design by Guidomc
NOTES:
The Ardennes class is specifically designed to transport a smaller contingent of reactionary ground forces with only limited support to establish beach-heads and defensible positions for larger forces to exploit during times of conflict. Unlike a standard frigate, the Ardennes fields twice the number of troops and rarely includes traditional Marine troops, opting for more heavily armed Army ground forces and their equipment. The Ardennes, like other assault ships, can support ground vehicles and limited heavy equipment, but is primarily designed to operate with other specialized rapid-reaction vessels to reinforce a quickly established landing zone. Once the Ardennes has beamed it’s troops down, along with their light infantry equipment, the ship transitions into a defensive role, protecting other ships within the task-force as they transport heavier equipment and construction materials. The Ardennes’ troops can expand the initial landing zone and deter enemy activity while the beach-head is secured.
The Mk I was first proposed in 2310 with the intentions of being a major combat support vessel for the on-going conflict with the Romulans. However, the conflict ended before the project was green-lighted. When relations with the Tzenkethi began to deteriorate in 2316, the Ardennes project was given the go-ahead and Roseanna Designs of Cait was given the contract. In 2317, the design specifications were presented to Star Fleet Procurement, and the Ardennes class was approved for construction. While some sited the Ardennes small troop compliment as a liability, most fleet planners recognized that the Ardennes main strength was not in it’s ground forces, but in the space-frame’s ability to support ground troops and orbital operations with the firepower and capability of a cruiser. The Mk I mounted an impressive 10 main phasers with 6 supporting phasers, giving the vessel excellent an fields of fire. The Mk I also mounted 12 combat transporter, allowing the ship to beam down nearly it’s entire contingent of troops in 5 minutes or less.
The Mk I served admirably during the Tzenkethi conflict, fulfilling it’s mission parameters almost to letter-perfect functionality. On no less than seven occasions, task forces based on multiple Ardennes class ships were called upon to rapidly transport their forces to various planets to secure landing zones. Followup troops were then able to quickly take advantage of the landing zones and force Tzenkethi ground troops to fight both a ground battle and space battle, reducing their effectiveness. During the conflict, only one Ardenne’s was as a result of combat.
The Ardennes class remained a tactical planning tool until 2335 when planners began to realize that the conflict between the Klingons and Romulans (who had not been heard from along the Federation boarder for over 20 years) could eventually spill into a major conflict throughout the quadrant. While relations with the Klingons were, by no means cordial, the Kitomer accords were still active, and should the Romulans push the issue, the Federation would need ground bases and established outposts on a wide range of planets quite quickly. Designers at Rosenna were tasked with finding improvements to a number of designs, including the Ardennes.
The Mk II would see a significant improvement in the main sensors, with the intent to detect cloaked Romulan attack vessels before they threatened landing operations. The secondary weapon systems were also replaced with a much longer ranged phaser system. The main computer was also replaced to the isolinear classification, although some in Star Fleet felt this was an unnecessary expense. None-the-less, the Mk II was approved and 20 new vessels were scheduled.
The conflict with the Romulans never materialized, however, and orders for the Ardennes were reduced from 20 to 14, and then eventually to 10. The days of the Ardennes were far from over, and in 2347 the Ardennes were some of the first vessels to see action in the Cardassian war. As was their mandate, the Ardenns were used to quickly establish defensive position outside outposts and colony cities, preventing Cardassian ground forces from capturing lightly defended position. The Ardennes would go on to serve during the devastating Dominion war and were some of the only Assault Ships to server alongside Romulan assault forces during the war.
Although the Ardennes continues to be in serivce, there is talk about retiring the class, who is now nearly 100 years old. Many of the active spaceframes would require extensive refit and replacements of primary structural components to extend their service life. With newer ships in serive, and other designs easier to upgrade, Star Fleet has announce that, baring another major conflict, the Ardennes class will be removed from service within the next five years.
A total of 31 Ardennes have been built, including 21 Mk I’s and 10 Mk II’s. Of the 21 Mk I’s built, 20 were converted to Mk II’s and one was destroyed. Of the 30 Mk II’s in service, two have been scrapped, both after significant damage during combat. The Ardennes were built at the Cait shipyards.
| Construction Data: | ||
| Model – | Mk I | Mk II |
| Ship Class – | XI | XI |
| Date Entering Service – | 2319 | 2339 |
| Number Constructed – | 21 | 10 |
| Hull Data: | ||
| Superstructure Points – | 33 | 37 |
| Damage Chart – | C | C |
| Size: | ||
| Length – | 374 m | 374 m |
| Width – | 177 m | 177 m |
| Height – | 60 m | 60 m |
| Weight – | 172,990 mt | 174,325 mt |
| Cargo: | ||
| Total SCU – | 300 SCU | 300 SCU |
| Cargo Capacity – | 15,000 mt | 15,000 mt |
| Landing Capacity – | None | None |
| Equipment Date: | ||
| Control Computer Type – | M-8 | I-6 |
| Transporters: | ||
| Standard 6-person – | 6 | 6 |
| Combat 20-person – | 12 | 12 |
| Emergency 22-person – | 8 | 8 |
| Cargo – | 3 | 3 |
| Other Data: | ||
| Crew – | 326 | 329 |
| Troops – | 600 | 600 |
| Passengers – | 20 | 20 |
| Shuttlecraft – | 34 | 34 |
| Engines And Power Data: | ||
| Total Power Units Available – | 76 | 77 |
| Movement Point Ratio – | 4/1 | 4/1 |
| Warp Engine Type – | FWG-1 | FWG-1 |
| Number – | 2 | 2 |
| Power Units Available – | 26 ea. | 26 ea. |
| Stress Chart – | D/F | D/F |
| Max Safe Cruising Speed – | Warp 8 | Warp 8 |
| Emergency Speed – | Warp 10 | Warp 10 |
| Impulse Engine Type – | FIG-1 | FIJ-1 |
| Power Units Available – | 24 | 25 |
| Weapons And Firing Data: | ||
| Beam Weapon Type – | FH-3 | FH-3 |
| Number – | 10 | 10 |
| Firing Arcs – | 4 f/p, 2 f, 4 f/s | 4 f/p, 2 f, 4 f/s |
| Firing Chart – | W | W |
| Maximum Power – | 5 | 5 |
| Damage Modifiers: | ||
| +3 | (1-10) | (1-10) |
| +2 | (11-17) | (11-17) |
| +1 | (18-20) | (18-20) |
| Beam Weapon Type – | FH-12 | FH-16 |
| Number – | 6 | 6 |
| Firing Arcs – | 2 f/p/a, 2 f/s/a, 1 p/a, 1 s/a | 2 f/p/a, 2 f/s/a, 1 p/a, 1 s/a |
| Firing Chart – | R | Y |
| Maximum Power – | 6 | 4 |
| Damage Modifiers: | ||
| +3 | (-) | (1-10) |
| +2 | (1-9) | (11-17) |
| +1 | (10-16) | (18-24) |
| Torpedo Weapon Type – | FP-4 | FP-9 |
| Number – | 4 | 4 |
| Firing Arcs – | 2 f, 2 a | 2 f, 2 a |
| Firing Chart – | S | R |
| Power to Arm – | 1 | 1 |
| Damage – | 20 | 28 |
| Shield Data: | ||
| Deflector Shield Type – | FSS | FSQ |
| Shield Point Ratio – | 1/4 | 1/4 |
| Maximum Shield Power – | 20 | 30 |
| Combat Efficiency: | ||
| D – | 183.2 | 206.9 |
| WDF – | 137.4 | 157.2 |
| |||