The 'Gallus-Class' system defense drone design was originally conceived in the year YE29 during the Sfrarabla Mishhuvurthyar Xhrafuklurp (SMX) offensive into the southern portion of the space of the Yamatai Star Empire while the Lorath Matriarchy was still under the control of the Empire. During the SMX offensive, there was a distinctive threat posed by the potential of a SMX attack upon Lor itself, and that potential was made a reality with an attack which resulted in one of the Lor system's moons being dropped upon the Lorath home world. The catastrophic assault effectively solidified the Lorath's military stance, and gave rise to new design and development ideals.
Unfortunately, the 'Gallus-Class' was delayed in development due to technological constraints which effectively prevented an automated and self-sustaining drone from being put into service. Constraints included an inability to sustain ammunition supplies, power systems which could not meet the demands of the platform, and weapons which simply would not manage to pose a threat to enemy ships. However, in YE30, those constraints were effectively overcome with the help of the United Manufacturing Cooperative. The 'Gallus-Class' has been scheduled to be placed into mass service in early YE31
The 'Gallus-Class' drone has been designed to effectively deliver protection to star systems in the form of weapon launch platforms, defensive grids, and an effective sensor network, among other features. The primary applications of the Gallus-Class include;
Government: Lorath Matriarchy and Affiliates Organization: Lorath Self Defense Force and Affiliates Type: LSDF/UMC-RMD-SD-011) Class: Defense Platform Station Designer: Lorath Matriarchy, United Manufacturing Cooperative Manufacturer: Lorath Matriarchy, United Manufacturing Cooperative Production: Initial 25,000 Units Upon Debut, Intended To Be Shipped To Lorath Matriarchy systems, and UOC systems of interest. Slated For Mass Production.
Crew: 0 Maximum Capacity: 1 (Maintenance) Appearance: The Gallus has a tall narrow shape, with a spherical component on the top end, and a dish-like component on the bottom end. Obvious weapon turrets are visible on the exterior of the structure.
Width: 60 Meters Height: 250 Meters (Not Including Shield Arrays) Mass: 275 Tons
Ground speed: NA Air speed: Mach 3 Zero Atmosphere: .10c CDD Drive: 5000c
Range: 1 LY Lifespan: 25 Years
Number of Units: 4 Location: Upper Pylons Primary Purpose: Anti-Starship Secondary Purpose: Anti-Fighter Damage: Tier 9, Heavy Anti-Mecha Range: 600,000 Kilometers Rate of Fire: Two discharges per second
PA-Grade Compressed Packet Combined Particle Cannons
Number of Units: 4 Twin-Cannon Turrets Location: Upper Pylons Purpose: Anti-Fighter Secondary Purpose: Anti-Starship Damage: Tier 7 or Tier 8, Light Anti-Mecha or Medium Anti-Mecha (: Staff needs to determine which) / Tier 9, Heavy Anti-Mecha Antimatter Range: 600,000 Kilometers Plasma Range: 100 Kilometers Rate of Fire: Four discharges per second
Defensive Plasma Arc Disruptor Packet Vents
Number of Units: 8 Location: Mid-Length Purpose: Anti-Ordinance Secondary Purpose: Anti-Starship Damage: Tier 10, Light Anti-Starship Range: 500-1000 Meters Rate of Fire: Streaming
These large turrets are equipped with twin-mounted L-Mark-Two units on a 360 degree rotating, 120 degree pivoting mount.
Number Of Units: 16 Location: Upper and Lower Middle Sections. Purpose: Anti-Starship Damage: Lorath 40mm Ammunition Optimal Range: 2000 Meters Maximum Range: Unlimited Rate of Fire: 1200 RPM Payload 24,000 Round Magazines Each Turret. One Extra Swappable Magazine Per Turret. Swapped Out Magazines Are Reloaded At 5 Rounds Per Second (80 Minute Full Reload Time)
Plain simple stacked missile tubes for the most part, these missile launcher racks are capable of self-reloading with munitions provided from an onboard manufacturing system.
Number of Units: Twelve racks with four tubes each. Location: Lower Pylons Primary Purpose: Anti-Starship Damage: Varies, fires L-Size Missiles Payload 96 Missiles Rate of Fire: One Missile Per Second Per Tube Notes: These missiles can be replenished at a rate of one missile per thirty seconds by the on-board munition construction systems.
Utilizing the Swarm Missile Launchers design, the Gallus platform defends itself by using these launchers to fire subspace detonator and Lorath countermeasure munitions. Additionally, these launchers can be loaded with sensor probes and other similar ordinance. Alternatively, if needed, these launchers can be loaded with lethal munitions.
Number of Units: Two Launcher Systems Location: Located On Pylons Behind Shutters Primary Purpose: Area Defense Secondary Purpose: Anti-Fighter Damage: Varies, uses Motoyoshi Mini-Missiles, and Lorath Mi-Size missiles. Payload 20,000, replenished at ten missiles a minute. Note: It should also be noted that in the event of a catastrophic emergency, the Swarm Missile Launchers can be used to deliver Remote Medical Drones to the surfaces of planets protected by the Gallus.
The Gallus' hull is comprised of a Nerimium coated Durandium Alloy structure.
Structural Points: Ship Scale 10
Using on board energy-to-matter systems, the Gallus is able to patch hull breaches over time by producing material to fill the breached sections and knitting together the molecules bordering the breach with the new material. Unfortunately, due to the power demands of this process, the Gallus can not have its shields or weapons active while the patching takes place.
The shield projector module of the Gallus is located at the top of the unit, housed in and projected from a spherical enclosure.
To reduce cost and space taken in the design of the Gallus, the defense platform has been designed to utilize Lorath basic shielding technology which includes EM, Gravitic, and Plasma shields. This shield system has been installed to defend the Gallus itself.
Shield Points: SP 10, Threshold 1
When assigned to defend a planetary or stellar body, the Gallus is capable of using a specially designed shield emitter which is capable of 'linking' together with other Gallus defense platforms to form a linked shield bubble. The technology for this system was drawn from the Regenerative Shield System developed by Motoyoshi Fleet Yards. In this situation, the multiple shield generators are not only used to back-up one another, but they are also used to form a coherent wide-area shield bubble. This shield relies on Gallus units being within 50,000 miles of one another. Needless to say, this shield system is not capable of producing a very strong shield, but it does offer a degree of protection to planets and stellar bodies.
Shield Points: SP 5, Threshold 1
The Gallus includes a 1 AU area of effect Aether Dampening Field System.
To prevent FTL incursions, the Gallus includes a generic Anti-FTL Field system, and countermeasures against anti-FTL. This system works in a 1 AU radius per Gallus.
Due to the massive power demands of the Gallus, there have been several systems installed upon the platform to ensure optimal operations.
In combat situations, Gallus units deployed around a star are able to tap a star for power by using a Type 30 Link Siphon (Retconned) system incorporated into the bottom of the unit. Unlike most link syphon systems though, the Gallus has been designed to also include a matter replenishing system which is capable of feeding plasma back into a star to replenish what is tapped during combat operations, thus maintaining a star's health over time.
In the Gallus application, a total of twenty Tsuyosa Series Matter-Antimatter Reactor units have been linked together to provide supplies of charged particles, antimatter, power, and even additional matter to the Gallus through the use of the built-in energy to matter conversion systems.
The Gallus includes a starship grade QNC. This system is used to provide power to the other power systems aboard the Gallus, and to provide plasma and additional power in the event of combat operations.
A closed circulation turbine system has been incorporated into the Gallus. This power system is used to provide power to low-demand power systems, and to 'jump start' the other power systems aboard the Gallus in the event of an interruption of power. This power system uses a solar collector dish to focus light emitted by a nearby stellar body to heat a liquid reservoir. Steam produced by this process is used to turn the turbine generator system which provides bare-minimum power to the Gallus. Not enough to sustain any sort of combat operations unfortunately.
The Gallus is capable of having power 'transmitted' to it by external source by using Lorath external power supply technology. This is also true in reverse, the Gallus is capable of transmitting power if need be, and also includes exterior power connection points which can be used to provide a hard-wire power supply to new components or to provide power to other vessels.
When deployed by the Lorath, the Gallus utilizes Lorath computing systems which includes a Non-SI type ARIA Ship Control System.
When deployed by the Lorath, the Gallus uses the full range of Lorath Communications Systems
The Gallus units deployed by the Lorath use the full range of Lorath Sensor Packages
Gallus units deployed by the UOC utilize the tactical variant of the MIKO Electronics Suite.
The Gallus has been fitted with a Lorath designed gravitic and magnetic propulsion systems to propel itself at sublight speeds.
To allow the Gallus to quickly relocate itself within a star system, a Continuum Distortion Drive has been included in the Gallus. While the listed maximum speed of the Gallus is 5000c, this speed is largely never reached due to the hazards presented by in-system flight reducing the Gallus' attainable speed to 3750c.