Progress today. Still more to do but thought I'd upload it as is for more feedback...
To illustrate placement of the defensive armament and the deck layout a
VERY basic top view. Don't expect this view to progress much.
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Gun complement now stands at 12x (6 twin) Dardos, 4x Oto KBA mounts with single BK-27s (Don't really want to have to fire the 40mm at everything) 4x M3 12.7mm HMGs on the Oto remote mounts (still mounts around ship for numerous pintle mounted MGs if required)
Missile armament is housed in a VLS off the end of the flight deck made locally in Atlantia 16 quad packed cells firing either IRIS-T SL or SLAMRAAM-ER (Should there be more cells maybe?)
Sensors include Smart-L (if someone could point me the right way to the latest S-1850 I'd use that) paired with Sampson anda distributed EO system. Mass chaff launchers on the bow and aft of the bridge with most likely another being fitted in the ditch between the flight deck end and middle elevator. Also present is Rheinmetall's MASS IRCM system and massed flare launchers.
Ship's boats are amidships housed in the bridge superstructure.
Aircraft complement now stands at.
4x Squadrons of the single seater Griffins (12 aircraft per)
2x Squadrons of the two seater Griffins (14 aircraft per)
2x Electronic Warfare flights using modified two seater Griffins (4 aircraft per)
1x Airborne Early Warning flight using E-1Xs (4 aircraft)
1x COD flight using C-1Xs (6 Aircraft - only two embarked on the carrier)
2x Helicopter Flights using Sea King Mk.46s (4 aircraft - due to be replaced, probably by AW101s)
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Specifications.
Type: Nuclear powered fleet carrier
Class: Unique
Displacement: ~130,000tonnes
Length: ~381m
Beam including flight deck overhangs: 78m
Beam @ Waterline: 44.5m
Draught: 12.95m
Propulsion: 2x 160MW SFR reactors powering 4 electrically driven shafts plus bow and stern thrusters.
Range: Unlimited within confines of human tolerances (food etc) - Expected to be refuelled every 20-25 years
Crew: 2,655 ships company - ~2,500 air group
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Back Story.
'The Ark' can be traced back to an early 1980s design study into a class of super carriers for the Atlantian navy, there was extensive research into a future design to replace the ageing British and American carriers in service at that point. However with the end of the cold war there was seen no need for such a large class of ships work had already been started on the first (Ark Royal) in 1989 and was continued albeit at a snail's pace. Continual delays in production saw the design revised several times before a new government in 1995 started production in earnest. Construction continued at a steady pace until 2000 when another party was elected. Again production stopped on the ship deemed superfluous to requirements. Production was started again in 2003 after the invasion of Iraq and 9/11. Come 2005 another change of party this time pushed to get the ship finished and in service. By 2009 construction was nearly complete. Construction was completed in late 2010 and sea trials commenced finishing in March 2011. She was christened into service by a Swordfish pilot from the Ark Royal sunk in 1941.
She was dispatched along with other ships from the Pacific fleet to Japan following the Earthquake and ensuing Tsunami.
Regards, Mark.