New Sovietskiy Perekat Surface Effect Ship Corvette:

Surface Effect Ships have rigid sidewalls for stability and support, with lift fans generating air which is trapped between the sidewalls and the flexible seals or "skirts" forward and aft. This design permits high speed operation (80+ Knots) due to there being less hull area in the water to create drag. This differs from the design of air cushion vehicles which contains the lift air entirely with a flexible skirt. The United States experimented with the idea in the late Twentieth century and at one time a frigate sized Surface Effect Ship was proposed. It was not progressed with and remained an interesting experiment.

This was until the Soviet Navy decided to go further with the design in the late Twenty First Century. The Soviet navy had been reborn after the Communist government took over the nation in the 2027 and a large number of light combat ships of the Tashkent class were in service. Still, the Soviet Navy wanted a much faster Corvette design and decided that the Surface Effect Ship design would be the best way to achieve this. There were several roles proposed for this design including that of a fast attack ship and as a fast anti-submarine vessel. The fast attack role mission would include these vessels making high speed missile strikes against ground targets and larger vessel. The high speed anti-submarine role would include a high speed race to the location of an enemy submarine and saturation attacks. Preferred styles of attack would planned using large numbers of these Surface Effect Ships.

The prototype vessel of the class was laid down in 2084 and was commissioned in just two years. Due to the design being so unique, the vessel was tested more extensively than most Soviet designs. Testing actually took almost a year but the vessel passed all tests that it was put to. At that point, production was made a high priority and six more Surface Effect Ship Corvettes were laid down. By the time that the Rifts consumed the Soviet Union and most of the rest of the world, a total of about forty of these vessels had been completed and there were at least ten more under construction. Most of the vessels were destroyed but a few survived in various locations around the oceans of the former Soviet Union.

The hull of these vessels are far wider in relation to the vessels length compared to more traditional designs. The whole corvette is constructed from high strength composites including the vessel's skirts / flexible seals. Still, the skirts are a weak point and the boat speed is greatly reduced when not riding on its air cushion. Few Soviet vessels are designed for stealth but the Perekat class features stealth similar to the previous Tashkent class fast attack craft. Stealth of the Surface Effect Ship is improved compared to the older light craft. Power is provided by six fusion turbines. Four of the fusion turbines provide thrust using four water jets which are semi-submerged. Two of the fusion turbines provide lift for the Surface Effect Ship. The top speed that the vessels have been brought up to is 82 knots. Because the hull is mostly out of the water in most cases, the Perekat does not have a hull sonar but instead has a towed array sonar. Even so, the towed sonar is far less effective when the boat is traveling at high speeds and will usually the air cushion when it is using the towed array sonar. A key improvement over the previous patrol vessel was that a lightweight single array phased array system was mounted with vastly improved performance compared to the previous radar system. The range of the system is actually slightly less but can track almost four times as many targets.

It was decided that the vessels would carry a fairly moderate cannon and a 100-mm electro-thermal cannon was mounted on the bow. The electro-thermal cannon had an increased range compared to the standard cannon but retained a very high rate of fire. The weapon mount has a series of special capacitors to provide the power bursts required for the electro-thermal cannon to first bursts of rounds. Missile launchers were the first of a new generation of launchers planned for other Soviet classes. The launchers were in most ways copies of the American Mk 41 missile launcher and are far more effective than previous Soviet missile launchers. These launchers were too short to carry cruise missiles but could carry two long range missiles or four medium range missiles per missile cell. These launchers are mounted with eight cells on either side of the Surface Effect Ship's superstructure. Usual missile payload is sixteen long range missiles and thirty tow medium range missiles. Behind the launchers, the ship has twin torpedo tubes on either side for use against submarines and surface vessels. As an additional anti-submarine and torpedo weapon, the Perekat features a "killer dart" interceptor torpedo system. On the front and back of the superstructure are point defense mounts with a combination pulse laser and short range missile launchers.

The crew of the Surface Effect Ship is actually larger than the Tashkent class due to the needs of the lift fans and other systems. Still, the large amount of automation allows a crew of only thirty-eight officers and enlisted. It can be operated by a crew of twenty-two and many post rifts operators use these vessels with reduced crews compared to the Soviet Navy. Crew compartments are comfortable for such a small vessel and also include space for twelve troops. In some cases, these troop include human or light cyborgs but the vessel is not designed for heavy cyborgs. If needed, six heavy cyborgs are sometimes ride on the deck of the Perekat corvette. There are not facilities for any aircraft and the vessel does not even have a helicopter pad.

Model Type: Perekat Surface Effect Ship Corvette
Vehicle Type: Ocean, Surface Effect Ship Corvette
Crew: 38; 6 officers, 32 petty officers and enlisted crew members (Has a high degree of automation and can be run effectively by 22 crew members)
Troops: 12 troops for shipboard defense / boarding ((Including Partial Conversions and Light Cyborgs / Not often carried). Can carry up to six Heavy Cyborgs on the outside of the vessel

Vehicle Compliment: None.

M.D.C. by Location:
Single 100-mm Electro-Thermal Gun System (1, forward):120
CADS-N-6 Combination Anti-Missile Defense Systems (2):225 each
Tactical Length 8-Cell Vertical Launch Systems (2, sides):150 each
Killer Dart "Interceptor" Torpedo Launcher (1, aft):80
Twin mount torpedo launchers (2, sides):100 each
[1] "Flail Eye" Active Phased Array Radar (1, Superstructure):150
Chaff Launchers (2, sides of superstructure):10 each
Bridge / Superstructure:425
[2] Propulsion Water-Jets (4, Rear):120 each
[2] Skirts (2, Forward and aft):80 each
[3] Main Body:1000

Notes:
[1] Destroying the "Flail Eye" Active Phased Array Radar system will eliminate the ship's long range air search ability but weapon systems have backup fire control systems.
[2] Destruction of a Water-Jets will reduce top speed by one quarter by each water-jet destroyed. Destruction of a Skirt will reduce top speed to 20 knots (23.0 mph / 37.1 kph)
[3] Destroying the main body destroys propulsion and power systems, disabling the ship. The ship is fitted with an advanced polymer armors that allow the ship to withstand up to -200 MDC before losing structural integrity and sinking. There are enough life preservers and inflatable life boats to accommodate everyone on the ship.

Speed:
On Water, Hull Borne: 23.0 mph (20 knots/ 37.1 kph)
On Water, On Air Cushion: 94.4 mph (82 knots/ 152.0 kph)
Maximum Effective Range: Unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 10 years and requires maintenance as well). Ship carries two weeks of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:
Draft: Hull Borne: 22.5 feet (6.9 meters), On Air Cushion: 8.5 feet (2.6 meters)
Width: 78.7 feet (24 meters)
Length: 185.4 feet (56.4 meters)
Displacement: 1050 tons standard displacement, 1,255 tons displacement with full load, and 1,520 tons maximum displacement.
Cargo: Can carry 40 tons of extraneous cargo. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ships officers have some more space for personal items. Most of the ship's spaces are taken up by extra ammo, armor, troops, weapons, and engines.
Power System: 6 Mini Nuclear Fusion Reactors, average life span is 10 years.
Black Market Price: 300-450 million credits on the black market for an intact model.

Weapon Systems:

  1. Single 100-mm Electro-Thermal Gun System (1): Same caliber as of the cannon carried on the Tashkent class patrol vessel but has better range than the standard cannon. Cannon has a special recoil system to reduce felt recoil. The projectile is loaded into the barrel, behind which there is a "propellant", which is a dot of light metal. A powerful electromagnetic force is applied to the metal, which causes its atoms to "switch" directions. This happens so violently that the metal turns to plasma, and this expanding gas then drives the projectile forward. The turret has a 360 degree rotation and can elevate up to 85 degrees as well as depress 5 degrees. The gun can fire rapidly at the rate of 50 rounds per minute and is radar directed. Weapon inflicts large amounts of damage when rapidly fired on a single target. The weapon is useful on land, surface, and air targets. Plasma rounds are a late pre-Rifts innovation and are rare and expensive.
    Maximum Effective Range: 12.4 miles (20 km)
    Mega-Damage: High Explosive: 1D4x10+10 MDC with 12 ft (3.7 m) blast radius per single shot and 3D4x10+30 MDC with 25 ft (7.6 m) blast radius for three round burst. High Explosive Armor Piercing: 1D6x10+10 MDC with 5 ft (1.5 m) blast radius per single shot and 3D6x10+30 MDC with 10 ft (3 m) blast radius for three round burst. Plasma: 2D6x10 MDC with 15 ft (4.6 m) blast radius per single shot and 6D6x10 MDC with 30 ft (9.1 m) blast radius for three round burst.
    Rate of Fire: Up to four single shots or bursts per melee.
    Payload: 180 rounds total.
  2. Kashstan CADS-N-6 CIWS Systems (2): Combination Anti-Missile Defense Systems which combines both a rapid fire laser and a short range missile launchers. On is mounted on the forward and aft parts of the vessel's superstructure. While mounted in one system, both defense systems have separate tracking systems. Short range missiles are designed to be able to track and target multiple missiles simultaneously. Laser system fires four shot bursts and is capable of destroying missiles and inflicting serious damage on aircraft. Laser is similar to the S-500 Cyclone Pulse Laser Rifle with extended range. System can be targeted against surface targets and ground targets.
    Maximum Effective Range: Laser Cannons: Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters). Short Range Missiles: As per short range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
    Mega Damage: Laser Cannons: 1D6x10 MD for four shot burst. Short Range Missiles: As per short range missile type (Usually fragmentation) (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
    Rate of Fire: Laser Cannons: 6 attacks per melee. (+2 to strike aircraft; +3 to strike missiles.) Short Range Missiles: One at a time or in volley of 2, 3, or 4 per launcher. Can fire up to six times per melee in place of gun fire.
    Payload: Laser Cannons: Effectively unlimited. Short Range Missiles: 32 short range missiles per mount.
  3. Tactical Length 8-Cell Vertical Launch Systems (2, sides): Believed to be a copy of the very reliable American Mk-41 Vertical Launch System which dated back to the previous century and was exported to numerous allied nations. The tactical length launcher could not carry Cruise Missiles and the Surface Effect Ship normally carries sixteen long range missiles and thirty-two medium range missiles. The ship has a launcher on either side of the superstructure.
    Maximum Effective Range: As per long or medium range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
    Mega-Damage: As per long or medium range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
    Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volley of 2, 4, or 16 per melee and can be fired at multiple targets at the same time.
    Payload: 8 missile cells in each VLS launcher (Can carry a total of 16 long range missiles per launcher). Two long range missiles or Four medium range missiles may be carried per cell, and a usual complement was 16 long range missiles and 32 medium range missiles.
  4. Two (2) Twin Torpedo Launchers: Mainly design for anti-submarine warfare but can be used against surface targets. There is one launcher on each side of the ship with two tubes each. The tubes have been modified to use an automatic reloading system and can be fired quickly. These are modern, variable option torpedoes that are about 25% faster than the latest US designs of the time period. These torpedoes are also slightly larger than the standard US torpedo launchers. (These torpedoes are considered the equivalent of smart missiles and have advanced tracking and avoidance systems that give them a +5 to strike, +3 to dodge, and 2 attacks per melee until they strike their target or run out of fuel.)
    Maximum Effective Range: 40 miles (64 km), Rocket boosted torpedoes can also be fired from launcher (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes).
    Mega Damage: By Heavy torpedo warhead type (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes), Rocket boosted torpedoes can also be fired from launcher.
    Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2 per side. Reloading tubes takes 1 full melee
    Payload: 2 torpedoes/ missiles each launcher for a grand total of 4 torpedoes/missiles (Has 16 torpedoes / missiles for reloads)
  5. Killer Dart "Interceptor" Short Range Torpedo Launcher (1): The launcher is mounted on the fantail of the vessel. These so called "Killer Darts" are a Russian interceptor torpedo, designed primarily for intercepting and hitting incoming torpedoes, with a secondary function against small submersibles and submersible power armors. They mount in a similar position to the ASW Rail launchers carries on late Twentieth Century Soviet vessels. American and European designed prefer to fire interceptor torpedoes from their standard torpedo tubes. Launcher is primarily designed to intercept incoming torpedoes but can be used against other vessels, against large submarines, and against underwater troops. Other torpedoes can be used but are very rarely used.
    Maximum Effective Range: 2000 feet (609.6 meters) using interceptor torpedoes, other torpedoes use standard rules (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes).
    Mega-Damage: By Short Range Torpedo Type (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes).
    Rate of fire: Each launcher can fire salvos of up to eight short range interceptor torpedoes per melee.
    Payload: 48 Interceptor Torpedoes.
  6. Chaff Launcher (2): Located on the superstructure of the ship, they are designed to confuse incoming missiles. Both launchers must be operational for the full effects. Reduce effects of launchers by 50% per launcher not used or disabled. Rifts Earth decoys systems are assumed to not operate on Phase World missiles due to technological difference. Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (Add +20% to rolls for smart missiles.)
    Maximum Effective Range: Around Ship
    Mega Damage: None Payload: 12 each for a total of 24.

Special Systems:
The ship has all systems standard on a robot vehicle plus the following special features:

[New Navy, New Sovietskiy, and TRIAX are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

Image drawn and copyrighted by Mischa (E-Mail Mischa).

Initial Concepts by Marina O'Leary (LusankyaN@aol.com ).

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2002, Kitsune. All rights reserved.

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