posted
OK, I've been wondering about the Akira class starships.
1. Where would the Engineering Section/Warp Core be? Would it be centrally located in the "saucer" section, or tucked away in one of the twin hulls? If it's in the saucer, then wouldn't the conduits delivering the warp plasma from the core to the nacells be extremely long?
2. The pod on top. This is assumed to be a weapons pod (at least I assume it is). Couldn't it be something else? Also, if this is a weapons pod or photon torpedo launcher, how do the torpedoes get delivered to the pod? Are they stored there? Are there crew stationed in the pod?
3. Using Replicator/Holodeck/Borg technology, couldn't the pod be reconfigured by the starship crew in order to carry out various tasks? It could be used as a weapons pod, then reconfigured as a sensor pod, then reconfigured as a communications pod, etc...
It would seem Starfleet could easily develope this kind of technology. Replicators seem able to recreate and recycle just about anything. Barclay easily reconfigured the holodeck in "The Nth Degree" into a computer several times more powerful than the Enterprise had (and even reconfigured a new propulsion system to boot) and with all the data gathered from the Borg, surely some of that technology could be put to use.
posted
1) I'm pretty sure there's an ejection hatch detail on the underside of the engineering bulge. It's a pretty safe bet that the warp core is somewhere in the middle lower part of the saucer. Yes. The plasma conduits would be long.
2) Could be anything, especially if the pods are modular and can swapped out for varying missions. As for the torpedos... I'm voting for torpedo faeries.
3) Holographic tech could not be used to make torpedos, but they could possibly replicate the casings. The pod could be multi-functional or swappable with other kinds of pods, but there's not really any cannon info on any of it.
To be clear... Reg didn't create a computer in the holodeck... he created an interface between his bean and the ship's computer. He used this interface to mess with the computer and the propulsion system.
p.s. I see that you're a graphic designer in Ohio... you're not a student at CCAD by any chance?
Registered: Oct 1999
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quote:Originally posted by HerbShrump: 2. The pod on top. This is assumed to be a weapons pod (at least I assume it is). Couldn't it be something else?
The CGI model of the Akira shows there are a multitude of torpedo launch tubes at various angles in the upper pod. If you have the Starship Spotter book, you can see them clearly on the Akira wireframe diagram.
The Akira broke with tradition in that most Starfleet ships have many more phaser banks than they have torpedo launchers, and with the Akira, it's the opposite. The pod could double as a probe launch facility, but it doesn't look swappable, but I suppose it could be.
Registered: Nov 2002
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posted
In any case, the pod is so big that there is no problem with storing torpedoes in there. It would make no sense to move the torps from the primary hull to the pod on some sort of a conveyor, when the pod itself is as big as some TOS era starships. The far smaller Miranda pod is a different matter - but again, it's big enough to hold a hundred or so torpedoes (assuming there's not much else inside), and it's unlikely one would need more!
I don't really think the pod would be a good place to apply holodeck-style "variable geometry". If such tech exists, why not apply it on the whole ship? Today, it's Akira class. Tomorrow, a Nebula...
quote:Originally posted by HerbShrump: 2. The pod on top. This is assumed to be a weapons pod (at least I assume it is). Couldn't it be something else?
The CGI model of the Akira shows there are a multitude of torpedo launch tubes at various angles in the upper pod. If you have the Starship Spotter book, you can see them clearly on the Akira wireframe diagram.
The Akira broke with tradition in that most Starfleet ships have many more phaser banks than they have torpedo launchers, and with the Akira, it's the opposite. The pod could double as a probe launch facility, but it doesn't look swappable, but I suppose it could be.
I just had a thought about all those torp launchers in the Akira's pod... what if they aren't all SEPARATE - but there is something like a rotating torp 'room' that can utilise the various torps by rotating around and lining up with each tube opening?
-------------------- "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica." - Jim Halpert. (The Office)
posted
A rotating single launcger would be groosly inefficent. Besides, we see the Akira "rapid fire" from several tubes in First Contact. A single launcher would have had to move from one tupe to another....and for what purpose?
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
The main problem is that that would only really be efficient for short range firing where the torprdo itself doesn't have enough room to manouver itself onto an intercept course. And at close range the launcher would have to move damn quick between tubes to fire in time.
-------------------- "I am an almost extinct breed, an old-fashioned gentleman, which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-bitch when it suits me." --Jubal Harshaw
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted
The way I see it, Akira is equipped with 13 single-fire torpedo launchers (located mostly on the pod) and 2 standard rapid-fire torpedo launchers on the saucer, firing forward and aft.
My personal theory is that Akira was refitted in such way to serve as anti-Borg torpedo platform
-------------------- "Do I remember about my amnesia?"
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
The pod more than covers the aft arc (both ventral and dorsal sides) and the saucer's two forward facing launchers cover the forward-ventral aspect.
It's all overkill to have the launchers pointed in various directions anyway: The Dominion Battleship's torpedos were agile enough to make tight arcs around the hull to nail the Valiant aproaching from the ventral side.
I'm sure Fed torpedos can do the same.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
Maybe different launchers for different... things to launch? Maybe putting the Akira as an older ship than the Galaxy generation with it's multipurpose launcher - i.e. a burst of like eight torps at once?
-------------------- "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica." - Jim Halpert. (The Office)
posted
Hmmm...if the Akira were really an older class than the Galaxy it sure doesnt look it: The ship has the Sovvie style lifeboats and all the earmarks of the "class of 94" starships (notched front, hull plates sovvie style phasers and the new pennants).
I think the registry number is just an error.
The Galaxy has the launchers that puke out a spread of six but for combat (against the Borg in particular) a lone launcher could be easily disabled. So the Akira has more launchers for redundantcy.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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