Nightwing

Nightwing (Surveillance) TRO3057r.png
Nightwing
Production information
Manufacturer Di Tron Heavy Industries[1]
Introduced 2447
Production Year 2447[2]
Use Surveillance
Tech Base Star League
Cost 1,517,966,000 C-Bills
Technical specifications
Mass 100,000 tons
Length 305 m
Sail Diameter 571 m
Fuel 5,600 tons
Burn Rate 19.75
Safe Thrust 1.5 g
Top Thrust 2.5 g
Sail Integrity 3
KF Drive Integrity 4
LF Battery No
Armament
Armor 129.5 tons standard
DropShip Capacity 0
Crew 108[1]
  • 20 Officers
  • 70 Enlisted
  • 18 Gunners

Bay Personnel: 20

Grav Decks 1 x 80 meters diameter
Escape Pods/Life Boats 0/15
Heat Sinks 1200 single
Structural Integrity 65
BV (1.0) 34,174[1]
BV (2.0) ???



Description[edit]

The Nightwing-class WarShip was designed with one mission in mind: surveillance. Superficially, the Nightwing was designed to look like smaller civilian JumpShips which commonly plied trade routes during the Age of War. However, upon closer inspection, the Nightwing is much better armed and armored, and lacks docking collars. The Nightwing also possessed the most advanced surveillance equipment of its contemporaries.

A small WarShip, the Nightwing was most commonly deployed with Tracker-class surveillance vessels, another Age of War–era WarShip which looked like a civilian JumpShip. Squadrons containing paired Nightwings and Trackers would routinely jump into a system and conduct long-range surveillance before continuing upon a preestablished patrol. The fact that the Tracker possessed a pair of docking collars aided in the ship's cover: by deploying with Tracker WarShips with DropShips in tow, the casual observer is much more likely to dismiss the squadron as a trade convoy.

In a twist, the advanced sensor suite of the Nightwing proved the class's undoing. As electronic warfare became more sophisticated, the Nightwing's sensors required replacement, an extremely difficult task, due to being literally interwoven through the hull of the WarShip. The Nightwing's slow speed and high profile among its intended targets ultimately led to the Hegemony placing orders for new designs of surveillance ships in 2525. The heir to the Nightwing was the venerable Bug-Eye surveillance vessel and the Nightwing was phased out over the next century.

Armament[edit]

The Nightwing is a formidable vessel for its size. Capable of moderate-g maneuvers, the Nightwing is also well armed and armored, possessing an array of capital-scale PPCs, lasers, and autocannons, capable of deterring DropShips, JumpShips, and small WarShips. However, the Nightwing does not employ any point defense weaponry; the Nightwing is dependent upon other vessels for defense from smaller aerospace assets.

The prize of the Nightwing's armament is its large sensor array. Embedded throughout the hull and armor, the sensors are capable of taking passive readings without raising suspicion. The Nightwing may also deploy a longer-ranged, retractable sensor array, or allow small craft deployed from the vessel to conduct long-range surveillance. However, embedding the sensor array made refits, repairs, and upgrades nightmarish.

Cargo[edit]

The Nightwing was designed for surveillance, not for transportation. The ship contains a single cargo bay, capable of handling 2,295.5 tons. The Nightwing lacks docking collars, but does have space to support up to four small craft in a second cargo bay. 75 tons of sensor and spy gear, including the retractable sensor dishes and antennae, are accessed through 3 cargo doors.[1]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Technical Readout: 3057 Revised, p. 184: "Nightwing Profile"
  2. MUL online date for the Nightwing

Bibliography[edit]