> However, I wouldn't go all the way to designing and
> mass-producing a full class of the type
The Aesir, and the warp-capable variant I mentioned (Vanir), would be built around the spaceframe of the Danube, so it would be possible to modify the one into the other - take off the launchers, drop the mission pods, fit nacelles and put the warpcore structure back together - one Danube. An Aesir would have 60-70% the parts for a Danube, so once the war is over they could be refitted easily - they're certainly a wartime design that's much less use in peace-time.
> Every time you commit them to combat, you're
> accepting that you're going to lose a significant
> percentage of your people.
Yes. And it's debatable if Starfleet would make that choice. However, they've commited Miranda-class ships to a fairly large number of battles and they tend to die quite easily. That's about the same complement as a wing of Aesirs and considerably more ship to replace.
The Aesir concept would be weak against fighters like the Halcyon or a Klingon Bird of Prey - no arguement there.
Against the Borg... well, at Wolf 359 the federation losses were 39 starships and 11,000 crew I think. Adding 42 Aesirs and 126 crew to that is a drop in the well - they'd be dead after about three minutes in combat at best - but chances are that at least half of them would be able to fire off every torpedo they had - I don't know how much effect 700+ photon torpedo hits in close succession would have on Borg shields, but I doubt it could have made the situation any worse.
In peacetime probably Aesir/Vanir modification packs could be located at a few central points and at need all available Danubes could be fitted out with the gear in a couple of days, then crammed aboard a ship dragged out of mothballs for carrier duty. Instant Carrier group, just add crews.
But you're correct, I'm going off topic. Sorry.
D for Drakensis
You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.
> mass-producing a full class of the type
The Aesir, and the warp-capable variant I mentioned (Vanir), would be built around the spaceframe of the Danube, so it would be possible to modify the one into the other - take off the launchers, drop the mission pods, fit nacelles and put the warpcore structure back together - one Danube. An Aesir would have 60-70% the parts for a Danube, so once the war is over they could be refitted easily - they're certainly a wartime design that's much less use in peace-time.
> Every time you commit them to combat, you're
> accepting that you're going to lose a significant
> percentage of your people.
Yes. And it's debatable if Starfleet would make that choice. However, they've commited Miranda-class ships to a fairly large number of battles and they tend to die quite easily. That's about the same complement as a wing of Aesirs and considerably more ship to replace.
The Aesir concept would be weak against fighters like the Halcyon or a Klingon Bird of Prey - no arguement there.
Against the Borg... well, at Wolf 359 the federation losses were 39 starships and 11,000 crew I think. Adding 42 Aesirs and 126 crew to that is a drop in the well - they'd be dead after about three minutes in combat at best - but chances are that at least half of them would be able to fire off every torpedo they had - I don't know how much effect 700+ photon torpedo hits in close succession would have on Borg shields, but I doubt it could have made the situation any worse.
In peacetime probably Aesir/Vanir modification packs could be located at a few central points and at need all available Danubes could be fitted out with the gear in a couple of days, then crammed aboard a ship dragged out of mothballs for carrier duty. Instant Carrier group, just add crews.
But you're correct, I'm going off topic. Sorry.
D for Drakensis
You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.