By:Captain Steven Karnak
Military Staff Committee
What to do with the Ariel class? It has been an often-asked question in the offices of the Military Staff Committee since the U.S.S. Ariel (SC 2200) was launched almost five years ago. With the recent commissioning ceremony of the U.S.S. Adjuvant (SC 2203) and the refusal of the Federation Council to approve funds for the Fredrikstad class until a suitable role can be found, an answer to that question has been given new urgency
So far, three main proposals have been put forth as to what role the ship can fill. The first proposal is to keep them as shuttlecarriers. The second proposal is to use them as massive probe launching facilities to map new sectors of space. And the last is to use them for colonization duties, carrying all the materials and personnel needed to start a colony.
Since we last covered this topic, a proposal by Admiral Nan'k Tasschat'n to produce one of each type was rejected due to the extreme cost of such a program. Instead, a fourth proposal has been floated that of a fightercarrier. This design seems to be the odds-on favorite, now that the Excelsior and Ingram classes of SCS do appear to be continuing beyond the single-ship stage at this time and relations with the Klingons remain tense.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
The SCS / Fightercarrier proposal calls for two of the six landing bays to be modified to allow the quick launching of Vigilante and Victory class fighters. The bays themselves would be interconnected to allow a full carrier air wing to be carried. This would allow a potent mix of fighters, tankers, SWACS (Spaceborne Warning And Control Shuttles), and standard shuttles to be carried. As such a design would be a natural for ground assault operations, internal modifications to the primary hull to allow the stationing of a regiment of marines and the ability to carry their equipment in the hangar bays are incorporated into the design.
Deployment zones continue to be a sore spot for the Ariel class. Due to their size and limited armament, these vessels require a destroyer or frigate escort screen to accompany them on border patrols. Chandley and Northampton class heavy frigates can be assigned to beef up the marine detachments and the fightercarrier would be an excellent addition to large-scale operations involving Makin and Continent class assault ships.
CONCLUSION
Currently, the four existing ships are being used in their original roles as shuttlecarriers. The most likely plan is to modify the ships along the SCS program. They would be assigned with either heavy frigates for ground operations or destroyers for fleet-level maneuvers. This design would be most appropriate as portable probe launchers could be added to the fighter launch tubes for surveying missions and the sheer size allows them to be used as colonial transports for short-duration periods. A vote by the MSC is expected within a few months.
