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Spanish Álvaro de Bazán class Guided Missile Frigate:

The Álvaro de Bazán class frigate were one of the most effective surface combatant classes when introduced, using the well tested Aegis / SPY-1D system carried on the American Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer. The slightly later Australian Hobart class Guided Missile Destroyer were derived from the Álvaro de Bazán class frigate. While called a frigate, it would be more accurate to classify the Spanish vessels as destroyers instead of frigates due to vessel's fire power and size. Originally four were build originally but later a fifth and then a sixth were added. The later Almirante Miranda class were similar in many respects as well.

These frigates were primarily designed for the air defense role with forty-eight missile cells. Usually thirty-two standard missiles and sixty four ESSM missiles were carried. The smaller ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile) missiles could be quad packed so that huge numbers could be carried. In addition, these ships mounted eight missile canisters in the superstructure for Harpoon missiles. These were designed to give the ship the ability to strike at long range against other warships.

Otherwise, these ships were armed with a single five inch gun mount on the bow. These five inch guns were from older United States Naval vessels with the first four coming from Tarawa class amphibious carriers. Various rounds could be fired including extended range rounds. In addition, these ships had space set aside for a close range CIWS mount but were not fitted with one.

These ships carried four torpedo tubes for anti-submarine warfare with two on each side. As far as sonar, these vessels were only fitted with a relatively short range hull sonar. While fitted for a towed array, they were not fitted with one. As such, these vessels were not as well suited to anti-submarine warfare as the American Arleigh Burke class. The Australian Hobart class were built with a more powerful sonar array along with mounting a towed array sonar. As such, they were much more effective in anti-submarine warfare.

The Spanish Navy, like most of the military forces of the time, were caught with all of their hardware becoming obsolete over night with the introduction of the new high strength alloys and composites in the Twenty-Thirties. Like many militaries, it was decided to rebuild their warships instead of embarking on a program of new construction. The six Álvaro de Bazán class frigate were among the Navy's most effective warships and it was decided that they would the first warships to be rebuilt. At this time, older vessels such as the Santa María class frigates, a modified version of the American Oliver Hazard Perry class, were retired. On the Álvaro de Bazán class, new alloys and composites replaced much of the original hull and superstructure during this rebuilding.

At the same time, the weapon systems were upgraded. New ammunition made these vessels even more lethal than they had been. In the case of the five inch gun, it was simply modified versions of the original ammunition. With the missile cells, new missiles had been developed. A single cell could carry either two long range missiles or four medium range missiles. Cruise missiles were rarely carried. As well, due to the limited range of the vessel's sonar, anti-submarine rocket boosted torpedoes are rarely carried. The missiles in the canisters were also replaced by more modern missile types during the upgrade although usually sea skimming missiles were carried in the canisters and were considered the ship's main long range anti-ship weapon.

The ships were finally fitted with a close range defense system at this stage, a single Mk. 49 RAM misisle launcher mount was fitted. Originally, the FABA 20 mm CIWS was planned but the RAM launcher was considered more effective in the close range missile defense role. It was considered early but was not fitted until the late Twenty-Thirties. While the Australian Hobart class had their CIWS mounts replaced with the Sea Sabre mount, the RAM launchers were retained on the Spanish vessels.

Later, it was decide that these ships would be rebuilt a second time. With the introduction of fusion turbines, ships could operate for an almost indefinite period. Two fusion turbines replaced the original LM-2500 Gas turbines. They produced around sixty percent greater power than the original engines, allowing the vessel to reach a top speed of thirty two knots compared to around twenty eight knots as she could originally reach. The diesel engines were completely removed at this point due to no longer being needed. Various automation was added during the rebuilding of the vessels which allowed considerable reduction in crew size.

Like many other military forces, it is unknown what happened to these warships. They had been retired to reserve before the coming of the Rifts, replaced by more effective vessels but due to their extensive rebuilding were still in good shape. The new high strength composites and alloys are also almost immune to corrosion and might be well preserved if they were properly sealed.

Model Type: F100 Álvaro de Bazán class Frigate
Vehicle Type: Ocean, Guided Missile Frigate
Crew: 175; 25 officers, 20 Chief Petty officers, and 130 enlisted (Has a high degree of automation) - original crew was 235. Has space for a 16 personnel flag group.
Troops: 2 Helicopter Pilots, 12 Pilots for SAMAS Power Armors, and 12 soldiers in body armor that are retained on board the ship.

Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:
12SAMAS or other Power Armors
1Helicopters or other VTOL Aircraft

M.D.C. by Location:
Bridge:400
[1] SPY-1D Phase Array Radar Panels (4, Superstructure):300 each
Mk 41 Missile Launchers (48 Cell, forward):240
Missile Canisters (8 total):100 each
Twin 12.75 inch (324 mm) Torpedo Launchers (2, sides):35 each
Mk 45 Five Inch (127 mm) Barrel (1, Turret):80
Mk 45 Five Inch (127 mm) cannon Turret (Forward):200
GDC Mk 49 Rolling Airframe Missile Quad Launcher (1):150
Chaff Launcher (2, Superstructure):10 each
Hanger (Aft):300
Outer Hull (per 40 foot / 12.2 meter area):50
[2] Main Body:1,200

Notes:
[1] Destroying Phase Array radar panels will destroy the ship's fire control systems but guns have backup systems and panels can compensate for each other.
[2] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body destroys the ship's structural integrity, causing it to sink. There are enough flotation devices and inflatable life rafts to accommodate everyone aboard.

Speed:
Surface: 36.8 mph (32 knots/ 59.3 kph)
Range: Effectively Unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 15 years and requires maintenance as well). Ship carries 8 months of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:
Draft: 15.75 feet (4.8 meters) mean and 24 feet (7.2 meters) including sonar
Width: 61.0 feet (18.6 meters)
Length: 481.2 feet (146.7 meters)
Displacement: 4,550 tons standard and 5,853 tons fully loaded
Cargo: 300 tons (272.2 metric tons) of nonessential equipment and supplies. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ships officers have more space for personal items. Most of the ship's spaces are taken up by extra ammo, armor, troops, weapons, and engines.
Power System: Originally conventional diesel and gas turbine propulsion (CODOG), converted to two nuclear reactors with an average life span of 15 years.
Black Market Price: Not for Sale but if found on the black market would probably cost 250 million credits or more if intact and operational.

Weapon Systems:

  1. One (1) MK 45 Single Barrel Five Inch (127 mm) Naval Gun: The ship mounts a five inch gun on the bow of the ship. The gun is very reliable although it fires at a relatively slow rate (20 rounds per minute). The gun was carried on many ship classes until well into the twenty first century. The guns can be used against other ships, against ground targets, and against aircraft. The weapon can use special artillery rounds, rocket assisted rounds, and can even fire Extended Range Guided Munitions.
    Maximum Effective Range: 12 miles (10.4 nautical miles/19.3 km) for standard projectiles, 20 miles (17.4 nautical miles/32.2 km) for rocket propelled rounds, and treat Extended Range Guided Munitions as medium range missiles (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
    Mega-Damage: Standard Projectiles: 2D6x10 to a blast radius of 25 ft (7.7 m) for High Explosive, 3D6x10 to a blast radius of 6 ft (2 m) for High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 4D6x10 to a blast radius of 25 ft (7.7 m) for Plasma. Rocket projectiles: 2D4x10 to a blast radius of 20 ft (6.1 m) for High Explosive, 2D6x10 to a blast radius of 4 ft (1.2 m) for High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 3D6x10 to a blast radius of 20 ft (6.1 m) for Plasma. Extended Range Guided Munitions: Treat as medium range missiles (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.) Use the statistics for 105 mm artillery warheads (Go to Battlefield Artillery for Rifts for more information - standard or rocket assisted as appropriate.)
    Rate of Fire: Normal Projectiles: Five shots per cannon per melee. Extended Range Guided Munitions can be fired at the rate of one shot per melee
    Payload: 500 rounds - Each Extended Range Guided Munitions round takes up space for 2 normal rounds. Ship normally carries usually carries 100 High Explosive, 100 High Explosive Armor Piercing, 80 Plasma, 40 Rocket Propelled High Explosive, 40 Rocket Propelled High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 40 Rocket Propelled Plasma rounds, and 50 Extended Range Guided Munitions. The ship will carry special rounds when employed in artillery roles.
  2. One (1) Strategic MK 41 Vertical Launch Missile Launchers: This forward launcher has 48 cells for missiles. These are the longer strategic version of the missile launcher and can carry the longer cruise missile. From the beginning, the launchers have been found to be very flexible and adaptable. The launcher was originally design for the Tomahawk and Standard SM-2 Missile. On Rifts Earth, the launchers have been adapted to hold one cruise missile, two long range missiles, or four medium range missiles per cell. Cruise missiles are usually used against hardened fixed targets, long range missiles are normally used against aircraft and other large targets, and medium range missiles are normally used against closer targets such as incoming missiles.
    Maximum Effective Range: As per cruise, long range, or medium range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
    Mega Damage: As per cruise, long range, or medium range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
    Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 16, or 24 for launcher per melee and can be fired at multiple targets at the same time.
    Payload: 48 cells missiles in forward VLS launcher (possible total of 96 long range missiles). One cruise missile, two long range missiles, or four medium range missiles may be carried per cell. Ship carries no reloads.[Usual load out is 32 long range missiles and 128 medium range missiles.]
  3. Eight (8) Long Range Missile Canister Launchers: These launchers are special canisters amidships on the ship's superstructure. These canisters were copied from Old United States Harpoon canister launchers. While the launchers are reusable, they are still inexpensive and are easily jettisoned if damages. While any long range missile type can be carried, usually special surface skimming missiles will be carried in launchers and are used against surface targets only.
    Maximum Effective Range: As per long range missile type (Surface skimming missiles have 25% less range than normal long range missile, Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
    Mega Damage: As per long range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
    Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of two, four, or eight (All launcher operates together)
    Payload: One missile each launcher for a grand total of eight long range missiles (Has no missiles in storage for reloads).
  4. One (1) GDC Mk 49 Rolling Airframe Missile Quad Launcher: This are a Pre-Rifts RAM missile launching system and has been modified to use 21 Short Range Missiles. These missile mounts main purpose is for inner anti-missile point defense and was originally designed to deal with cruise missiles. Short Range Missiles are usually a mixture of 50% Armor Piercing and 50% Plasma. Launchers can lock onto multiple targets at the same. The systems missile launchers can target up four targets and can fire a volley up to twice per melee.
    Maximum Effective Range: As per short range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
    Mega Damage: As per short range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
    Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of two (2) or four (4) and can be used up to twice per melee.
    Payload: 21 missiles each.
  5. Two (2) Twin 12.75 inch (324 mm) Torpedo Launchers: There is one launcher on each side of the ship. Each torpedo launcher has two torpedo tubes and tubes are 12.75 in (324 mm) wide. Torpedoes are normally used against submarines but can be targeted on surface targets as well. As well, there are interceptor torpedoes available to fire against other torpedoes although most torpedoes can be fired back at torpedoes fired at the vessel. Ship carries twelve reloads for torpedoes. For the most part torpedo warheads are equal to medium range missile warheads.
    Maximum Effective Range: 20 miles (32 km)
    Mega Damage: By Medium torpedo warhead type (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes.)
    Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of two (2) per side, Reloading takes 1 full melee
    Payload: Two torpedoes each launcher for a grand total of four (4) torpedoes (Has twelve [12] torpedoes for reloads)
  6. Two (2) Chaff Launchers: Located on the superstructure of the ship, they are designed to confuse incoming missiles. Both launchers must be operated or effects will be reduced. Reduce effects of launchers by 50% per launcher not used. Rifts Earth decoy systems are assumed to not operate on Phase World missiles due to technological difference. Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (Add +20% to rolls for smart missiles.)
    Range: Around Ship
    Mega Damage: None Payload: 24 each for a total of 48.
  7. Four (4) Towed Decoys: A special decoy which is towed behind the ship. The Coalition has not seen a need for this system so has not equipped their ships with it. It generates a sound like the ships propellers in order to confuse incoming torpedoes. Only effective at speeds below 18 knots. Otherwise, the noise of the ship's systems and propellers is too powerful to mask. Rifts Earth decoy systems are assumed to not operate on Phase World missiles due to technological difference.
    Effects: The decoy has a 65% chance of fooling ordinary non military sonars and non smart guided torpedoes, the decoy has a 35% chance of fooling military level sonars (like those of the Coalition), and the decoy has a 10% chance of fooling advanced military sonars (Like those of the New Navy and Triax) and smart torpedoes.
    Decoys have a duration of 30 minutes (120 melee rounds)
    Payload: One, with four more as reloads. It takes three minutes (twelve melees) to reel out another decoy.

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

[Golden Age Weaponsmiths and Triax are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

Image drawn and copyrighted by Mischa (E-Mail Mischa) with slight revisions by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).
Mischa has no art home Page at present but many other items on my site.

Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright 2011 Kitsune. All rights reserved.

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