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Macross-class Super Dimensional Fortress (SDF)

Names and Disposition:

(KIS = Kowalczyk Imperial Shipyard)

Ships' Complement:

• Ships' crew (12,000 men)
• Space Naval air group (400,000 men)
• Space Marine unit (750,000 men)
• Life support limits are for a full combat complement and about 2,880,000 supernumeraries (3,000,000 men total).

Note: The given numbers are approximations; the exact number of personnel varied somewhat due to operational realities and different ships.

Dimensions:

• Length: 14000 meters overall
• Height: 2948 meters overall
• Width: 2333 meters overall
• Fuel Mass: 6,000,000,000 metric tons
• Operational mass (typical):  30,000,000,000 metric tons

Propulsion Systems:

• Main power system: RRD Mk24 anti-matter-fueled Reflex furnace. The powerplant of the Macross-class vessel can deliver up to 200 Exawatts of power, and can operate for ten hours minutes at maximum power before overheat initiates autoshutdown.
• Maneuvering thrusters (83): Overtechnology MRT-07 Fusion-plasma reaction thruster clusters with steerable nozzles. Fifteen are located on each side of the ship, eight are located on the ventral leg, ten on the dorsal leg, eight on the dorsal cannon booms and eight on the ventral cannon booms.
• Reaction-mass thrusters (16): Rolls Royce MRE-20 Fusion-Plasma Reaction Thrusters with anti-matter energizer mounted in a cluster of  4x2 on each leg.
• Secondary thrusters (24):
• 10 Turbo Union ARE-12 Fusion-Plasma Reaction Thrusters with anti-matter energizer mounted in two clusters of five underneath the 'shoulders'.
• 12 Europa Drive ARE-13 Fusion-Plasma Reaction Thrusters with anti-matter energizer mounted on the ventral central body in a cluster of 3x4 engines, forward of the ARE-7.
• 7 Europa Drive ARE-14 Fusion-Plasma Reaction Thrusters with anti-matter energizer mounted on the ventral central body, in a cluster of two side rows of two and one central row of three aft of the ARE-12 thrusters.
• Anti-gravity system: 100 Shizuma Titan anti-gravity pods.
• Sublight drive (15): Europa Drive GDD-15 local, monopolar-induced gravitic space-time distortion drive.
• Space fold (1): RRD Mk22 spacefold. This system is conformal to the vessels surface. The problem with the vast majority of the previous generation of fold systems was that the fold bubble weakened the state of the structure to the extent that they needed a refit after only five years of service. As such the RDF mandated the use of conformal systems similar to the old Zentraedi systems which also allows for much higher speeds.  
• Planetary capabilities: The Macross-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, and this is the preferred landing in the absence of landing infrastructure.

Endurance and Mobility Units

• The dry stores endurance is limited to about 1 year with a full crew complement, assuming no mining and subsequent replenishment, which the ships were capable of doing. The 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.
• The mecha consumables supplies (mainly missiles) are very extensive, and as long as the onboard factories remained supplied, the ship can sustain continuous combat operations for an unlimited period of time.  Without any additional manufacturing, the internal storage space could sustain continuous combat operations for over sixty days. 
  The ship-launched missile magazines sufficed for ten large battles or twenty or more skirmishes
• At full power, the main propulsion systems can produce up to 512 Teranewtons of thrust at a minimal reaction mass efficiency profile, or as little as 10 Teranewtons of thrust at a maximum efficiency setting. At lower power levels, these thrusts are commensurately smaller.
• At full power, the Macross-class can achieve a maximum delta-v of 433 kps at the cruising acceleration of 0.1G, a maximum delta-v of 88.6 kps at the battle acceleration of 1.6G, and a delta-v of at most 27.1 kps at the flank acceleration of 3.4G. At lower power levels, these ranges are commensurately smaller.
• Sublight drive acceleration is 1000G, but the vessel's maneuverability is reduced to such a degree that only minor course corrections are possible. Typical cruising speed is .24 c.
• The fold systems are not navigationally guaranteed for any single jump beyond 5 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 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 maintenance requirements.

Weapon Systems:

Circa 2063

• RRD reflex cannon Mk XII(2): These weapons form the forward part of the ship. The two forward booms move apart slightly, then open up, and a particle beam generation then takes place between the two halves of one or both cannons. The effects of these weapons against planets equaled the heat and blast effects of the detonation of a fusion weapon of 200 MT, if the cannon was fired at full power and can be fired at a range of up to 150,000 km. Unlike its predecessors that mounted twin reflex cannons, the Macross-class can actually charge and fire both in a combat situation or use them in a sort of semi-automatic mode firing one blast every ninety seconds alternating cannons. If utilized against starships, the largest vessels could be destroyed with the leakage of the beam. A direct hit would vaporize the target vessel. The weapon could also be set to a wider dispersal. In this setting, it was capable of clearing a wide area of fighters and other mecha, although starships in this area would only be blinded.
• RRD MRC-06 mini-reflex cannon(4): This miniaturized, less powerful version of the heaviest of ship-borne weapons has an effective range of 115,000 km; at full power it has the effective yield of a 40 MT fusion weapon. These cannons are located between the sponsons of the four side bodies. If utilized against starships, only smaller vessels could be destroyed with the beam. A direct hit would vaporize the target vessel. The weapon could also be set to a wider dispersal. In this setting, it was capable of clearing a wide area of fighters and other mecha, although starships in this area would only be blinded.  
• Krupp PC-15 plasma cannon turrets(40): The plasma cannon is a new cannon designed to replace the aging particle cannon and works by firing electrically charged hydrogen molecules that upon impact give off radiation and a tremendous amount of heat causing a large explosion. To give the weapon a great advantage, this the cannon has a range of 200,000 kilometers making the longest range weapon in the RDF arsenal. However the cannon does sacrifice some power in pursuit of this long range and can only discharge 15.8 GJ per volley. The refire rate on the cannon is once every five seconds giving it a rather mediocre rate of firing but the long range makes up for it as most ships cannot begin to attack until they close range. The turrets are mounted on the sides of the cannon booms (6 each), in the center body (10 on the dorsal surface, 6 on the ventral surface), and on the engine blocks (3 on each dorsal surface, 3 on each ventral surface). Each turret contains three cannons and can rotate a 360 degrees in the horizontal axis and from -15 to 75 degrees in the vertical axis.
• Vickers TPC-05 tachyon pulse cannon turret(28): The tachyon pulse cannon a new design in energy cannons that slows down tachyon particles traveling faster than light and force them into streams of immense firepower giving ships a powerful punch at close range. The only weak point of the design is its range of only 65,000 km making good for close combat but more than makes up for it overall discharge of 168.1 GJ. The re-fire rate of once every fifteen seconds is the slowest in the RDF save for the reflex cannon, but even with it, the cannon can deliver over 272 GJ of energy per cannon, per minute(!). These cannons are mounted on the cannon booms (5 dorsal , 5 ventral per) and on the engine blocks (2 dorsal, 2 ventral per) in turrets of three cannons capable of rotating 360 degrees in the horizontal axis and from -10 to 60 degrees in the vertical axis.
• Vickers EMRC-12 heavy rail cannon(8): Mass driver cannons in dual turrets are mounted on the shoulders. The cannons can accelerate a 325 kg projectile to velocities approaching 210 kps. The ammunition supply for each cannon is 6,000 projectiles. The turrets can rotate in the horizontal plane through 140 degrees, and elevate 15 degrees upward. Combined with the capacity for 360 degree rotation at the shoulder joint, these weapons can be unmasked on all possible target bearings.  The impact energy for one projectile is 7.2 TJ (1.4 kT) with a sustained rate of fire of 60 shots per minute. 
  The available ammunition consists of KCP Kinetic Core Penetrating (hull penetration rounds), KPI Kinetic Penetrating Incendiary (plasma incendiary rounds) and MKEP Multiple Kinetic Energy Penetrator (flechette cluster rounds), the latter as anti-mecha formation weapons.
• Europa RIC-15 reaper ion cannon turret(160): The reaper cannon delivers 7.6 GJ of energy with a range of around 75,000 km, but at a faster rate of fire of around once every three seconds. The cannon delivers charged atomic particles that impact a target and release radiation and large amounts of heat melting the armor. This cannon is also very effective against shields because the radiation interferes with the harmonics of the shield by delivering EM pulses with the radiation. Mounted mostly on the main central body(30 dorsal, 30 ventral per) of the vessel along with the engine blocks(20 dorsal, 20 ventral per) and the Macross Cannon Platforms(30 each), these small turrets mounting two cannons each provide the heavy bombardment power of the Macross-class.
• Bofors PL-12 point defense turrets (1340): Mounted behind movable panels in the main central hull (220 dorsal, 220 ventral, 40 sides per), cannon booms (40 dorsal, 40 ventral, 20 sides per), shoulder locks (20 dorsal, 20 ventral, 10 sides per), the engines blocks (75 dorsal, 75 ventral per), Macross Cannon Platforms (100 each) and in front of the bridge (60). These standard RDF weapons can fire 60 MJ of particle energy three times per second up to 20 km.
• Lockheed SLBM launchers (500): The missiles are specialized Lockheed Lockheed SLBM-20 Warhammer (Space Launched Ballistic Missiles) with anti-matter warheads in the 20 MT range. The delta-v capacity of the missiles is 633.1 kps, and the magazine can store 28 missiles per launcher. These launchers are mounted on the sides of the cannon booms(90 each), side bodies (30 dorsal, 30 ventral per), and central main body (80).
• Raytheon Mk.270 missile launchers (240): Each launcher has 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 420 missiles per launcher. These launchers typically fire Bishop and Cardinal missiles. Typical warheads are anti-mecha cluster munitions, nuclear reaction anti-warship and nuclear reaction re-entry capable weapons. These launchers are located on the bow (80 per side), the shoulder locks (20 each), on the legs (15 each), and on the center of the ship (10).
• Raytheon Mk 267 surface to air missile launchers (620):  A missile launcher mounted in a twelve tube pop-up turret, firing anti-mecha/missile missiles, though the projectiles can guide on point-blank enemy ships. When the missiles are released they are already on their intercept vectors, or very close to them.  The launcher is designed to fire the SA-12 Arrow medium range surface-to-air missile. Each turret has a reload time of 6 seconds and a magazine with a 6000 round capacity.  These turrets are mounted behind armor plating and pop up when firing and are mounted on the central main hull(40 dorsal, 40 ventral, 20 sides), shoulder locks(9 dorsal, 9 ventral, 2 sides per), cannon booms (20 dorsal, 20 ventral, 10 sides per), engine blocks (40 dorsal, 40 ventral, per), Macross Cannon Platform (40 each), and in front of the bridge (60).

Air group and mecha complement:

(circa 2063)

(Space Naval Air group)

• 15000 VF-19 Excalibur Veritech fighter
• 6000 VF-17 Nightmare Veritech fighter
• 1800 VF-22 Sturmvogel Veritech fighter
• 4500 VAF-12 Odin Veritech attack fighter
• 4500 VBF-15 Loki Veritech fighter bomber
• 9000 VA-14 Falcon Veritech bomber
• 2250 VAB-5 Pirate Veritech heavy bomber
• 60 EC-15 Lynx Airborne early warning and control aircraft
• 70 Concorde-class Transatmospheric dropships
• 264 SC-52 Vulture Personnel and cargo shuttles
• 600 VC-37 Perseus Heavy VSTOL cargo transport
• 350 VC-39 Ajax Light VSTOL cargo transport

(Space Marine Unit)

• 1200 VF-17 Nightmare Veritech fighter
• 3000 VA-14 Falcon Veritech bomber
• 4500 MBR-25 Atma Heavy battle destroid
• 5400 SDR-14 Tiger Missile destroid
• 5400 ADR-14 Razor AAA destroid
• 100 RGM-90 Double Zeta Gundam Mobile Suit
• 600 RGM-91 ReGZ Refined Gundam Zeta Mobile Suit
• 800 RGM-89 Jegan Mobile suit
• 50 HWR-04 Godzilla Heavy artillery destroid
• 100,000 VR-066 Hurricane Veritech cyclone
• 40,000 VR-073 Typhoon Veritech cyclone
• 70,000 VR-089 Tornado Veritech cyclone
• 8,000 VR-099 Tsunami Veritech cyclone
• 3600 VHT-2 Ragnarok Veritech hovertank
• 20 MTA-2 Behemoth Military transport
• 30,000 VR-071 Protector Veritech cyclone
• 30,000 VR-074 Gorilla Veritech cyclone
• 30,000 VR-077 Firefly Veritech cyclone

Note: The given numbers are approximations; the exact number and type of mecha varied somewhat due to operational realities and different ships.

Electronics Systems and Special Equipment:

• RRD DSO-8 omnidirectional barrier defense system(1): 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 the virtual structure of the field itself. 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 (>45 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 .
• Hughes DSP-7 pinpoint barrier defense system(10): Uses four movable disks of force field, conformal to the ship's surface, to repel light torpedo attacks, or particle beam fire.
• Robotech Factories, suited for the manufacture of small items (mecha, missiles, and other spare parts) a fully manned Macross-class vessel would need over a period of 25 years.

Design Notes:

History:

Layout adapted from Robotech Reference Guide

Content by Jeffrey R. Spillner
Copyright © 1998-2002 Jeffrey R. Spillner

Page Last Updated on January 21, 2002 @ 14:00 GMT