Lysander

Lysander Submarine-Carrier
Production information
Manufacturer	Various
Use	Submersible Aircraft Carrier, Artillery Support Vessel
Tech Base	Inner Sphere
Chassis Type (Size)	Naval Vessel (Large, Template D)
Equipment Rating
Cost	250,000,000 C-bills
Introduced	3047
Technical specifications
Mass	26,000 tons
Top Speed	32.4 km/h
Power Plant	Fusion
Fuel (Type/Range)	Unlimited
Communications System	Unspecified
Targeting Tracking System	Unspecified
Fire Control System	Advanced
Armament	12x ER large laser 6x ER medium laser 4x LRT-20 8x SRT-6 8x Arrow IV
Heat Sinks	174
Armor	Unspecified
Barrier Armor Rating (BAR)	10
Crew	19 Officers 60 Enlisted 50 Gunners 80 Bay Personnel

Description

The Lysander-class submarine carrier was a creation of the Draconis Combine during the late 3040s, by order of Theodore Kurita. The wet naval carrier was created due to the difficulties the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery encountered while fighting on oceanic worlds during the War of 3039, such as Athenry. The Lysander was designed to provide a substantial presence at sea and a mobile base for aerospace craft for defense against orbital threats, submerging to protect itself and its aerospace assets from orbital fire.

Due to the ship's size, each Lysander must be built on-site by companies on their respective water-dominated worlds, though the cost allows for companies on these worlds to turn a considerable profit. These carriers saw action during the Combine-Ghost Bear War, where some were deployed at sea for up to six months.

During the Jihad, Athenry was attacked by the Word of Blake. Several Lysanders evaded capture and continued to fight the Word of Blake until the planet was liberated. Apparently the Word of Blake was impressed by the Lysander and the Argo submersible carrier; some intelligence analysts think that they based their Wyrm SDS fortress on the Lysander and Argo.

Weapons and Equipment

The Lysander is designed to carry five squadrons of aircraft, which act as the ship's principal offensive weapon. Usually, a Lysander will carry four fighter-type aircraft squadrons, either aerospace or VSTOL-capable conventional types, and a single VTOL squadron, including search-and-rescue and early warning types. Aircraft are stored in thirty fighter bays, while takeoff/landing is provided for by six helipads.

Weapons on the Lysander includes eight ER large lasers and six ER medium lasers mounted on a single turret. Mounted in the ship's bow are four additional ER large lasers, four twenty-tube long-range torpedo launchers, and four six-tube short-range torpedo launchers. Another four rear-firing six-tube short-range torpedo launchers are mounted in the aft section. For artillery support, the ship carries eight box-launched Arrow IV launchers; these can be fired either submerged a few meters below or on the surface. The total amount of ammunition stored on the ship includes eight tons of Arrow IV missiles, eight tons of SR and four tons of LR torpedoes. All of the ship's weapons are guided by an advanced fire control system.

A massive 1,404-ton fusion engine, large enough to supply a city, propels the Lysander to a cruising speed of 21.6 km/h. When used in conjunction with advanced air and water reclamation systems, the range and endurance of the submersible is limited only by its massive cargo capacity and willingness of the crew to live in cramped conditions. The ship is protected by 78 tons of armoring and receives additional protection from a Guardian ECM. The ship's hull also uses an advanced composite material to protect it when operating in hazardous environments, such as Athenry's sulfurous oceans; in less hostile environments, this has the added benefit of reducing maintenance.

Other features include two field kitchens, a MASH unit with one operating theater, ten tons of communications equipment and thirty lifeboats. Accommodations include two hundred and forty second-class quarters, which provide enough living space for the crew and additional units to house occasional infantry detachments stationed on board. Recreation facilities are also provided, consisting primarily of computer and virtual reality systems, given the tight spaces.

Cargo

• 3,869 tons standard cargo bay - 1 door (bow)
• 30 fighter bays - 4 doors (1 fore left/1 fore right/2 aft)
• 4 super-heavy vehicle bays - 2 doors (aft)

Notes

• The ship has an equipment rating of E/X-X-E/E. It features armored and submersible chassis modifications, including six helipads (locations T2-T7) and 30 maritime lifeboats.

• As of this writing, there are no published record sheets for this support vessel. In the revised edition of TRO: Vehicle Annex, the Lysander entry notes the ship's stats as the Block II. This suggests an earlier variant; however, aside from this entry, there is no canon information regarding what the Block I may have had for weapons or equipment.

Bibliography

• Master Unit List
• Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex
• Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex Revised