 27 RRG Titan anti-gravity pods.
• Space Fold (1): RRG (Robotech Research Group) Mk9 spacefold. This system generates a spherical fold bubble and can transport 30 to 40 subluminal ships in its fold radius.
• Planetary Capabilities: The Ikazuchi-class has atmospheric capabilities through its reaction thrusters and anti-gravity system. The ships’ structure has sufficient strength to let the ship land; however, any particle gun turrets under the hull would be crushed by the weight and, without previous preparation on the ground, damage to the hangars will occur. Therefore, when landing its troops, the ships are advised to generate a -99% of the local gravity counterforce with their anti-gravity systems. Note that the ground underneath should still be as firm as possible. The ship will float in an ocean, and this is the preferred landing method for extended planetary operations. Unfortunately, the main hangars access doors will be submerged.

Endurance and mobility limits:

The dry stores endurance is 2 years maximum. After that time, the Ikazuchi-class will have to restock its supplies. Water stores are recycled almost completely. The hydroponics installations on board will provide the crew with a reasonable amount of fresh food, but the ship, while far better equipped than the smaller Garfishes, is not completely self-sufficient.

The mecha consumables supplies (missiles mainly) are reasonably extensive, and can sustain continuous combat operations for over twenty days against the Invid. However, a battle against Zentraedi or other forces with a capital ship capability will swiftly drain the stores of anti-ship missiles, as these are not usually carried in very large numbers. The ship launched missile magazines should suffice for two large battles or three or more skirmishes.

The Reflex furnace can function for about 30 years at normal usage levels before an energizer rebuild is necessary.

At full power, the main propulsion systems can produce up to 34.5 Giganewtons of thrust at a minimal reaction mass efficiency profile, or as little as 1.34 Giganewtons of thrust at a maximum efficiency setting. At lower power levels, these thrusts are commensurately smaller.

At full power, the Ikazuchi-class can achieve a maximum delta-v of 204 kps at the cruising acceleration of 0.1 gees, a maximum delta-v of 40.8 kps at the battle acceleration of 1.0 gees, and a delta-v of at most 11.4 kps at the flank acceleration of 2.5 gees. At lower power levels, these ranges are commensurately smaller. Ultra-high efficiency modes will extend the delta-v, but always at the cost of very low accelerations and hence extended travel times.

The fold systems are not navigationally guaranteed for any single jump beyond 10 kiloparsecs (32,600 ly). If longer voyages are required, the ships must conduct multiple fold jumps. These jumps can however be made in quick succession.

The maximum sustained atmospheric speed is limited to subsonic values. During a re-entry, the ship will exceed this, but flight control is sluggish and the speed is always reduced to subsonic speeds as soon as possible. The maximum hover time on the anti-gravity systems is limited only by the protoculture supplies and maintenance requirements.

Weapon systems:

(As completed):

• Vickers MP-18 particle gun turrets (8): Designed to counter other ships and to provide orbital fire support, these weapons are capable of delivering 3000 MJ of particle energy once every three seconds at the maximum discharge rate out to an effective range of 300,000 km. These weapons are mounted on the upper main hull.
• PL-2a Point Defense turrets (8): Mounted in the sides of hull behind movable panels, these close in weapon systems can fire 56 MJ of particle energy four times per second. Typically, these weapons are used against enemy mecha.
• Mk.253 MLS missile systems (8): This is a VLS missile system. Each system has 10 individual rotating silos which contain 6 missiles each. The missiles are launched through one firing port per silo; and the upper cover of the launcher is armored, thus exposing only one missile per silo directly to enemy fire. The ready magazines under each silo cluster store another 120 missiles, and the magazine can reload the silo launchers while these are in use. The missiles typically used in these launchers are the Warhawk and the Spacehawk. These are usually the standard HE, nuclear reaction anti-warship and nuclear reaction re-entry capable versions.
• Four launchers are located near the engines, two others near the bridge and the other two are located forward.

(After post-2045 refit):

• Vickers MP-18 particle gun turrets (14): Designed to counter other ships and to provide orbital support fire, these weapons are capable of delivering 3000 MJ of particle energy once every three seconds at the maximum discharge rate out to an effective range of 300,000 km. These weapons are mounted on the upper main hull (8) and on the lower hull (6).
• PL-2a Point Defense turrets (32): Mounted in the sides of hull behind movable panels, these close in weapon systems can fire 56 MJ of particle energy four times per second. Typically, these weapons are used against enemy mecha.
• Mk.253 MLS missile systems (8): This is a VLS missile system. Each system has 10 individual rotating silos which contain 6 missiles each. The missiles are launched through one firing port per silo; and the upper cover of the launcher is armored, thus exposing only one missile per silo directly to enemy fire. The ready magazines under each silo cluster store another 120 missiles, and the magazine can reload the silo launchers while these are in use. The missiles typically used in these launchers are the Warhawk and the Spacehawk. These are usually the standard HE, nuclear reaction anti-warship and nuclear reaction re-entry capable versions.
• Four launchers are located near the engines, two others near the bridge and the other two are located forward.

Note: all vessels currently in service have received this refit.

Air group and mecha complement:

Standard air group:

• 144 VF-6 Alpha fighters in quick-reaction launch bays.
• 200 additional VF-6 Alpha fighters.
• 140 fighter-bombers such as the VF-5 Condor and the VF-12 Beta
• 24 Elint Legioss ESM reconnaissance craft,
• 2 EC-32 Eyrie AWACS shuttles,
• 6 SVT-1 Vixen trainers/fast couriers,
• 4 SC-32 Gossamer heavy personnel and cargo shuttles,
• 15 RC-4 Rabbit light personnel and cargo shuttles.

Ground forces mecha (if embarked):

• 210 Destroids (various types),
• 4500 Cyclones (various types).

Notes: This is a typical complement c. 2043; only 144 Alphas and 72 fighter-bombers are part of the Naval Air Wing, while the other mecha belong to Army/Air Force or Marine units stationed on board. The exact number and type of mecha vary somewhat due to operational realities. About 660 large mecha total is normal, but there is storage and hangar space for 800+ craft. However, this would cause overcrowding in the launch bays.

Prior to mid 2043, no Alpha or Beta Shadow-variants were in active service in the UEEF fleet.

The Cyclone number includes mecha pilot emergency Cyclones, reserves and special forces assignments in addition to the infantry forces.

Electronics:

• All surviving vessels of this class were fitted in 2043-2044 with ‘Shadow’ protoculture stealth devices and radar absorbing hull covers in the months before their attempts to liberate the Earth from Invid occupation.
• Some vessels received a Protoculture detector, mounted in a boom on the prow. This sensor was capable of detecting and identifying Invid energizer configurations at distances of over 20 AU. The boom extends 150 meters forward of the bow.

Design notes:

The Ikazuchi-class was developed from the Nergal-class cruisers, which they resemble to a large degree. However, the Ikazuchi-class is larger and more capable overall, as well as more suited to receiving upgrades without undue removal of other systems.

The Ikazuchi series of large cruisers are vaguely rectangular in shape, with a gravity-well attitude that might remind one of a brick flying on its side. The hull narrows considerably in the center, effectively making for an hourglass-silhouette when viewed from the bow or the stern. The four main thrusters are located astern, one on each of the corner-points. The two auxiliary engines are located in sponsons that run along the port and starboard hull, beginning amidships and running along aft until the end of the ship. There is also a command citadel on the upper port side of the vessel, with an observation deck on top of it. Six Alpha launch bays are located on the sides of the ship, capable of launching up to 144 Alphas in battloid mode. The main hangars and their movable blast shield doors are located in the lower amidship levels. The doors cover the exits of three hangar decks and roll toward the stern of the ship when craft are being launched or retrieved. There are also four more secondary hangars with air locks located in the lower nose of the vessel, but these are not capable of rapid launch and are commonly used for shuttles and other non-time critical launch mecha. This gives the Ikazuchi a total of sixteen different hangar bays, which in itself contributes to the ruggedness of the design.

The command citadel houses two command decks, the main hull 12 main decks, though deck 12 is just a small outcropping on the underside of the vessel, usually used as a Horizont shuttle hangar and staging area. The main decks serve the following purposes: deck one is mainly crew and officers’ quarters, and this deck houses the navigation computer and the Astrogator and his mates. Deck two contains crew facilities and the port and starboard launch bays. Deck three consists of the senior officers’ quarters and the engineering block, which includes the hyperspatial communications array, life support, auxiliary gravity control, and quarters for the engineers’ mates. Decks four and seven include much of the quarters and facilities for the crew, as well as the ship’s stores. Decks five and eight are mainly used for the Planetary Forces troops, though there are also cargo holds and crew and officers’ quarters as well. Decks six and nine contain the auxiliary systems, as well as quarters for the Veritech pilots. Decks ten, eleven, and twelve are mainly hangar facilities for the ship’s mecha.

The absence of an extensive point defense capability was the most serious flaw of the pre-refit version of this design. This is even odder when one considers the rather extensive AAA installations on the SDF-1 and 2, and on the Armor series orbital platforms. This lack of attention to anti-mecha operations in the original design would prove to be very costly. The refitted version added no less than 24 additional defensive cannon emplacements, in a brute-force approach to increase the defenses against Invid ramming tactics.

History:

The Ikazuchi-class became the mainstay of the United Earth Expeditionary Force (UEEF) after it had sent almost all of its older vessels to the Earth, first to combat the Robotech Masters, then in an attempt to liberate the planet from the Invid. In 2032 then the UEEF found themselves depleted both in vessels and in manpower, though they did possess, in the Robotech Satellites, the means to rebuild the fleet. Since the demographic make-up of the UEEF delayed significant reinforcements for almost ten years, the Expeditionary Force design bureau decided not to proceed with emergency construction of the existing Nergal-class cruiser, but to design a new cruiser, incorporating new advances in warship engineering.

The resulting Ikazuchi-class vessels were powerful, well-armed and remarkably nimble for their size, and boasted a formidable complement of Veritech fighters. These ships were well-suited for fighting a war against an enemy like the Zentraedi or the Robotech Masters, and were thought to be effective against the Invid as well. Early battles against Invid outposts discovered closer to the UEEF operations area than Earth appeared to support this. However, these small-scale battles were not a true test for the Ikazuchi’s defenses, as they were not put up against the numerical superiority would be found over Earth. In their defense though, it must be remarked that the true Invid numbers on Earth were an unknown, and had been continuously estimated far lower.

The vulnerability of the Ikazuchi-class was worsened by production problems with the MP-18 particle gun turrets. Although the design was successful, production ran short of its goals. It suffered both from teething troubles and from lower priority for some of the materials, which were diverted into the Izumo and Garfish production lines; this last under the assumption that the Ikazuchi had at least partial armament, but that the Garfish class could not afford to be completed without its single turret. The Izumo class, as the next-generation battlefortresses, received the highest priority, despite their gargantuan size and complexity. As a result, the earlier ships were fitted with only 8 of their 14 designed turrets, and it was not until 2045 that production of the turrets caught up with demands and the vessels at least could receive their full designed armaments.

The weaknesses of the design should have become apparent at the Battle of Kappa Pontis 4, where the UES Valiant stumbled upon a huge Invid outpost, and was unprepared for the sheer numbers of Invid Iigaa she would face. The gun turrets mounted on the dorsal hull were sufficient to destroy the Shell Door-class Invid troop carriers for a while; but new ones arrived at such a rate that enough Iigaa were brought in the battle to pin down the defending fighters, and the dearth of effective point defenses allowed the Invid to break through and cause serious damage to the command bridge and upper decks, which had to be evacuated in the middle of battle. Finally the fighters rallied and saved the battle, but inexplicably no lessons were drawn of this experience.

The result were heavy losses for the Ikazuchi-class in the various attempts to retake the Earth from the Invid in 2042-2044. The surviving ships all received refits which massively increased their point defense capabilities, and later large cruiser designs, the Julius Caesar- and the Eisenhower-classes, corrected this fault in the post-Invid Terran Naval forces, but despite the losses, the Ikazuchi-class ships have rightfully earned their place in military history.

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. Genesis Climber MOSPEADA (R) is the property of Fuji Television, Artmic Studio and Tatsunoko Production. This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Original artwork by: Yoshitaka Amano, Shinji Aramaki and Hideki Kakinuma

Acknowledgement is extended to Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide. Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern are given credit for all quotes and paraphrasing of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide that has been utilized in this publication. 

Images from – Art Book Genesis Climber MOSPEADA Complete Art Works (August 2009), Robotech II: The RPG, Robotech Expeditionary Force Field Guide (March 1989)

Content by Pieter Thomassen and Peter Walker, edited by Tim Wing

Copyright © 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997 Robert Morgenstern, Pieter Thomassen, Peter Walke; 2016 Tim Wing

ROBOTECH Technical Files

by Pieter Thomassen, with Peter Walker

edited by Tim Wing

Attachments:

• SDF-3 reference file
• SDF-3 gallery

Designation: Pioneer-class Super Dimensional Fortress (SDF)

Name and disposition:

• SDF-3 UES Pioneer, commissioned 2022, missing 2044
• The Pioneer was built in the Robotech Repair Factory.

Ship’s complement:

• Ships’ crew (2,500 men),
• Fleet Air Arm (3,400 men),
• Reinforced Combined Planetary Forces corps (19,600 men)(not always embarked),
• Life support limits are for a full combat complement and about 90,000 supernumaries (116,000 men total).

Note: a far larger number of personnel could be carried in temporary embarkations. The SDF-3 was capable of providing life support for almost a million humans for three weeks, though in crowded and unsanitary conditions.

Dimensions:

(Pre-refit)

• Length: 1403 m (main hull), 1721 m (over all)
• Height: 330 m (main hull), 461 m (over all)
• Width: 324 m (main hull), 518 m (over all)
• Mass: 31,800,000 metric tons, operational (typical)
• Fuel Mass: 3,320,000 metric tons, maximum (typical)

Propulsion systems:

(Pre-refit)

• Main power system: RRG Mk13 protoculture-fueled Reflex furnace cluster. The powerplant of the Pioneer-class vessel can deliver up to 80.2 Petawatts of power, and can operate for eighty-seven minutes at maximum power before overheating initiates an autoshutdown.
• Maneuvering thrusters (12): Fusion-plasma reaction thruster clusters mounted on the main hull; located on the port and starboard top, sides and bottom halfway forward and aft.
• Reaction-mass thrusters (4): Rolls Royce CSRE-3 fusion-plasma reaction thrusters with protoculture energizer, mounted in the upper and lower corner of the aft port and starboard halves of the ship.
• Secondary reaction thrusters (15): Six Turbo-Union EECS-2 fusion-flasma reaction thrusters with protoculture energizer mounted in two vertical rows of three between the main engines, eight Turbo-Union EECS-1 fusion-plasma reaction thrusters with protoculture energizer mounted in two vertical rows of two flanking the two upper EECS-2 thrusters, and one Turbo-Union MMFG-12 fusion-plasma reaction thruster mounted at the aft end of the command citadel.
• Anti-gravity System (1): 32 RRG Cyclops anti-gravity pods.
• Space Fold (1): RRG Mk3 spacefold. This system generates a spherical fold bubble and can transport 30 to 40 subluminal ships in its fold radius.
• Planetary Capabilities: The Pioneer-class has atmospheric capabilities through its reaction thrusters and anti-gravity system. The ships’ lower body has sufficient strength to let the ship land on it, although the landing ground should be as firm as possible (granite is recommended). The ship would float in an ocean, and this is the preferred method of landing.

Endurance and mobility limits:

(Pre-refit)

The dry stores endurance was limited to about 5 years with a full crew complement. The on-board life support and recycling system was based on that of the Macross-class, and the very extensive recycling installations ensured that only incidental biomass losses needed to be replenished. Water stores were recycled almost completely. The hydroponics installations on board provided the crew with a steady supply of fresh foods, and much was exported to smaller ships in the fleet.

The mecha consumables supplies (mainly missiles) were very extensive, and could sustain continuous combat operations for over forty days against the Invid by the Naval forces alone, and the entire Planetary Force complement could be supplied for another forty days of continuous combat operations.

The ship-launched missile magazines sufficed for three large battles or five or more skirmishes.

The Reflex furnace could function for about 35 years at normal usage levels before before an energizer rebuild was necessary.

At full power, the main propulsion systems can produce up to 810 Giganewtons of thrust at a minimal reaction mass efficiency profile, or as little as 35.2 Giganewtons of thrust at a maximum efficiency setting. At lower power levels, these thrusts are commensurately smaller.

At full power, the Pioneer-class can achieve a maximum delta-v of 224 kps at the cruising acceleration of 0.1g, a maximum delta-v of 44.7 kps at the battle acceleration of 1.0g, and a delta-v of at most 12.5 kps at the flank acceleration of 2.5g. At lower power levels, these ranges are commensurately smaller.

The fold systems were not navigationally guaranteed for any single jump beyond 10 kiloparsecs. If longer voyages were required, the ship had to conduct multiple fold jumps.

The maximum sustained atmospheric speed was limited to Mach 3. A higher speed could be attained while accelerating to orbit, or in emergencies, but this stressed the engines to above their sustainable heat tolerances. The maximum hover time on the anti-gravity systems was limited only by the protoculture supplies and maintenance requirements.

Weapon systems:

(Pre-refit)

• RRG Reflex cannon Mk.3 (2): As in Zentraedi Monitors, the front section of the Pioneer is formed by the twin booms of the main battery, in her case twin Reflex Cannons. In order to fire, the cannons slide apart horizontally, then open vertically, the beam being generated between the two vertical booms. The weapons are identical to the very powerful Reflex Cannon of the Macross Battlefortress. The effects of these weapons against planets equal the heat and blast effects of the detonation of fusion weapons of 65 MT, if fired at full power. If utilized against starships, the largest vessels can be destroyed by a single direct hit. The weapon can also be set to a wider dispersal. In this setting, it is capable of clearing a wide area of fighters and other mecha, although starships in this area would only be blinded. The cannons have an effective range of 300,000 km. Each cannon requires 40 seconds to charge to full power, and the generating capacity of the Pioneer is such that it requires 80 seconds to charge both cannons simultaneously. These weapons, like their Zentraedi counterparts, are more suited for planetary bombardment than for ship-to-ship combat.
• Oto Melara MBPC-2 heavy particle beam (10): A heavy weapon firing 2.5 TJ of particle energy per shot, equivalent to approximately 500 tons of TNT, out to an effective range of 300,000 km. The capacitators can charge and fire each weapon six times per minute at maximum capacity. Four of these cannons are mounted behind conformal covers in the spacious bow halves, two are located in the dorsal surface of the cannon booms, and the final four are mounted in blisters on top of and directly underneath the engines. Unlike the cannons mounted on the Sian Dereta battlefortresses, these large particle beams resemble the more advanced weapons of the Macross-class in design and firepower. LT-15 Turret – Top View
• RRG LT-15 Double laser turret (40): The secondary anti-ship weapons of the Pioneer, these turrets have a range of 300,000 km, and deliver 1500 MJ of laser energy every two seconds at the highest rate of fire. Twenty of these turrets are mounted forward in the main battery booms, the other twenty are dispersed over the Pioneer’s other hull areas. It was proposed to replace these weapons with 25 of the particle cannon turrets as mounted on the Garfish- and Izumo-classes, but this was not carried out before the ship was listed as missing.
• RRG RG-2 Point defense turret (8): The RG-2 mount is designed to deliver heavy firepower on very close targets. A double barrelled rail gun with a round sensor between the barrels, the RG-2 is stored inside the hull, but elevates upwards from under movable panels into firing position. The RG-2 fires 0.227 kg KPI rounds at 25 kps, giving the rounds a kinetic impact energy of 141 MJ. The maximum effective range for this system is 20 km against mecha sized targets, the maximum rate of fire is 120 rounds per minute. Eight of these cannons are mounted in the cannon booms and main hull.
• Oerlikon PD-2 Point Defense turret (8): The PD-2 is a double barrelled laser cannon, with an on-mount multi-spectral sensor. Designed for point defense against mecha, missiles and small vessels, the PD-2 delivers 50 MJ of laser energy four times per second. The Pioneer mounts these in the main hull (4) and the side bodies (4), behind movable panels.
• VLR-1 Skylord launch tubes (12): The launch tubes are mounted in the main cannon booms and angled to fire a rocket horizontally away from the hull (6 launchers to each boom). These launchers fire the SLBM-sized Skylord, a rocket with a special 3 MT nuclear fusion warhead that accelerated at 10g throughout its flight and had a delta-v of 8 kps. A conventional warhead was also available. Each launcher had sixteen rockets in the ready magazine.
• Mk.253 MLS missile systems (14): A conventional vertical launch missile installation with 10 individual launch silos. The silos each contain 6 ready missiles in a rotating mechanism, which can be reloaded while other missiles in the rotating structure are fired. The ready magazines store 400 missiles per launcher. These launchers typically fire defensive Warhawk and defensive or offensive Spacehawk missiles. Typical versions are anti-mecha cluster munitions, nuclear reaction anti-ship and nuclear reaction re-entry capable weapons. Four launchers are located near the engines, four amidships and four in the bow. The final two launchers are located near the bridge.

Air group and mecha complement:

(Pre-refit)

Fleet Air Arm

• 1330 combat mecha (Veritechs, fighters and fighter bombers),
• 60 support mecha (AEW craft, recon planes, fast couriers/SAR planes),
• 40 transport and cargo shuttles (SC-32 Gossamer and RC-4 Rabbit).

Planetary Forces mecha (in storage hangars))

• 1750 combat planes (Veritechs, fighters, bombers),
• 940 Destroids (strike, battle, AAA and artillery).

Individual infantry and pilot emergency vehicles (from 2029 onwards)

• 9000 Cyclones.

Electronic and special purpose systems:

(Pre-refit)

• DS-2 Barrier Defense System: An advanced forcefield system which covers the full four pi steradians around the ship with a yellow-greenish forcefield (or if desired, only part of the ship). This field will reflect all solids and directed energy weapons (except lasers through a narrow band). However, excess energy which cannot be deflected from the field will be stored in the main armament capacitators. The storage wattage is high but not infinite, and should the capacitators overload the field will discharge the stored energy particles. This discharge will have maximum yield of a main armament salvo (>125 MT). However, as the discharged energetic particles’ vectors will be away from the field and its generating vessel, the Pioneer will survive, though she will suffer severe damage to its internal electronics and power systems, and will not be battleworthy until repairs are made. In addition, the ships’ own armament cannot be fired through the field.
• DS-1 Pinpoint Barrier Defense System: A smaller system which uses four movable forcefield disks, conformal to the ship’s surface, to repel light torpedo attacks, or directed energy weapons. It serves as a back up to the DS-2 system.
• The Pioneer was fitted with a Shadow cloaking device in the months before the final attempt to liberate the Earth from the Invid occupation.

Design notes:

The SDF-3 UES Pioneer was primarily designed to be the flagship for the Terran expedition, named after the SDF-3 as the Pioneer Mission, to achieve a peace treaty with the Robotech Masters, or, alternatively, to ensure that the next Robotech War would be fought thousands of light-years away from Earth. As such, it would be necessary to open talks with the Tirolians. This would be difficult, since, according to Zentraedi descriptions, that race had become, after many centuries of war, prone to shoot first and sift through the wreckage later.

To approach the Masters, it was decided that the SDF-3 would have to appear as normal as possible to the Masters, at least until messages rather than weapon salvos were exchanged. Thus, the decision was made to model the exterior characteristics of the SDF-3 not on the rare Macross-class of battle-fortress, but on the Sian Dereta-class of improved monitor, a Border Fleet design. It was hoped the Masters would be more trusting of a ship they believed was under the command of some of their clone Triumvirates. The internals of the SDF-3 were however not based on the Border Fleet vessel, but were newly designed to as advanced of a technological standard as Earth was capable of. At that time, the technological standard of Earth was based on the Macross’s systems, which had by now been mostly deciphered. The SDF-3 was first constructed with only a light exterior hull. Once completed, exterior hull plates scavenged from Zentraedi ships were mounted on the Pioneer, giving the ship an authentic exterior.

As designed, the central hull section, which served the same function as the central hull section of the Macross (although the Sian Dereta, and by extension the SDF-3, were not transformable in nature) was the smallest, most important and best shielded part of the ship. It was flanked by the two engine sections, which contained the reaction engines and most of the special equipment on the SDF-3. These three sections were all mounted behind the twin cannon booms, receiving additional protection. The two engine sections were themselves shielded by what were dubbed the ‘outriggers’ of the ship; large and heavily armored outer hull sections flanking the engine sections. These outriggers contained several laser turrets and long range sensors. On top of the SDF-3 was a conning tower, a rather low and stretched-out design compared with the conning tower of the refitted SDF-1 Macross. It contained the navigation bridge and several key sensor installations.

A unique feature of the Sian Dereta class were its twin Reflex Cannons. As the original Zentraedi vessel was designed for the Border Fleets, and thus to operate for extended periods without external maintenance, two Reflex Cannons were provided in order to save wear and tear on a single cannon by repeated firings. In addition, the two cannons could be fired in sequence, giving the Sian Dereta the power of two Monitors — though only for one salvo as the ships could not recharge more than one cannon at a time. As a near copy of the Sian Dereta class, the Pioneer also carried twin Reflex Cannons. After the numerous, and at most inconvenient moments, failures of the single Reflex cannon on the SDF-1, this was another reason for the Terrans to choose the Sian Dereta template, as it would ensure that at least one cannon was operational. However, as the Tirolians found the advantages of twin cannons specious, so did the Terrans find that their new designs for Reflex cannons were more reliable and robust than expected, and later battlefortresses reverted again to a single Reflex Cannon.

As stated above, the capabilities and internal systems of the SDF-3 differed considerably of those of the Sian Dereta. The Reflex cannons on the Macross class were more powerful and smaller than those on the Sian Dereta, and the Macross-style Reflex cannon had to be slightly redesigned so as to conform to the resulting longer beam-generation area, as well as to the fact that the inner sections of the cannon booms no longer rotated. The additional space between each cannon and the outer shell was partly filled with four large particle beam cannons. These four were mounted in the outer forward corners of the cannon booms. Another six, for a total of ten, were mounted in the normal Sian Dereta heavy weapon mountings; four on the engine pods and two in the dorsal main cannon booms. The ubiquitous Zentraedi laser turrets of the Sian Dereta were replaced with a Terrestrial two-barrel design, also used on the other ships of the fleet, with a higher rate of fire and a larger yield. The missile batteries too were fully Terran in design. In addition to this heavy weapons suite, about as powerful as on a Zentraedi Flagship, the SDF-3 carried a 1330 Naval fighters, and had space for a large contingent of troops and mecha. In effect, the SDF-3 combined the capabilities of the Tokugawa-class carrier version with those of the Tokugawa class landing ship version. Unfortunately, there was insufficient hangar space to allow the Planetary Forces mecha to operate from the SDF-3 as additions to the Fleet Air Arm group. The SDF-3 had one of the best balanced fighting groups in the Terran Robotech Forces, not to mention the most powerful.

In 2044, the SDF-3 received a major refit. Most notable was the replacement of the out hull with a completely redesigned “second skin”. The overall design of the new outer hull was very similar to that of the SDF-4 UES Liberator. The reflex cannons were replaced by synchro cannons and a shadow cloaking device was fitted. Lastly, the outriggers were deleted and in their place two Crusader-class Landing Ships (SLVs) were docked.

History:

In December 2022 the UES Pioneer was commissioned and took its position as the flagship of the REF, marking the official start of the “Pioneer” mission. The Pioneer Mission departed for Tirol, with four Battle Groups: the Mercury Battle Group consisting of the UES Pioneer and five Valivarre class ships, and the Mars, Jupiter and Saturn Battle groups which consisted nearly 200 warships. The plan was for the Mercury Group to fold into Tirol Space first and make contact. If hostilities ensued, the battle group would immediately re-fold to link up with the Main Fleet (Mars, Jupiter and Saturn Battle groups). Things did not exactly go to plan, with the Invid immediately attacking the SDF-3 and the rest of the Mercury Battle Group upon de-fold into Tirol space. A complete lack of tactical coordination delayed the SDF-3 and the rest of the battle group from folding to the Main Fleet Assembly Point, giving the Invid enough time to damage the SDF-3’s fold generators. The battle group did eventually carry the day with the capture of the Robotech Masters home world from the Invid, by the end of the fight the SDF-3 was so badly damaged that it would be several years before she was fully space worthy again.

The SDF-3 was again damaged during the mutiny by General T. R. Edwards. At this point, what with the ship being due for a major overhaul anyway, the UES Pioneer departed Tirol-space for the dry docks at Space Station Liberty where new synchro cannons, fold drives, reflex furnaces and a shadow cloaking device fit.

On July 5th 2044, while testing the Neutron S warhead in the Omicron sector, the SDF-3 sustained heavy damage yet again when the warhead caused the collapse of the planetary target onto itself, creating a small black hole. Though an attempt was made to recover the SDF-3 by the UES Icarus, the Pioneer failed to defold in Earth space and was never heard from again. Naturally, conspiracy theories abound, owing to the fact that Admiral Richard Hunter was later wanted to stand trial for war crimes (ie: his authorization of the use of the Neutron S missile, which would have resulted in the destruction of the Earth itself). The editor would like to point out, however, that these charges were made well after the disappearance of the SDF-3, thus discrediting these theories. Regardless, the SDF-3 UES Pioneer is presumed lost with all hands.

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Original artwork by: Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd.

Acknowledgement is extended to Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide. Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern are given credit for all quotes and paraphrasing of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide that has been utilized in this publication. 

Images from – Robotech II: The RPG, Robotech Expeditionary Force Field Guide (March 1989)

Content by Pieter Thomassen and Peter Walker, edited by Tim Wing

Copyright © 2001, 1999 Robert Morgenstern, Pieter Thomassen, Peter Walker; 2016 Tim Wing

ROBOTECH Technical Files

by Pieter Thomassen, with Peter Walker

edited by Tim Wing

Attachments:

• Montgolfier-class reference file
• Montgolfier-class gallery

Designation: Montgolfier-class Super Dimensional Tender/Mobile Dock (SAD).

Names and disposition:

• SAD-1 UES Montgolfier, commissioned 2025, in service
• SAD-2 UES Wright, commissioned 2026, in service
• SAD-3 UES Bleriot, commissioned 2027, in service
• SAD-4 UES Lindbergh, commissioned 2028, in service
• SAD-5 UES Gagarin, commissioned 2029, in service

Ship’s complement:

• Ships’ crew (1910 men),
• Naval Air Group (490 men),
• Directorate of Ships detachment (650 men),
• Life support limits are for a full complement and about 4500 supernumaries (7500 men total). Usually, about 800 to 1000 personnel are on-board the ship in a replacement pool for the line vessels.

Dimensions:

• Length: 1120 meters over all.
• Height: 357 meters with scaffolding retracted, 850 meters with scaffolding extended.
• Width: 450 meters with scaffolding retracted, 475 meters with scaffolding extended.
• Mass: 11,400,000 metric tons operational (typical), 32,000,000 metric tons maximum, while transporting ships in the dock.
• Fuel mass: 1,280,000 metric tons, maximum (typical)

Propulsion systems:

• Main power system: RRG mk 14 protoculture-fueled Reflex furnace. The powerplant of the Montgolfier-class vessel can deliver up to 25.9 Petawatts of power, and can operate for forty-seven minutes at maximum power before overheat initiates autoshutdown.
• Maneuvering thrusters (8): Fusion-plasma reaction thruster clusters mounted on the main hull; top, sides and bottom halfway forward and aft.
• Reaction thrusters (8): Westinghouse HSP-24 Fusion-Plasma Reaction Thrusters with protoculture energizer. These engines are mounted in the port and starboard engine bays, in two quadruple square banks of four engines each.
• Secondary reaction thrusters (4): Rolls-Royce Sparrowhawk Fusion-Plasma Reaction Thrusters with protoculture energizer. These engines are mounted as a quadruple bank in the central engine bay, directly behind the main hull.
• Anti-gravity System (1): 27 RRG Cyclops anti-gravity pods.
• Space Fold (1): RRG (Robotech Research Group) Mk3b spacefold. This system generates a spherical fold bubble and can transport 30 to 40 subluminal ships in its fold radius. This system is a Mk3 fold, modified to allow for larger masses but with no larger fold-sphere.
• Planetary Capabilities: The Montgolfier-class has atmospheric capabilities through its reaction thrusters and anti-gravity system. The folding drydock under the hull, however, would not survive a re-entry into the atmosphere. The ships’ lower body has sufficient strength to let the ship land on it, if the scaffolding were to be removed. The ship would float in an ocean, though it would be best to do this with an unloaded ship rather than with a loaded one. However, because of its mission profile, this class never operates in an atmosphere, in addition to losing its drydock during re-entry.

Note: Because of the location of the thrusters, the Montgolfier-class is generally incapable of using its reaction engines when a ship is in the drydock. However, it is possible to tow another vessel if that vessel’s engines can be brought at least partially on-line, of if the vessel’s mass is significantly less than the Montgolfier’s. However, folding to a safe location with the crippled vessel is the preferred action.

Endurance and mobility limits:

The dry stores endurance is limited to about 20 years; the on-board recycling installations are very extensive, and only incidental biomass losses need to be replenished. Water stores are recycled almost completely. The hydroponics installations on board will provide the crew with a steady supply of fresh foods, and much will even be ‘exported’ to smaller ships in their fleet.

The mecha consumables supplies (mainly missiles) are very extensive, and can sustain continuous combat operations for over fifty days against the Invid, mostly because the Montgolfier-class also serves as primary resupply bases. The ship-launched missile magazines should suffice for twenty large battles or forty or more skirmishes, for the same reason.

The Reflex furnace can function for about 30 years at normal usage levels before an energizer rebuild is necessary.

At full power, the main propulsion systems can produce up to 275 Giganewtons of thrust at a minimal reaction mass efficiency profile, or as little as 12.3 Giganewtons of thrust at a maximum efficiency setting. At lower power levels, these thrusts are commensurately smaller.

At full power (and when not towing another vessel), the Montgolfier-class can achieve a maximum delta-v of 138 kps at the cruising acceleration of 0.1 gees, a maximum delta-v of 27.6 kps at the battle acceleration of 1.0 gees, and a delta-v of at most 7.7 kps at the flank acceleration of 2.5 gees. At lower power levels, and with larger loads, these ranges are commensurately smaller.

The fold systems are not navigationally guaranteed for any single jump beyond 10 kiloparsecs. If longer voyages are required, the ships must conduct multiple consequetive fold jumps.

The maximum sustained atmospheric speed is limited to Mach 3. A higher speed can be attained while accelerating to orbit, but this stresses the engines to above their sustainable heat tolerances, and must be limited to orbital ascents. The maximum hover time on the anti-gravity systems is limited only by the protoculture supplies and maintenance requirements. However, no Montgolfier-class vessel has ever operated in planetary atmosphere for reasons outlined above.

Weapon systems:

• Vickers MP-18 particle gun turrets (10): Designed to counter other ships and to provide orbital support fire, these weapons are capable of delivering 3000 MJ of particle energy once every three seconds at the maximum discharge rate out to an effective range of 300,000 km. These weapons are identical to those of the later Ikazuchi class. Three turrets are mounted on the upper hull, replacing the double and quadruple barreled turrets of the Tokugawa precursor design, three more are on the lower hull, and the last two are located on each flank.
• PL-2a Point Defense turrets (12): Mounted behind movable panels in the upper main hull (6) and the lower main hull (6), these standard REF weapons can fire 56 MJ of particle energy four times per second.
• Mk.253 MLS missile systems (6): A VLS-type missile launcher with 10 individual launch silos. The silos each contain 6 ready missiles in a rotating mechanism, which can be reloaded while firing. The ready magazines store 200 missiles per launcher. These launchers typically fire Warhawk and Spacehawk missiles. Typical warheads are anti-mecha cluster munitions, nuclear reaction anti-warship and nuclear reaction re-entry capable weapons. Two launchers are located near the engines and two amidships.

Air group and mecha complement:

Though the Montgolfier-class did have sufficient hanger capacity to embark a single carrier air wing (~160 aerospacecraft), it rarely did. More often, if any mecha were carried at all, they were in the form of pre-positioned replacement mecha. At maximum capacity, with no room for actual flight operations in the hanger bay, the Montgolfier-class could carry approximately 1250 Veritech mecha, aerospace fighters, or Destroids of all types. Around 2000 Cyclones of various versions were also typically stored after 2028.

Electronics:

• DS-2 Barrier Defense System: An advanced forcefield system which covers the full four pi steradians around the ship with a yellow-greenish forcefield (or if desired, only part of the ship). This field will stop all solids and directed energy weapons (except lasers through a narrow band). However, excess energy which cannot be shunted from the field will be stored in large inboard capacitators. The storage wattage is high but not infinite, and when the barrier overloads the field will discharge the stored energy particles. This discharge will have the force of a high-yield (>4 MT) fusion bomb. However, as the discharged energetic particles’ vectors will be away from the field and its generating vessel, the vessel will survive, though it will suffer severe damage to its internal electronics and power systems, and will not be battleworthy until repairs are made .
• DS-1 Pinpoint Barrier Defense System: A smaller defensive system which uses four movable forcefield disks, conformal to the ship’s surface, to repel light missile attacks, or energy beam fire. It serves as a back up to the DS-2 system.
• The vessels of this class were all fitted with Shadow devices as they came in for refit after the Third Robotech War. During these refits they were also equipped with a protoculture-sensor tuned to detect Invid energizer configurations at distances of over 2 AU. This system is substantially inferior to those used in the Ikazuchi refits.

Design notes:

After the Expeditionary Forces were assigned the two captured manufacturing satellites as space habitats and production centers, there was still a void in the support lines for the far-flung scout flotillas, who now were required to make far longer and deeper voyages than originally envisioned. Specifically, the journey back to one of the factory bases after exhausting some of the supplies was taking more and more time, and even small repairs that required only a basic drydock had to be carried out in one of the satellites. In addition, the habitation standards on board the vessels were insufficient for near-permanent habitation. As a result, the Expeditionary Forces designed a tender vessel to serve as mobile dry dock and general tender, supply base, and as rest and recovery craft for fatigued crews.

To start with the production as soon as possible, the Montgolfier-class was based on an existing design, the Tokugawa-class. This design was upgraded with new gun armament, but its combat power was virtually eliminated by deleting most of the hangar bays, retaining only enough Fleet Air Arm mecha for self-defense, if ant at all. The freed-up space was then used for storage holds, and for enlarged living quarters. In addition, an Earth-simulation system identical in function to that used on board of the SDF-1 UES Macross during its long return voyage was installed, giving the main living holds a blue sky and the illusion of a planet side stay. To accommodate ships that had been damaged or needed a minor refit, a retractable scaffolding was added under the hull. When extended, this formed an open-space dry dock which could accommodate all but the largest Expeditionary Forces vessels.

The tenders followed much the same operational schedule during their early life. They would fold from one of the factory satellites, after loading up to capacity, to a central point in empty space, almost two-thirds the distance between the satellites and the foremost flotillas. There they would remain as the various groups folded to them, for several weeks of refit, repair and crew rest. The occasional supply ship from the rear bases also arrived with personnel and more supplies. Occasionally the ship would fold to a new location, as the fleets advanced. After a tour of typically two or three years, the tender would fold back to the large bases for its own refit and maintenance.

If necessary, the tenders could also fold towards damaged ships, if the battle had died down, and make on-site repairs. This was shown for example UES Bleriot rendezvoused with the Ikazuchi-class cruiser Valiant after she was severely damaged by Invid kamikazes. The Bleriot stabilized the Valiant’s main engines, which had become dangerously irregular, closed up many of the breaches in her hull and repaired the badly-damaged life-support system. After a week in this improvised space dock, the Bleriot fold-towed Valiant to Space Station Equality, were she was repaired and refitted.

History:

Five of these ships were built by the Expeditionary Forces on board the Robotech Factory Satellite Equality. They served throughout the existence of the Expeditionary Forces without ever coming under attack, or even seeing an enemy. Many of the space-born children drew their first breaths in the hospitals of a Montgolfier-class vessel in deep space.

Until 2043, they followed the described operational pattern. After that, the Expeditionary Forces decided to rebuild the old Joint-Moonbase Luna into a strongpoint and supply base, capable of housing most of the Expeditionary Forces fleet in underground docks. In order to carry this intent out, the entire class, with a large escort fleet, assembled and folded to dark side of the moon, where they then served as the base ships for the moon bases’ reconstruction. They continued to do this during the Reflex Point attack and for some years after, and this base still remains the main fleet base in the Terran system. This work later ensured the fast build-up of the post war space forces.

This class is still serving in the Terran Navy as tenders and supply ships, and are usually stationed, as before, in deep space, supporting long range sensor stations and scout vessels looking for remaining forces of the past three Robotech wars’ belligerents. Three enlarged and improved tenders have since been produced to strengthen the fleet support train, the UES SAD-6 Armstrong, UES SAD-7 Scobee and UES SAD-8 Chandrakant. These ships are known as the Armstrong-class.

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Original artwork by: Harvey Neil Johnston

Acknowledgement is extended to Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide. Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern are given credit for all quotes and paraphrasing of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide that has been utilized in this publication. 

Images from – N/A

Content by Pieter Thomassen and Peter Walker, edited by Tim Wing

Copyright © 2001, 1999, 1997 Robert Morgenstern, Pieter Thomassen, Peter Walker; 2016 Tim Wing

ROBOTECH Technical Files

by Pieter Thomassen and Peter Walker, with Rob Morgenstern

edited by Tim Wing

Attachments:

• Tokugawa-class reference file
• Tokugawa-class gallery

Designation: Tokugawa-class Super Dimensional Carrier (SCV), Tokugawa-class Super Dimensional Landing Ship (SLV, first refit), Tokugawa-class Super Dimensional Battle Ship (SBB, second refit).

Names and disposition:

• SBB-01 UES Tokugawa, commissioned 2014, operational loss, Optera, 2044
• SCV-02  UES Hannibal, commissioned 2014, destroyed Second Robotech War, 2030
• SBB-03 UES Xerxes, commissioned 2015, in reserve, Tranquillity depot
• SLV-04 UES Marcus Antonius, commissioned 2016, destroyed in Invid Invasion, 2031
• SBB-05 UES Themistocles, commissioned 2016, in reserve, Tranquillity depot
• SCV-06  UES Alexander, commissioned 2017, destroyed Second Robotech War, 2030

The ships were built in the Moon Base Luna shipyards, from 2009-2017.

Ship’s complement:

Carrier variant:

• Ships’ crew (2,600 men),
• Naval Air Group (3,500 men),
• Life support limits far exceeds the numbers for a full combat complement and supernumaries, due to a design requirement for a large evacuation capacity, and the system can handle 150,000 humans comfortably, and more for short periods.

Landing Ship variant:

• Ships’ crew (2,045 men),
• Planetary Forces contingent (18,100 men),
• Naval Air Group (1,050 men),
• Life support limits far exceeds the numbers for a full combat complement and supernumaries, due to a design requirement for a large evacuation capacity, and the system can handle 150,000 humans comfortably, and more for short periods.
• In both designs the embarking of over 3,000 supernumaries will require hot bunking for some of the crew or the conversion of other spaces for berthing, although as stated the life support system can handle the strain easilly.

Dimensions:

• Length: 1,120 meters over all
• Height: 357 meters over all
• Width: 430 meters over all
• Mass: 10,800,000 metric tons, operational (typical)
• Fuel Mass: 1,280,000 metric tons, maximum (typical)

Propulsion systems:

• Main power system: RRG mk 14 protoculture-fueled Reflex furnace. The powerplant of the Tokugawa-class vessel can deliver up to 51.8 Petawatts of power, and can operate for forty-seven minutes at maximum power before overheat initiates autoshutdown.
• Maneuvering thrusters (8): Fusion-plasma reaction thruster clusters mounted on the main hull; top, sides and bottom halfway forward and aft.
• Reaction-mass thrusters (8): Westinghouse HSP-24 Fusion-plasma reaction thrusters with protoculture energizer. These engines are mounted in the port and starboard engine bays, in two quadruple square banks of four engines each.
• Secondary reaction thrusters (4): Rolls-Royce Sparrowhawk fusion-plasma reaction thrusters with protoculture energizer. These engines are mounted as a quadruple bank in the central engine bay, directly behind the main hull.
• Anti-gravity System (1): 23 RRG Cyclops anti-gravity pods.
• Space Fold (1): RRG (Robotech Research Group) Mk3 spacefold. This system generates a spherical fold bubble and can transport 30 to 40 subluminal ships in its fold radius.
• Planetary Capabilities: The Tokugawa-class has atmospheric capabilities through its reaction thrusters and anti-gravity system. The ships’ lower body has sufficient strength to let the ship land on it. The ship will float in an ocean.

Endurance and mobility limits:

The dry stores endurance is limited to about 20 years on the Carrier variant and about 10 years on the Landing Ship variant; the on-board recycling installations are very extensive, and only incidental biomass losses need to be replenished. Water stores are recycled almost completely. The hydroponics installations on board will provide the crew with a steady supply of fresh foods, and some can even be ‘exported’ to smaller ships in the fleet.

The mecha consumables supplies (mainly missiles) are very extensive, and can sustain continuous combat operations for over twenty-five days for the Carrier variant, and in the Landing Ship variant can support the entire Planetary Forces contingent for twenty days of continuous combat operations.

The ship-launched missile magazines should suffice for one large battle or two or more skirmishes.

The Reflex furnace can function for about 30 years at normal usage levels before an energizer rebuild is necessary.

At full power, the main propulsion systems can produce up to 275 Giganewtons of thrust at a minimal reaction mass efficiency profile, or as little as 12.3 Giganewtons of thrust at a maximum efficiency setting. At lower power levels, these thrusts are commensurately smaller.

At full power, the Tokugawa-class can achieve a maximum delta-v of 194 kps at the cruising acceleration of 0.1 gees, a maximum delta-v of 38.8 kps at the battle acceleration of 1.0 gees, and a delta-v of at most 10.9 kps at the flank acceleration of 2.5 gees. At lower power levels, these ranges are commensurately smaller.

The fold systems are not navigationally guaranteed for any single jump beyond 10 kiloparsecs. If longer voyages are required, the ships must conduct multiple fold jumps.

The maximum sustained atmospheric speed is limited to Mach 3. A higher speed can be attained while accelerating to orbit, but this stresses the engines to above their sustainable heat tolerances, and must be limited to orbital ascents. The maximum hover time on the anti-gravity systems is limited only by the protoculture supplies and maintenance requirements.

Weapon systems:

(all)

• Three VLR-5 Skylord rocket vertical launch racks: A set of five rocket silos set into the ship’s hull. The rocket fired is the SLBM-sized Skylord, a rocket with a special 3 MT nuclear fusion warhead, an acceleration of 10 g throughout its flight and a delta-v of 10 kps. This missile was also ground-based and could reach a target 175 km high in less than one minute. A conventional warhead was also available. Each installation had five rockets ready for launch, and ten reloads for each rack for a total of 150 rockets on each ship.
• Mk.253 MLS missile systems (6): A vertical launch system with 15 individual launch silos. The silos each contain 6 ready missiles in a rotating mechanism, which can be reloaded while firing. The ready magazines store 310 missiles per launcher. These launchers typically fire Warhawk, and Spacehawk missiles. Typical warheads are anti-mecha cluster munitions, nuclear reaction anti-warship and nuclear reaction re-entry capable weapons. The maximum number of weapons is 2400, of which typically 240 are RMS-3 and Spacehawk-B missiles. Two launchers are located near the engines, two amidships and two in the bow.
• RRG RG-2 Point defense turret (4): The RG-2 mount is designed to deliver heavy firepower on very close targets. A double barrelled rail gun with a round sensor between the barrels, the RG-2 is stored inside the hull, but elevates upwards from under movable panels into firing position. The RG-2 fires 0.227 kg KPI rounds at 25 kps, giving the rounds a kinetic impact energy of 141 MJ. Maximum effective range for this system is 20 km against mecha sized targets, maximum rate of fire is 120 rounds per minute. Four of these cannons are mounted in the hull, on the ventral, dorsal, and each flank, abaft the command tower.

Oerlikon PD-2 Point Defense turret (8): The PD-2 is a double barrelled laser cannon, with an on-mount multi-spectral sensor. Designed for point defense against mecha, missiles and small vessels, the PD-2 delivers 50 MJ of laser energy four times per second. Four of these cannons are mounted in the forward hull, the other four are mounted around the engines.

(All, replaced in surviving ships with the RL-39 turret from 2032 onwards)

• RRG PB-90 particle beam system (2): This twin cannon, with an effective range of 300,000 km, is designed to engage other large spacecraft. It can deliver 12000 MJ per salvo, each barrel firing once every five seconds in a medium duration beam mode. It closely resembles an enlarged PB-45. One is mounted on the topside main hull, between the LT-40 and the PB-80, the other is mounted aft of the bridge tower, facing aft-wards.
• RRG PB-80 particle beam system (1): A faster firing, but less powerful weapon than the PB-90, this quad cannon has the same effective range of 300,000 km. Each salvo delivers 7500 MJ, and the mount can recharge every five seconds. It closely resembles an enlarged PB-25. It is mounted on the topside main hull, just fore of the bridge tower.
• RRG LT-40 laser turret (12): A fast firing medium caliber laser cannon in a low lying round turret. The cannon can fire 4000 MJ of particle energy as laser pulses with an effective range of 300,000 km, and discharge once every four seconds. Four turrets are mounted abeam the command tower. One is mounted in front of the forward particle beam battery, one behind the aft particle beam battery. Two are mounted port and starboard on the ventral hull, and the final two are mounted on the ventral centerline.

(SBB-01, -03 and -05, after refit)

• Mk. 410 heavy missile tube (40).The Tokugawa-class’s heavy missile batteries are mounted on the upper side bodies, in three rows of eight tubes with three rows of four tubes below those. The tubes can launch virtually any of the standard UEEF anti-ship missiles, including the heavy Skylord weapons. Apart from the 40 ready missiles, magazines with sufficient space for 80 Skylord missiles.
• Bofors RL39 Triple Particle Beam Turrets (10). A fully enclosed version of the heavy RL36 turret also mounted on the Garfish class cruisers. These excellent weapons deliver 6000 MJ of particle energy per turret per salvo. The cannons can fire once every three seconds at their maximum discharge rate. Three turrets are mounted on the upper hull, replacing the double and quadruple barreled turrets, three more are on mounted on the dorsal hull, and the last two are located on each side abreast the command tower.

Air group and mecha complement:

SCV vessels:

• Two attack wings with a total of ~1000 Veritech fighters, aerospace fighters and attack planes.
• Two squadrons with a total of ~20 AEW planes.
• One combined squadron with ~10 EWACS shuttles and Elint planes.
• One combined squadron with ~12 couriers and recovery planes.
• Two combined squadrons with ~14 light and heavy cargo shuttles.

SLV vessels, circa 2030:

(Naval Air Arm, in ready hangars)

• 250 veritech fighters and attack planes.
• Two squadrons with a total of ~20 AEW planes.
• One combined squadron with ~10 EWACS shuttles and Elint planes.
• One combined squadron with ~12 couriers and recovery planes.
• Two combined squadrons with a total of ~28 light and heavy cargo shuttles.

(Planetary Forces mecha, in storage hangars)

• 1750 veritech fighters, bombers, and attack planes.
• approx. 700 Destroids.

SBB vessels, post second refit:

(Naval Air Arm, in ready hangars)

• 200 veritech fighters and attack planes.
• One squadron with ~14 AEW planes.
• One combined squadron with ~8 EWACS shuttles and Elint planes.
• One combined squadron with ~6 couriers and recovery planes.
• Two combined squadrons with a total of ~28 light and heavy cargo shuttles.

Electronics:

• DS-2 Barrier Defense System: An advanced forcefield system which covers the full four pi steradians around the ship with a yellow-greenish forcefield (or if desired, only part of the ship). This field will stop all solids and directed energy weapons (except lasers through a narrow band). However, excess energy which cannot be shunted from the field will be stored in high-capacity capacitators. The storage wattage is not as high as in Reflex-cannon armed vessels, and when the barrier overloads the field will discharge the stored energy particles. This discharge will have the force of a low-yield (less than 1 MT) fusion bomb. However, as the discharged energetic particles’ vectors will be away from the field and its generating vessel, it will survive, though it will suffer severe damage to its internal electronics and power systems, and will not be battleworthy until repairs are made.
• DS-1 Pinpoint Barrier Defense System: A smaller system which uses four movable forcefield disks, conformal to the ship’s surface, to repel light torpedo attacks, or energy beam fire. It serves as a back up to the DS-2 system.

Design notes:

The Tokugawa-class carriers were among the first vessels, after the ARMD platforms and the Oberth-class Missile Destroyers, to be designed by Earth engineers. The Tokugawa class was designed as the systems of the SDF-1 were still being deciphered, and construction started on the class at the same time as the first metal for the SDF-2 was cut. The carriers were designed to copy the armament philosophy of the Niven-class ARMD platforms, as well as provide bulk transport for stores and personnel. Consequently, the original design saw the class with six of the large FLBG-1 cannons, as well as a large mecha complement and powerful SLBM rocket battery. As the FLBG-1 weapons proved to be a disappointment on the Niven-class, however, the armament scheme was up for change, and the Orbital Fleet’s disastrous engagement with the Zentraedi caused a major redesign. The large cannons were removed, and in their place faster firing though far less powerful weapons were mounted. As this, and the orbital slaughter, proved to be the death knell for the ARMD operational philosophy, the ship was reassigned as a back-up aviation ship, and only the still heavy missile battery saved the ships from cancellation and scrapping. However, the class was no longer intended for the battleline, but as a base ship, transport and orbital fire support base.

The six ships of the class were commissioned between 2014 and 2017, and served until the final UEEF departure in 2022 partially as base ships for the recon flotillas send out to search for Tirol’s coordinates and partially as guard ships in the solar system. Some years after the UEEF’s fold-jump to what turned out not to be Tirol, four of the class (save the Hannibal and Aalexander) were refitted as troop carriers, with much of their hangar space converted into mecha holding bays. The Naval Air Arm complement in the remaining hangars was dramatically reduced and an entire Planetary Forces reinforced corps could be embarked. At this point, the designations of the four vessels were changed from those of carriers (SCV) to those of landing ships (SLV).

The battlecarriers were nearly the size of the SDF-1. However, this class of vessel, in the landing ship configuration, suffered from a lower standard of habitability, since so much internal space was dedicated to mecha storage space and the supplies necessary for prolonged campaigns.

The vessels were built in three main sections. The foremost section contained most of the hangars, and was built in the shape of a blunt wedge, with a large superstructure on top, and a smaller substructure to the rear of the section. Aft of this front section came a central section, capped with the command tower. Behind this was the very massive engine section, with no less than twelve major reaction thrusters.

The landing ships were intended to use their own fighters and armaments, and those of the two unconverted ships, to smash through enemy defenses, and then unload their large Planetary Forces detachment in a few hours on the surface. However, the ships became vulnerable during their re-entry to a planet’s surface, when they were unwieldy and incapable of outmaneuvering any attack. Therefore, the UEEF later switched to troop deployments from the Ikazuchi-class heavy cruisers, with support from the new Horizont landing craft.

The major flaws in this class of vessel were the relatively weak armament and the lack of a one-hit-one-kill heavy gun, despite the fact that the ships were never intended for major naval battles. In addition, the landing ships suffered from the lack of sufficient hangar space for all their enormous mecha complement to be delivered rapidly into battle.

In the mid 2030’s, the Tokugawa-class ships were refit again as guided-missile carrying Super Dimensional Battle Ships (SBBs). In this final iteration, the ships mecha bays were replaced with large magazines for Skylord nuclear anti-spaceship missiles.

History:

As the SDF-1 was being restored and the Orbital Fleet was under construction, new technological advancements saw the design of the follow-up vessels, the SDF-2 and the Tokugawa class. The SDF-2 was to be a copy of the SDF-1, and the Tokugawa-class ships were to be fold capable follow-ups to the ARMD carriers. After the appearance of the Zentraedi, though, the class was no longer considered fit for frontline service due to proven inadequacies in its basic design. In short, it was proven that the Zentraedi were capable of picking off ships with much the same armament as the Tokugawa’s from beyond the range where these could answer the attack effectively. However, production was too far along to change the design, and the need for hulls was urgent, so six ships of the class were built regardless. The first ship of the class, the Tokugawa, was launched in January 2015, with the additional vessels following approximately every eight months after.

At first, the vessels saw service as carriers, carrying a large complement of VF-1 Valkyries and later VF-4 Lightning IIIs and VF/A-6 Thunderbolt IIIs in space superiority and interceptor roles, and several squadrons of the deadly AF-1 Vulture as their primary attack aircraft. The vessels saw several actions during their early lives, including the Tokugawa’s support of the Lightning squadrons dispatched to disable a small flotilla of Zentraedi ships that had been hiding in the outer system since the destruction of the Dolza’s fleet. The class was also used as base-ships for the flotillas searching beyond the solar system for the coordinates of the capital world of the Tirolian Empire, Tirol.

Some years after the departure of the final ships of the Expeditionary forces, and of the logistical tail, including the Factory Satellite and the Robotech Repair Factory, the decision was made to convert most of the Tokugawa class from less than capable combat vessels to rather more useful troop carriers, the other ships becoming mobile aircraft bases for the ground troops deployed from their half-sisters. Much of the hangar space was converted into mecha storage hangars, and the berthing capacity was greatly expanded to house the large troop contingent. Four of the six vessels were converted.

The UES Hannibal, one of the unconverted hulls, was dispatched to Earth upon reception of a distress call from the beleaguered United Earth Defense Forces (UEDF) during the Second Robotech War. Upon arrival in Earth space she engaged and was destroyed by the Tirolian fleet, although some of the fighter squadrons and nearly her entire complement (in escape pods) made it safely to Earth.

Upon receiving the recall orders from the UEDF, the Expeditionary Force moved to prepare its ships for the fold home. Since the Tirolian Fleet would have to be opposed primarily by ship-to-ship combat vessels, only the remaining carrier variant, and one Tokugawa class vessel, the UES Marcus Antonius, were included in the first two waves. Used as a stand-off missile battery and fighter carrier, the Alexander did not survive the battles with the Robotech Masters. The Marcus Antonius unloaded her troops near Monument City in 2030, and was still on the ground during the final, costly battles of that war. The troops she brought home were very active in mopping up the remaining Tirolian forces on the planet. As the war was over, the Expeditionary Force retained the other three Tokugawa class vessels in deep space, while it tried to decide on a course of action for the future, now that the Tirolian fleet had been destroyed over Earth.

This all changed with the disruption of communications between the Expeditionary Forces and Earth. It was immediately suspected, after a malfunction had been ruled out, that an enemy force had invaded the planet and had had at least a partial success. The identity of the attackers was unknown, although the warnings given by Tirolian clone citizens, and transmitted the Expeditionary Force, about the Invid, were reconsidered and thought possible and in fact likely. Nevertheless, the Expeditionary Force could do nothing but respond with almost its entire operational strength. To this end, the three Tokugawa class vessels and their escorts were loaded with all the ground forces the Expeditionary Force had available. This fleet, which formed, save for a small guard contingent and the SDF-3 UES Pioneer, which was in dock for repairs, all the Earth Forces could still field, then folded to Earth in 2031. Upon arrival, the fleet confirmed the Invid presence, and the near annihilation of the Armies of the Southern Cross and the Expeditionary Force vessels that had been sent back during the Second Robotech War as reinforcements. The losses in the Invid Invasion included the UES Marcus Antonius, which had remained over Earth.

After delivering their troops to the surface, the three landing ships ascended again, and made rendezvous at Moon Base Luna. After it became clear that neither the Invid nor the Expeditionary Force was capable of dislodging or destroying the other belligerent, the two powers settled into an uneasy cold war, occasionally heating up with skirmishes between patrols and surprise raids. The surviving Tokugawa class vessels were assigned to the Home Fleet, of which they formed for many years the capital core task group. This reversal to their designed space control role was only possible because of the practically nonexistent Invid naval presence. The ships were worked hard, and this was aggravated by the fact that Luna was no longer capable of thorough refits, let alone new construction. When in 2038 the first small Expeditionary Forces attack took place, the Tokugawa’s were sent back to the naval yards above Tirol for refit, along with the other longer serving ships of the Home Fleet.

In Tirol space the remaining Tokugawa-class ships were refit as Super Dimensional Battle Ships (SBBs) with most of the hanger space being converted to heavy missile magazines. Though the large missile loadout improved their effectiveness somewhat, it was realized by all that the class was well past its sell by date. In 2042, after the disastrous 1st Mars Division reclamation mission, the class was reduced to reserve in order to free their crews to help man the new vessels. The last notable engagement that a Tokugawa-class ship was involved in was the Battle of Optera, where the UES Tokugawa was brought down by renegade forces commanded by General T.R. Edwards.

The class remained in reserve throughout the rest of the war. Currently, the last of the Tokugawa-class ships are mothballed at the Sea of Tranquility Naval Depot on Earth’s Moon. Though technically they are still considered in reserve, realistically, they would need an extensive and long overdue third refit before entering service again. As the class is now totally obsolete (and over half a century old), they are expected to be stricken and scrapped soon.

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross (R) is the property of Big West Advertising, Tatsunoko Studio and Ammonite studio. This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Original artwork by: Kogawa Tomonori, Hiroyuki Kitazume, Miyo Sonoda, Hiroshi Ogawa, Hirotoshi Ohkura and Takashi Ono; Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd.

Acknowledgement is extended to Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide. Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern are given credit for all quotes and paraphrasing of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide that has been utilized in this publication. 

Images from – This is Animation #10 The Southern Cross, Unspecified Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross OSM, Robotech: the Shadow Chronicles Art Book

Content by Pieter Thomassen and Peter Walker, with Rob Morgenstern, edited by Tim Wing

Copyright © 2004, 2003, 2001, 1999, 1998, 1997 Robert Morgenstern, Pieter Thomassen, Peter Walker; 2016 Tim Wing

ROBOTECH Technical Files

by Pieter Thomassen, with Peter Walker and Rob Morgenstern

edited by Tim Wing

Attachments:

• Horizont reference file
• Horizont gallery

Designation: Shimada Enterprises LCA-12A Horizont Transatmospheric Assault Transport

Names and disposition:

• The Horizont shuttles were not formally given names. Continuing the tradition set by the Predator Assault Shuttles, the crews often gave their shuttles names by using those of those of carnivorous or otherwise imposing animals, and in time, these names were used in message traffic and became semi-official.
• A total of 657 Horizonts were built by the UEEF between 2034 and 2044.

Ship’s complement:

• Ships’ crew (8 men),
• One UEEF Marine squad (14 men),
• Air group and support group (2 men),
• Life support limits are for a full combat complement and about 25 supernumeraries (50 men total). The cargo pods can carry additional troops, but are equipped with their own life support systems.

Dimensions:

Main craft:

• Length: 50.1 m over all.
• Height: 15.3 m over all.
• Width: 56.9 m over the wings.
• Mass: 2200 metric tons without cargo, 2920 metric tons fully loaded.

Cargo or IFS Pod:

• Length: 33.6 meters over all.
• Height: 8.3 meters over all.
• Width: 8.7 meters over all.
• Mass: 60 metric tons empty, 360 metric tons at maximum load.

Propulsion systems:

• Main power system: RRG mk27 protoculture-fueled Reflex furnace. The mk27 powerplant can can nominally deliver up to 768 megawatts of power, and can operate for 50 minutes at maximum power before overheating initiates an automatic reactor scram.
• Maneuvering thrusters (40): Forty reaction thrusters, fed from the main engines, are spread out over the main hull and wing tips of the Horizont.
• Reaction-mass thrusters (5): Three Pratt & Whitney RT-201 fusion-plasma reaction thrusters in a triangular mount in the rear of the vessel. Two Turbo-Union RB3000 fusion-plasma reaction thrusters mounted in the docking stations for the cargo pods in each wing. All engines point to the rear.
• Escape pod separation thrusters (2): ProTech 125 solid rocket engines are mounted in the back of the escape pod.
• Anti-gravity System (1): 3 RRG Elephant anti-gravity pods.
• Planetary Capabilities: Both atmospheric re-entry and supersonic flight require the extension of an aerospike ahead of the ship, as the wings and cargo pods are outside the normal shock front tripped up by the nose. If the spike is missing or damaged, supersonic flight is not recommended, as the Horizont becomes dangerously unstable. Unlike the larger UEEF classes, with the exception of the Predator Assault Transport, the Horizont can land on any sufficiently flat surface with a higher density than a swamp. However, the Horizont can not land on a body of water without sinking, and the cargo pods are not equipped for a submerged entry or exit.

Endurance and mobility limits:

The dry stores endurance is one week maximum. After that time, the shuttle will have to restock its supplies. If the Horizont is only crewed by two or three ferry pilots, this endurance is extended to several months. However, the Horizont is not really suited for such long deployments, and crew fatigue would quickly become a major factor.

The mecha consumables supplies are non-existent unless one or two IFS pods are carried under the wings. The Legios combination can be refueled directly from the Horizont, but rearming is not possible unless at least one cargo pod is replaced with an in-flight service (IFS) pod. In the latter case, 12 Alphas can be fully restocked with the missiles stored in one IFS pod.

The Reflex furnace can function for about 10 years at normal usage levels before energizer rebuild is necessary.

The fuel supplies and engine design allows for a maximum acceleration of 3.2 g for 4 minutes, after which the RB 3000 engines must shut down to cool off. On the RT-201 engines alone, the Horizont can accelerate at 2.2 g until fuel exhaustion, which will occur after at the most 15 minutes. A more economic 0.8 g acceleration can be sustained for 55 minutes.

The typical cruising speed in an atmosphere at 20 km is 2140 kph, while the burst speed (using the RB 3000 engines) engines) is 6600 kph for periods of up to four minutes, but the Horizont is easily detectable at this speed and is advised to accelerate to orbit or decrease speed and altitude as soon as possible. The Horizont does not need to draw on its reaction mass tankage in an atmosphere.

The maximum hover time on the anti-gravity systems is limited to 10 minutes per hover; after that, the gravity pods must enter a 15 minutes cooling period.

Weapon systems:

• Prior to the refits after the Third Robotech War the Horizont shuttles were not armed. With their refit, point defense particle cannons and medium range missile batteries were added (see LCA-12B Horizont II).

Air group and mecha complement:

• One Alpha/Beta Combination (Legios). The Legios can detach and re-attach in all flight regimes save atmospheric re-entry. A pilot for the Beta is unneeded, and if present, the pilot must enter before docking with the Horizont, and cannot leave the mecha until after it has landed on-board a larger vessel.

Electronics:

• A RRG NA-1 ‘Shadow device’ protoculture emission masking system was installed on all new construction and refitted into all surviving Horizonts in the period 2042-2043.

Design notes:

The Horizont Troopship served the UEEF in the capacity of an all-weather, highly maneuverable delivery system for troops and supplies from space onto a planet surface. Though, due to their anti-gravity systems and strong hulls, all UEEF vessels were capable of planetary landings, assuming the landing area was relatively flat, none of these ships were particularly maneuverable in an atmosphere. Only the Predator Assault Transport and the Horizont could deliver men and supplies into a fire fight and have a reasonable chance of leaving quickly.

The Horizont is rather like a very large aircraft, relying on aerodynamics and its large thrust to mass ratio for its atmospheric operations. In space, small vectorable nozzles take the place of the control surfaces on the wings. Furthermore, for atmospheric hovering operations, limited anti-gravity units can be activated for vertical take-off and landings, or to drop the cargo pods from a low altitude without landing.

Under either wing of the Horizont an enormous bunker, capable of carrying men, mecha, cargo, or a specialized C3I (Command-Control-Communications-Intelligence) bunker with all hands, can be mounted. If the Horizont is configured as a tanker, specialized pods will carry reaction mass for the fighters, missiles to replenish them and oxygen for the life support systems and, for Shadow fighters, liquid nitrogen cooling fluid. The Alpha-Beta fighter combination is stored on the underbelly of the Horizont, between the two bunkers.

The interior of the Horizont is small, and the crew-accessible spaces are as follows, from bow to stern. Foremost is the command cabin, where the vehicle is piloted and where the tactical and communications specialists are stationed. Aftwards of this cabin is a small lounge, with limited food stores and a small head, so crew members can rest their legs and eat. The lounge also contains two stored bunks. The cabin and lounge form an escape capsule, and can be separated from the rest of the ship by two dedicated one shot rocket engines. In space, the pod would drift until another ship came by to pick it up, in an atmosphere the pod would set down by means of a parasail. The cabin can operate with all hands for 12 hours before life-support runs out.

Aft of the command module is a hall space where fourteen UEEF Cyclone infantrymen can await their insertion into a landing zone. The soldiers lie in recesses in the walls, with their Cyclones, in box-storage mode, stowed above them in overhead compartments. A hatch from this area leads aftwards to a downwards gangway and ladder, emerging at another hatch that opens into the Alpha access bay. From here, the technician can refuel the Alpha’s fusion engines, the reaction-mass tanks, or the protoculture supply, as well as the life support tanks. The bay can be raised and lowered, and in the lowered position, fits snugly over the Alpha nose and cockpit. When the Alpha is launched, the bay is raised, the gap in the floor is sealed by a sliding shutter-door, and the Alpha/Beta combination is released from the Horizont. On a planet surface, the bay can be lowered, and serves as the staging area and egress point for the Cyclone riders. Inside a larger vessel or a UEEF base, the bay is mated to a ramp, and the crew embarks and disembarks from this point.

Since it is impossible to board a Beta fighter when it is mated to an Alpha (and even if it were, there would be no room for a Beta access bay on the Horizont design), the Beta is generally unmanned; the only exception is when the fighter pair has recently arrived from another ship; and all the Beta pilot can do is remain in his cockpit while docked. Because there is no external access to either plane, except to the Alpha’s nose and cockpit area, neither fighter can be rearmed while docked with a Horizont, unless one of the cargo pod hardpoints is taken by the specialized In-Flight Service (IFS) pods.

Because of the cramped conditions, Horizonts were not intended to be fully crewed for long periods; if it was necessary to have more Horizonts than could be stored in the hangar bays of ships-of-the-line in the Horizonts’ battle group, standard operating procedure would be for all Horizonts to remain outside the vessels, without troop complement or bunkers, operated by a skeleton crew of two that would rotate every twenty four hours by docking with the mothership. Attachment of the bunkers and loading of full crew and armored infantry would occur in the hours prior to battle.

Other than the Alpha/Beta fighter combination, the Horizont is weaponless, a liability that caused the loss of many of these vessels over Earth in the attempt to liberate the homeworld from the Invid occupation. To remedy this, the UEEF decided after the Third Robotech War to introduce a troopship design similar to that used by the Robotech Masters in conjunction with a more heavily armored and newly armed Horizont refit.

History:

The Horizont design was drawn up after the taking of Tirol, with its specifications based on the experience of years of aerospace operations while searching for the homeworld of the Robotech Masters, and on the experience gained while taking Tirol from the Invid. These campaigns had been waged with the Predator Assault Transport and several refitted Kitsune class logistical support vessels. However, the UEEF had both suffered losses among these ships and ascertained that the Predator, while armed and fast, lacked the bulk cargo space required and the Kitsune vessels, based on the Frandlar Tiluvo Zentraedi cargo pods, were nearing the end of their operational lives, and required ever more maintenance. Hence, the UEEF Naval Command drew up specifications for a new dropship design that would replace both types.

The resulting design was based on a new cargo-delivering methodology. Rather than having the dropship fight its way through to the surface, like the Predator was designed to do, the new Horizont would be escorted down by heavy fighter cover. The deletion of the armament, as well as advances in engine design and anti-gravity pods, gave the Horizont almost 500% more cargo capacity over the Predator at almost no additional mass. The cargo was no longer carried internally, but in two ejectable cargo pods. This system made it more flexible to set up temporary bases and repair facilities, thus replacing the Kitsune class as logistic centers.

As the Horizont could accelerate to orbit again and pick up a new load when the older designs would be either grounded (Kitsune) or unloading (Predator), the cargo throughput of the new shuttle system was increased overall. Furthermore, keeping in mind the spaceborne nature of most UEEF operations, extra safety for the crew was provided for by using a space-capable escape pod. The Horizont was thus produced at Tirol beginning in mid-2034.

The Horizont could be configured as a tanker and rearming vessel by mounting specialized pods containing reaction mass, five Alpha docking ports and two docking bays. Alphas with low fuel levels could refuel on those ports, other mecha and Alphas in need of missile replenishment would have to use the fore or aft docking bay.

Although the Horizont did meet every specification, it was not liked very much by the people assigned to fly it. The long, thin neck and slender wings conveyed too much of a sense of vulnerability to ease the minds of its crew. In addition to the defense being sacrificed for cargo capacity, the Horizont was not particularly comfortable, yet had to be manned almost constantly during battle deployments because of the limited docking space available. This procedure, described above, remained standard until after the wars, when new dropships were made compatible with conformal docking slots in the UEEF and Tirolian Navy’s larger ships.

The Horizonts’ crews’ apprehension about their crafts’ vulnerabilities was proven correct in the Invid campaigns, when it became clear that the Horizont could not withdraw in time if it was engaged in loading or unloading, and that the design was particularly vulnerable during re-entry. Because of this, the main use for the Horizonts in an attack role was the dropping of a large number of cargo boxes in a relatively undefended spot, and even that only under heavy fighter and warship escort. Even this could prove fatal if the enemy capabilities were misjudged, as evidenced by the disasters in Earth-space that befell this class. In those attacks, most Horizonts that survived the Invid burned up on re-entry in the atmosphere because they had let their speed reach too high a level (trying to escape) to safely enter the atmosphere.

Well over 650 of these vessels were produced, and though a large number of them were lost in the Galaxy-wide mop-up of the Regent’s Invid, most were lost over Earth in the Mars and Jupiter division descents. Only two in five of those, and of course the full Tirolian contingent, survived, although a few crashed reasonably intact to Earth. Though the crews were usually killed, the bunkers became gold mines for scavengers, and many of the mecha these bunkers carried fell into the hands of resistance fighters in the struggle against the Invid.

As the UEEF, on arrival on Tirol, had come into possession of some abandoned Robotech Master Roil assault corvettes, with their compact design, heavy armor and powerful weaponry coupled to a large transport capacity, the general opinion of the Horizont crews (and many other UEEF personnel) of the new shuttles was and remained very low. Indeed, there were numerous suggestions to use refitted Roil corvettes or copies of this design. However, while a program to this purpose was begun, the technology involved was so complex that it was not until 2043 before the first prototypes made their test flights, too late to be used in the final UEEF assaults on Earth.

After the war, these new craft took over much of the Horizonts’ role. However, because the troopships could not drop cargo pods as the Horizonts could, the improved LCA-16 Horizont V was procured for when C3I pods were needed or when a temporary base had to be set up. This special operations version of the Horizont featured additional armor protection and several particle gun turrets and missile launchers for self-defense.

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. Genesis Climber MOSPEADA (R) is the property of Fuji Television, Artmic Studio and Tatsunoko Production. This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Original artwork by: Yoshitaka Amano, Shinji Aramaki and Hideki Kakinuma

Acknowledgement is extended to Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide. Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern are given credit for all quotes and paraphrasing of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide that has been utilized in this publication. 

Images from – Art Book Genesis Climber MOSPEADA Complete Art Works (August 2009), Robotech II: The RPG, The Sentinels (September 1988), Robotech II: The RPG, Robotech Expeditionary Force Field Guide (March 1989)

Content by Pieter Thomassen, with Peter Walker and Rob Morgenstern, edited by Tim Wing

Copyright © 2000, 1999, 1997 Robert Morgenstern, Pieter Thomassen, Peter Walker; 2016 Tim Wing

ROBOTECH Technical Files

by Pieter Thomassen, with Peter Walker and Rob Morgenstern

edited by Tim Wing

Attachments:

• Predator reference file
• Predator gallery

Designation: Northrop Grumman SCA-33 Predator Cargo Dropship Aerospacecraft

Names and disposition:

• The SCA-33 Predators were never officially named, though their crews typically named their individual dropships after carnivorous animals. A total of 227 Predator-class ships were built for the UEEF on-board Space Station Equality.
• The Predators entered service with the UEEF from 2020 on through 2030 and remained in service until 2039, when the last ones were retired.

Ship’s complement:

• Crew (12 men),
• Life support limits are for the crew and about 400 supernumaries (412 men total).

Dimensions:

• Length: 98.8 meters over all
• Height: 17.6 meters over the hull, 6.3 meters over all.
• Width: 43.7 m over the hull, 58.2 meters over all.
• Mass: 2,131 metric tons (unloaded), 2,347 metric tons (loaded), maximum cargo load 150 metric tons.

Propulsion systems:

• Main power system: RRG mk22 protoculture-fueled Reflex furnace.
• Maneuvering thruster clusters (11): Fusion-plasma reaction thrusters with steerable nozzles. Two are mounted in each side, four are mounted in the ventral hull, and three in the dorsal hull. The ventral thrusters can be overboosted during short periods to provide VTOL capability.
• Reaction-mass Thrusters (2): Two Westinghouse STRM-05 Fusion-plasma reaction thrusters with protoculture energizer. The engines are mounted aft in the hull.
• Planetary Capabilities: The Predator-class is fully atmosphere capable through its aerodynamic design and reaction thrusters and requires no preparations for supersonic flight. Three landing legs can extend from the lower hull to support the ship, provided the ground surface can carry the load. If this is not so, then the hull has sufficient structural strength for the ship to make a belly landing on it. This will hinder unloading, however.

Endurance and mobility limits:

The dry stores endurance is three days maximum. After this time, the ship will have to restock its supplies. For a skeleton crew, the supplies will suffice for weeks.

The mecha consumables supplies are dependent on what is carried in the cargo holds.

The ships’ own launchers are typically exhausted after one major battle or two small skirmishes.

The Reflex furnace can function for about 20 years at normal usage levels before an energizer rebuild is necessary.

Reaction thruster endurance for the Predator class is 40 minutes at 0.8 g, 25 minutes at 1.2 g and and 8 minutes at the flank acceleration of 2.4 g. In the last case the fuel might not be completely exhausted, but the engines will have started an auto-shutdown to prevent catastrophic failure from the stresses put upon them.

Typical sustained atmospheric speed is 2140 kph, while burst speed (using overboosted engines) is 6600 kph for short periods, but the Predator is easily detectable at this speed and is advised to accelerate to orbit or decrease speed and altitude as soon as possible.

Weapon systems:

• Mk.249 MLS system (2): a reloadable VLS installation with 8 individual launch silos. The silos can be reloaded while others in its cluster are firing. There is one magazine on the centerline. The magazines stores 32 missiles a full loadout of 48 missiles. These launchers typically fire Warhawk anti-mecha/missile weapons, though Spacehawk nuclear re-entry and general purpose weapons are among the other weapons that can be fired by the Predator. However, due to the atmospheric theatre and defensive requirements these offensive weapons were rarely carried. These systems are located on the dorsal hull mid-aft.

An armament package can be installed in the lower cargo hold. This package contains:

• General Electric OMD-1 mass driver cannon (1): This cannon can fire a 0.5 kg projectile at speeds approaching 30 kps. The ammunition supply is 3000 projectiles. The barrel of this weapon is mounted on the underside of the weapons package and protrudes forward under the Predator’s belly. The impact energy of one projectile is 450 MJ, the rate of fire is 120 shots per minute. There are two projectiles available; the Kinetic Core Penetrating (KCP) round is a depleted-uranium dart that will impact and penetrate until its energy is spent, the Kinetic Penetrating Incendiary round is a tungsten-capped plastic composite which vaporizes into a directed plasma.
• Oerlikon PD-2 Point Defense turret (4): The PD-2 is a double barreled laser cannon, with an on-mount multi-spectral sensor. Designed for point defense against mecha, missiles and small vessels, the PD-2 delivers 50 MJ of laser energy four times per second. Two cannons are mounted alongside the mass driver.

Air group and mecha complement:

• Four to six Destroids can be stored in holding racks in the cargo bays, but these cannot be deployed while in flight. One Thundercracker artillery Destroid can be transported, but without any other cargo.

Design notes:

The UEEF could not, like the Southern Cross, expect an extensive surface support structure on the planets they would visit. Thus, not only would the UEEF require shuttles that operated from any surface and not just a pre-prepared spacefield, but they would also need to take their own headquarters, repair depots, hospitals, rear area security installations and the like with them. Therefore, the Predator ship was a completely different design from the Pegasus shuttle favored by the Southern Cross.

With the requirements for VTOL operations, unassisted ascents to orbit, and prolonged atmospheric operations with heavy cargos, the Predator weighed in at 2,600 metric tons. The additional atmospheric demands mandated a more aerodynamical design, and a thick flying body with a protruding hull section was chosen. The command decks were located in an aerodynamical command tower in the extreme front of the hull, behind which the large triangular wing surface began. An upper personnel and a lower cargo compartment were located in the central and outer hull sections in front of the engines. The personnel deck did not extend fully aft, leaving enough room for voluminous cargo aft. The aft-most part of the lower deck was an elevator, and two side exits were large enough to allow all but the largest mecha to walk of the ship. Even a Thundercracker Destroid could be transported, although unloading through the lower hatch/elevator was an involved and lengthy process. The lower deck could be changed into a support station by fitting it with a specialized module. For instance, a cargo version could be transformed into a hospital by replacing the cargo binders and handlers with a hospital module. The same principle applied for repair depots, headquarters and the like. Two small wings and two small fins increased the maneuverability in an atmosphere. Two missile installations were located in the hull, between the engines.

The Predator did not mount any weapons save a missile self-defense system in its standard configuration. They could be converted into a small corvette by mounting a weapons module, but these ships were vulnerable in any arc save the ventral and were too valuable for space combat roles. In practice, therefore, this option was virtually never used.

History:

As the UEEF would be capable of operating ground forces, a portable surface logistics infrastructure was required. The Predator ships were designed for this role. They were maneuverable in an atmosphere, armed sufficiently to defend themselves while they made good their escape if attacked, and capable of carrying a substantial cargo load. Landed, they could operate as repair depots, hospitals, headquarters and the like, though they were more vulnerable this way as they could not lift off on a minute’s notice when finding themselves under attack. However, the missile batteries provided some area air defense, and a bodyguard complement was usually send with the ship, typically comprising a fighter squad. Naturally, other forces would also respond if a Predator found herself under attack.

The Predator was also equipped with the wiring to receive a powerful armament package in the central bay, turning this landing shuttle into a small corvette. With a very powerful rail gun and an anti-ship missile load in the existing launchers the Predator could make a reasonable showing of herself in this role offensively. Defensively, the Predator’s firing arcs were so restricted that this option was considered a waste of a perfectly good shuttle. The need for cargo ships and bases in the UEEF was always higher than the need for anti-ship warcraft anyway, as the UEEF spent almost all its time on the offensive. Indeed, the only recorded uses of the weapons package were during Second Robotech War, when the returning Predators were used against the Tirolian Assault Carriers, with predictable and unfortunate results for the Predators.

Of the 227 Predators used by the UEEF, only 23 were destroyed in action between 2022 and 2030; another 24 returned with the emergency fleets and were mostly lost against the Masters, and 32 more were send with the final wave against the Robotech Masters, but arrived too late to take part in the battles and were either destroyed in the following Invid Invasion (21) or escaped to the moon and served as general-purpose craft from there until they were mothballed in 2038. The remaining Predators in deep space were retired as the Horizonts, which could set up bases and unload cargo without landing or staying in the landing zone, entered service. These ships are now mothballed on the moon as well.

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross (R) is the property of Big West Advertising, Tatsunoko Studio and Ammonite studio. This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Original artwork by: Kogawa Tomonori, Hiroyuki Kitazume, Miyo Sonoda, Hiroshi Ogawa, Hirotoshi Ohkura and Takashi Ono

Acknowledgement is extended to Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide. Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern are given credit for all quotes and paraphrasing of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide that has been utilized in this publication. 

Images from – N/A

Content by Pieter Thomassen, with Peter Walker and Rob Morgenstern, edited by Tim Wing

Copyright © 1998, 1997, 1995 Robert Morgenstern, Pieter Thomassen, Peter Walker; 2016 Tim Wing

ROBOTECH Technical Files

by Pieter Thomassen, with Peter Walker and Rob Morgenstern

edited by Tim Wing

Attachments:

• Tristar-class reference file
• Tristar-class gallery

Designation: Tristar-class Super Dimensional Heavy Cruiser (SCB), Argonaut-class Super Dimensional Heavy Battlecruiser (SBH)

Names and disposition:

• Tristar-class names and dispositions
• These ships were built at the Robotech Factory Satellite (a.k.a Space Station Equality), and after 2023 at Moon Base Luna and entered service from 2015 through 2030.

Ship’s complement:

(Tristar-class)

• Ships’ crew (400 men),
• Air Group (700 men),
• Life support limits are for a full combat complement and about 1000 supernumaries (2100 men total).

(Argonaut-class)

• Ships’ crew (400 men),
• Air Group (350 men),
• Life support limits are for a full combat complement and about 1350 supernumaries (2100 men total).

Dimensions:

• Length: 461 meters (Tristar), 465 meters (Argonaut)
• Height: 101 meters
• Beam: 107 85.6 meters (94 meters over-all main body)
• Mass: 459,000 metric tons, operational (Tristar typical), 426,950 metric tons, operational (Argonaut typical)
• Fuel Mass: 52,000 metric tons, maximum (typical).

Propulsion Systems:

• Main power system: RRG Mk.12 protoculture-fueled Reflex furnace. The powerplant of the Tristar-class vessel can deliver up to 526 Terawatts of power, and can operate for sixty-seven minutes at maximum power before overheat initiates autoshutdown.
• Maneuvering thrusters (24): Fusion-plasma reaction thruster clusters with steerable nozzles. Four are located in the bottom, four each on the sides of the nose, four on each sponson and four on top of the vessel.
• Reaction-mass thrusters (4): Westinghouse RT-82 fusion-plasma reaction thrusters with protoculture energizer mounted in a diamond configuration in the rear of the main hull.
• Emergency thrusters (4): SNECMA BCET-6T fusion-plasma reaction thrusters with protoculture energizer paired in a vertical arrangement outside of the side main reaction thrusters.
• Anti-gravity system (1): Three RRG Titan anti-gravity pods.
• Space Fold Drive (1): RRG (Robotech Research Group) Mk.3 spacefold. This system is the Tou Redir-type Zentraedi fold system, adapted to generate a fold-bubble (of limited dimensions) rather than a conformal fold.
• Planetary capabilities: The Tristar-class has atmospheric capabilities through its reaction thrusters and anti-gravity system. The hull has sufficient structural strength for the ship to make a cold landing on it. Note that the ground underneath should be as firm as possible. The ship will float in an ocean, but many of the ingress and excess hatches will be blocked by the ocean, greatly hampering access to the ship.

Endurance and mobility limits:

The dry stores endurance is ten months maximum; after that, the Tristar needs to restock. Water stores are recycled almost totally, and many EF crews added hydroponic plants to unused spaces, providing the crew with a limited supply of fresh fruits, but this is insufficient to provide for the crew indefinitely.

The mecha consumables supplies (mainly missiles) are limited; in EF service the Tristar is unable to sustain continuous combat operations for much more than 20 days. The SC, with its lesser reliance on missiles, could sustain combat operations over a longer period, but rarely felt the need to do so as they operated near the Earth.

The missile magazines for the ship’s own launchers are typically empty after two major space battles or Hive assaults.

The Reflex furnace can function for about 25 years at normal usage levels before an energizer rebuild is necessary.

At full power, the main propulsion systems can produce up to 10.7 Giganewtons of thrust at a minimal reaction mass efficiency profile, or as little as 0.26 Giganewtons of thrust at a maximum efficiency setting. At lower power levels, these thrusts are commensurately smaller.

(Argonaut statistics in italics) At full power, the Tristar-class can achieve a maximum delta-v of 166 kps (171 kps) at the cruising acceleration of 0.1 gees, a maximum delta-v of 33.2 kps (38.2 kps) at the battle acceleration of 1.0 gees, and a delta-v of at most 9.3 kps (10.7 kps) at the flank acceleration of 2.5 gees. At lower power levels, these ranges are commensurately smaller.

The Mk.3 fold systems are not designed to be used for folds of distances greater than approximately ten kiloparsecs, for safety reasons. If longer voyages are required, the ships must conduct multiple fold jumps.

The maximum sustained atmospheric speed is Mach 3. The maximum hover time on the anti-gravity systems is limited only by the protoculture supplies and maintenance requirements, but the system is too weak to lift the ship against gravities of more than 1.1 g without assistance from the reaction thrusters. In fact, even at 1.0 gravity the bottom-mounted maneuvering thrusters are always used to aid the anti-gravity systems.

Weapon Systems:

• (Tristar-class through SCB-21)
• Oto-Melara LRC-220 (RT-60) 220mm double barreled rail gun (2): a turreted version of the cannon mounted on the Battle class destroyer. This weapon is a close range, heavy but slow firing weapon. It can fire a 1.69 kg heavy projectile at speeds of around 60 kps and at a rate of 12 rounds per minute. Each round will impact relatively stationary targets with a kinetic energy of 3040MJ. However, due to the nature of the weapon, its effective range is less than 400 km. Two types of projectile are available: The Kinetic Core Penetrating (KCP) round which will impact and penetrate until its energy is spent and the Kinetic Penetrating Incendiary round, which vaporizes into a directed plasma jet after breaching the outer armor of a target. The LRC-220 turrets are mounted directly in front of the command tower, one behind the particle beam cannons, the other directly in front of them.
• HPC-D220 (PB-45) particle beam system (1): This twin cannon, with an effective range of 300,000 km, is designed to suppress other large spacecraft. It can deliver 4500 MJ per salvo, each barrel firing once every three seconds in a high intensity pulse or in a long duration beam. This cannon is mounted forward of the HPC-D220 mounts on the upper hull.
• LPC-QC105 quad-barreled rotary 105mm particle cannon (4): Nitrogen cooled, four barrel rotary particle cannon based on a Zentraedi space weapon design for their capital ships. Primarily used in the anti-space ship roll, these were close range weapons with maximum effective range of only 32 km.
• TDSH-10 heavy missile array (2): Skylord launchers, a ramp type launch system for Skylord ship-to-ship rockets. The SLBM-sized Skylord is a rocket with a special 3 MT nuclear fusion warhead that accelerates at 10 g throughout its flight and has a delta-v of 8 kps. A conventional warhead can also be mounted. The two double ramps are located in the forward dorsal hull. Mounted on the dorsal side of each sponson is a ten tube missile launcher firing radar guided anti-spaceship guided missiles with reaction warheads. 20 missiles are located in the launchers with 20 additional missiles in the ready magazines, with an additional 600 missiles in the reserve magazines.
• RRG CIWS-L-20 (PB-4) laser turret (15): A fast firing medium caliber CIWS-L-20 laser cannon in a low lying round turret. The cannon can fire 400 MJ per second of particle energy as short duration beams or as enclosed particle packets (‘disks’) with an effective range of 300,000 km. This cannon is not quite capable enough to be effective against larger ships than Re-entry pods, Assault Carriers or Shell-dor carriers. Six mounts are located near the forward terminus of the sponsons; one dorsal, one ventral and one to the side on each beam. The other four are mounted one to each main engine.
• MDS-H-10 anti-ship guided missile launchers (4): SMS-10 Spacelord vertical missile launch system. This missile system consists of two rows with five launch tubes for Spacelord missiles. The launcher is fed from two hull magazines containing 120 reload missiles each, each magazine serving the two launchers on one beam. The typical warheads are 150 kT reaction warheads for anti-ship use or a high explosive directed energy warhead. These systems are located in the dorsal and ventral side sponsons.
• MDS-L-10 close in weapons system missile launchers (4): Located in the aft sponsons, two vertical launch, anti-mecha missile systems with 40 missiles each. An additional 360 missiles were stored in ready magazines.

(Tristar-class from SCB-22)

• Oto-Melara LRC-220 (RT-60) 220mm double barreled rail gun (2): a turreted version of the cannon mounted on the Battle class destroyer. This weapon is a close range, heavy but slow firing weapon. It can fire a 1.69 kg heavy projectile at speeds of around 60 kps and at a rate of 12 rounds per minute. Each round will impact relatively stationary targets with a kinetic energy of 3040MJ. However, due to the nature of the weapon, its effective range is less than 400 km. Two types of projectile are available: The Kinetic Core Penetrating (KCP) round which will impact and penetrate until its energy is spent and the Kinetic Penetrating Incendiary round, which vaporizes into a directed plasma jet after breaching the outer armor of a target. The LRC-220 turrets are mounted directly in front of the command tower, one behind the particle beam cannons, the other directly in front of them.
• HPC-D220 (PB-45) particle beam system (1): This twin cannon, with an effective range of 300,000 km, is designed to suppress other large spacecraft. It can deliver 4500 MJ per salvo, each barrel firing once every three seconds in a high intensity pulse or in a long duration beam. This cannon is mounted forward of the HPC-D220 mounts on the upper hull.
• PB-25 particle beam system (2): A faster firing, but less powerful weapon than the PB-45, this cannon has the same effective range of 300,000 km. Each salvo can deliver 2500 MJ, and the mount can recharge every two seconds. Two mounts are installed abeam from each other between the PB-45 system, and the RT-60 turret and bridge tower.
• RRG LT-15 Double Laser Turret (6): Installed in a low lying turret, this double barreled weapon has an effective range of 300,000 km, and delivers 1500 MJ of laser energy every two seconds at the highest rate of fire. Two turrets are mounted abeam of the command tower. Two more are mounted on each side of the main hull forward and lower than the centerline of the sponsons, and the last two are mounted on the dorsal main hull.
• RRG CIWS-L-20 (PB-4) laser turret (15): A fast firing medium caliber CIWS-L-20 laser cannon in a low lying round turret. The cannon can fire 400 MJ per second of particle energy as short duration beams or as enclosed particle packets (‘disks’) with an effective range of 300,000 km. This cannon is not quite capable enough to be effective against larger ships than Re-entry pods, Assault Carriers or Shell-dor carriers. Six mounts are located near the forward terminus of the sponsons; one dorsal, one ventral and one to the side on each beam. The other four are mounted one to each main engine.
• RRG RG-2 Point Defense turret (4): The RG-2 mount is designed to deliver heavy firepower on very close targets. A double barreled rail gun with a round sensor between the barrels, the RG-2 is stored inside the hull, but elevates upwards from under movable panels into firing position. The RG-2 fires 0.227 kg KPI rounds at 25 kps, giving the rounds a kinetic impact energy of 71 MJ. Maximum effective range for this system is 20 km against mecha sized targets, maximum rate of fire is 120 rounds per minute. Four of these cannons are mounted in the hull, near the curvature of the side sponsons.
• Oerlikon PD-2 Point Defense turret (4): The PD-2 is a double barreled laser cannon, with an on-mount multi-spectral sensor. Designed for point defense against mecha, missiles and small vessels, the PD-2 delivers 50 MJ of laser energy four times per second. They are mounted around the engines (2) and the forward hull (2), behind movable panels.
• MDS-H-10 anti-ship guided missile launchers (4): SMS-10 Spacelord vertical missile launch system. This missile system consists of two rows with five launch tubes for Spacelord missiles. The launcher is fed from two hull magazines containing 120 reload missiles each, each magazine serving the two launchers on one beam. The typical warheads are 150 kT reaction warheads for anti-ship use or a high explosive directed energy warhead. These systems are located in the dorsal and ventral side sponsons.
• TDSH-10 heavy missile array (2): Skylord launchers, a ramp type launch system for Skylord ship-to-ship rockets. The SLBM-sized Skylord is a rocket with a special 3 MT nuclear fusion warhead that accelerates at 10 g throughout its flight and has a delta-v of 8 kps. A conventional warhead can also be mounted. The two double ramps are located in the forward dorsal hull. Mounted on the dorsal side of each sponson is a ten tube missile launcher firing radar guided anti-spaceship guided missiles with reaction warheads. 20 missiles are located in the launchers with 20 additional missiles in the ready magazines, with an additional 600 missiles in the reserve magazines.
• TDSH-15 heavy missile array (2): Skylord launchers, a system almost identical to the SRS-2 described above, save that there are three ramps rather than two. The triple launchers are located in the side sponsons.

(Argonaut-class)

• The weapons fit of the Argonaut class was identical to that of the late Tristar-class from SCB-22 onwards, save that it mounted four TDSH-10 missile launchers and four TDSH-15 missile launchers instead of two of each. This resulted in a roughly 50% reduction in hanger space.

Air group and mecha complement:

See Naval air group compositions for a detailed summation.

Tristar-class, UN Spacy (2017):

• 148 veritech fighters and space fighters,
• A combined squadron of 15 AEW planes, reconnaissance planes, and a cargo shuttle.

Tristar-class, REF/UEEF (2022):

• Approx. 195 veritech fighters and space fighters,
• A combined squadron of approx. 15 AEW planes, reconnaissance planes, and a cargo shuttle.

Tristar-class, UEDF (2026):

• Approx. 220 space fighters or veritechs or (until 2030) approx. 160 space fighters and 40 attack planes.

Argonaut-class, UEDF (2030):

• Approx. 100 to 120 veritechs and space fighters.

Note: The Tristar can accommodate 72 additional fighters by using the launch bays as additional hangars, with the mecha tied down for storage rather than in stalls. However, this was universally unpopular with the pilots as recovery of the additional fighters was not possible, unless a loss rate of 33% was exceeded. Adverse effects on morale caused this method to be discontinued.

Design Notes:

In profile, the Tristar-class has almost exactly the same silhouette as the Battle class heavy destroyer. However, there are important differences: the engines are moved out of the sponsons and into the main hull, where they are mounted in a diamond pattern; the sponsons mate to the hull much more gradually, and the overall size is dramatically enlarged. The main mecha hangars, four double level bays, open to the front of the sponsons.

The cannon armament is extensive, and is concentrated on the forward dorsal deck. From front to aft are a rail gun turret, one heavy and two medium particle beam mounts, then another rail gun turret after which the command tower rises from the deck. Laser turrets cover all other firing arcs. The missile armament is formidable, with heavy rocket launchers for the powerful Skylord forward, and medium Spacelord anti-ship missiles more to the rear. The weak point of these vessels are the limited point defense capabilities, and the limited firepower that can be brought to bear to the rear and ventral arcs.

The Argonaut sub-class replaced the two smaller mecha bays with additional Skylord rocket launchers, backed by the large magazines required to provide six missiles for each launch ramp. This reduced the mecha complement with almost 50%, but provided the Southern Cross, the only service to commission these ships, with a heavy battlecruiser that could provide sustained missile barrages. In addition to this, the bow section was redesigned with a longer, but lower and lighter superstructure which made for better range, at the cost of less crew quarters. However, since the crew on the Argonaut was smaller than that on the Tristar in any case, the net result in habitability was negligible.

As the smallest ships capable of independent operations, the Tristars and Argonauts are equipped with a fold drive.

History:

The Tristar-class large cruisers are the smallest fleet command ships ever operated by the UEEF, and the heaviest units in the UEDF Tactical Space Corps. The UN Spacy designed the class initially as a recon cruiser, intended to scout systems for enemy presences. This was very useful in the recon operations that tried to uncover the precise location of Tirol prior to the departure of the SDF-3. After this, the UN Spacy ships were divided under the UEDF and the UEEF, while series production for the Southern Cross continued on the moon. Their designated task in the UEEF was to act as heavy escorts and escort commanders for the larger ships, to be capable of leading a detached battle group of destroyers on independent operations, and to give support for the Tokugawa class of landing ships. In the Southern Cross, they were the flagships and main battle line units of the Tactical Space Corps.

For these tasks, the Tristars carried a number of mecha, and a powerful anti-ship missile armament. Yet, to use as few resources and money as possible, the Tristars were made as small as was feasible without compromising their combat efficiency. Because of this, several compromises had to be made: the heavy anti-ship armament was concentrated on the dorsal and bow, with only minimal attention to the other arcs, and the ships themselves were considered cramped by their crews. However, the class performed as designed, and if there are comments on their performance, blame must be laid solely with their design criteria.

To improve the missile firepower for the Southern Cross, a variant of the Tristar was procured, the Argonaut-class heavy battlecruiser, described above. Because of the cramped living conditions and too concentrated armament, further series production by the UEEF was not pursued, with that service designing enlarged Tristar variants, a design and building process that lead, through numerous paper designs and small numbers of intermediate ships, to the large and capable (not to mention more comfortable) Ikazuchi class large cruiser. For all its faults, though, the Tristars and Argonauts were fine vessels that were fought gallantly by their crews, no matter the circumstances.

Because of the high importance of the Pioneer mission, twenty-two of the thirty Tristar-class cruisers built by the date of the SDF-3’s departure were assigned to the UEEF task forces, either as escorts for the UEEF flagship or as command ships for the out-system flotillas searching for the home planet of the Robotech Masters. This initially left only eight Tristars as the largest operational ships in the Solar System, until production of additional vessels increased this number.

During the search missions, several Tristar-class cruisers met with untimely ends. The Tiamat was destroyed during the first engagement of the SDF-3 Pioneer, when she ran afoul of an automated Tirolian defense system using laser satellites. The T’ien Shan was destroyed in 2025 by a Zentraedi missile barrage, and the Tradewind (in 2027) and Theseus (in 2029) were destroyed when they stumbled on Tirolian colonies that retained enough protoculture to power their defenses for a short period. Also in 2029, the Takao was destroyed by an alien rail cannon emplacement.

Eight UEEF Tristar cruisers left with the assault waves against the Robotech Masters on the relief expeditions for Earth. Of these eight, the Tenacious, Thebes, Twister, Tisiphone, Trenchant and Tiger were destroyed in the various Southern Cross offensives against the Tirolian fleet. The final two, Thutmosis and Taranis, were destroyed in the Invid Invasion. Immediately following that invasion, all UEEF vessels, save for a few guard vessels for the Robotech Factory Satellite, left in the counterattack against the Regess. Of these, Thunderbolt, Turbulent, Tone, Thunderer, Ticonderoga and Torbay were grounded on Earth in the liberated enclaves, to serve as logistics centers for the forces and as emergency evacuation vehicles, should the troops be overrun. When the Invid attack came, only the Tone and Thunderer made it to Moon Base Luna. One other UEEF vessel, Tyrant, became part of the Earth System Defense fleet, operating from Moon Base Luna during the Invid occupation and patrolling the system against off-Earth Invid incursions (which never materialized). After the war, these three ships, together with the Turgon and Tsunami, which had stayed behind as guard vessels, were placed in reserve in 2047. They are, with the Southern Cross Trident, the only survivors of 41 commissioned Tristar vessels.

The Southern Cross vessels of the Tristar-class suffered even heavier losses than the UEEF allotment. The class ship, Tristar, became the flagship of General Emerson, and was destroyed in the latter stages of that war when she was fatally damaged and then hurled by her crew into a Mothership, where she self-destructed. Other Southern Cross ships to be destroyed by the Tirolians were the Triffid, Trireme, Titania, Tigris, Tesla, Terrible, Triumph, Tallyho, Temeraire, Texas and Talent.

The Invid surprise attack a few months later claimed almost all other Tristars in the Sol System, most before they had even had a chance to open fire. In a matter of a few hours, the Thor, Talon, Thorn, Truculent, Teutates, and Trout were destroyed, most with all hands. The single Southern Cross survivor of this class is the Trident. Damaged in the Second Robotech War, she was undergoing repairs at Moon Base Luna. However, she had not yet completed her refit at the time of the Invid Invasion, and she remained in her drydock until the yard personnel finished her after the REF counter attack, whereupon she joined the Earth System Defense fleet, and entered the reserve in 2047 with the other Tristar survivors.

The Argonaut subclass fared even worse against the Robotech Masters. Of the 12 vessels, no less than 10 (Argonaut, Achates, Antietam, Anzio, America, Ayanami, Akagi, Asmodean, Aurora and Albion) were destroyed by the Tirolian fleet, and the two survivors, Audace and Ark Royal, were heavily damaged. After the war, interrogations showed that the Tirolians had assigned targetting priority to these vessels, the most capable ship killers in the Southern Cross fleets. The two survivors were under repair on the moon during the Invid invasion, and the rest of their life was comparable to that of Trident. They too, are now in reserve in the Tranquillity Sea ship depot.

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross (R) is the property of Big West Advertising, Tatsunoko Studio and Ammonite studio. This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Original artwork by: Kogawa Tomonori, Hiroyuki Kitazume, Miyo Sonoda, Hiroshi Ogawa, Hirotoshi Ohkura and Takashi Ono

Acknowledgement is extended to Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide. Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern are given credit for all quotes and paraphrasing of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide that has been utilized in this publication. 

Images from – Robotech RPG 2^nd edition The Masters Saga

Content by Pieter Thomassen and Peter Walker with Robert Morgenstern, edited by Tim Wing

Copyright © 2004, 2001, 1999 Robert Morgenstern, Pieter Thomassen, Peter Walker; 2016 Tim Wing