LNCv Maelstrom

The Maelstrom (Warlord reporting name: Backfire) is a next-generation 6-man fortress bomber designed by the Admiral Aslai. It is the only Corvette class vessel fielded by the Luminarian Navy in the 2nd Norsus-Era.

Because of its considerable capital, operating costs and reliance on experimental technology, the project was controversial even within in the Luminarian Navy. However, with the resurgence of the Margan and the Warlord Revival dramatically increased the need for the Maelstrom.

Entering service 3 months after the Margan reappearance, the Maelstrom is currently being fielded by the 2nd and 3rd BattleFleets as it undergoes its OPEVAL phase. The Maelstrom-Class has been undergoing multiple upgrades to its electronic systems and engines based on pilot feedback.

Origins
By the 6th year after the 1st battle of Norsus, Luminarian naval analysts had concluded that corvette-class vessels were simply unsuited for the current modern battlespace. Corvette-class vessels were simply under-gunned, under-armored and under-sped in regards to modern enemy vessels. To compound on that decision, both Corvettes in the Luminarian Navy, the LNCv Tempest and LNCv Adamant were Pre-Great War era vessels and were not designed for the current naval doctrine.

It was clear that a radical design change was necessary in regards to the Corvette Class. Advocates of the LNBs Claymore wanted a backline support vessel that could support heavier warships, while advocates of the LNC Oculus wanted a lightweight Hunter-Killer that could be deployed to quickly destroy OPFOR flanking vessels. However, both factions within the Luminarian Naval Design Bureau would not work on their proposed plans as they had their hands full with the Future Frigate program.

It would take 2 years later before the Corvette redesign project was undertaken by Admiral Aslai. Admiral Aslai became aware of the need for a fast tactical hunter-killer vessel after several years of fighting in the Zaretian front. Although strategically maneuverable, the LNC Oculus was tactically sluggish and like most Luminarian vessels, the Oculus could only be repositioned quickly through the use of quantum gates. Moreover, the LNFg Bellerophon would also continue that trend, not meeting Aslai's requirements.

As such, Aslai would begin drafting plans for his own proposed Corvette.

Project VORTEX
Development began under the codename VORTEX. Aslai's design requirements set out for a heavy weapons platform that utilized an intrasystem subspace drive for tactical mobility, as well as enough firepower to gut a frigate sized vessel within a single salvo.

The initially proposed vessel was a 150m long ship built around a single [LNC Oculus] beam, however, prototypes showed that in order to mount such a weapon, the ship had to be upsized, armor had to be reduced and the ship's power grid could not support shields. The idea was scrapped and Aslai went back to the drawing board. This time, Aslai would utilize the major threat of operations in the Zaretian theatre as a base, The ZMS Gemini. A superheavy bomber armed with an anti-frigate railgun and battleship killing torpedoes, Gemini squadrons were the main reason preventing both Luminarian and Aeverian offensives from steamrolling the Zaretian theatre. As such, Aslai began designing a Luminarian version of the Gemini.

Finalized Prototype
The resulting prototype would be finalized a year before the 2nd battle of Norsus. The resulting prototype was an 80m long heavy bomber, that could unload a salvo of 28 torpedoes as well as an assorted amount of other missile based munitions. A quad bank of plasma bomb cannons was also installed to give the bomber an additional attack option.

First trials of the prototype showed some problems. Pilots complained about the lack of maneuverability, as well as the lack of anti-fighter capabilities resulting in diminished survivability. Pilots also felt that the craft's primary armament of 14 torpedoes was simply not enough for a heavy bomber. Aslai and his design team took the feedback and reworked the prototype, incorporating technology discovered during the schism.

The revised prototype would see the addition of 6 fighter grade CIWS to provide 360 degrees anti-fighter and anti-missile coverage, 6 additional plasma repeaters would also be mounted to give the ship some form of dogfighting capability. An additional torpedo rack was installed on the underside of the prototype, bringing its torpedo salvo size to 28. However, despite the changes, pilots still felt the lack maneuverability sorely affected the survivability of the ship.

Aslai would take an inspired step, and began integrating the experimental "Hyperborea" bomb pump torpedo, which would drastically reduce enemy interception rates. This allowed the Maelstrom to standoff and lob torpedoes, making close-in bombing runs obsolete. As such, the payload of the Maelstrom would focus on long-range standoff attacks. With the salvo size of 28 bomb pump torpedoes, the Maelstrom could unload the equivalent of an Oculus Battlegroup's firepower onto an unsuspecting target.

Additionally, Aslai would incorporate multiple experimental technologies within the Maelstrom, such as FORESIGHT strategic communications and sensor fusion integration that provides the Maelstrom with full AWACS capability and the ability to command flights of drone bombers, self-defense EMP charges, armor hardeners, conformal plasma jets to degrade shot packaging, programmable colloidal suspensions that can detect and react to kinetic impacts, next-generation adaptive nanomesh, next-generation multi-layered adaptive shielding, an intrasystem subspace drive as well as the ability to launch subspace or quantum missile strikes. It is believed that the Maelstrom contains more classified equipment per hull volume than any other Luminarian vessel.

Production
The final design of the Maelstrom would begin production 2 months prior to the 2nd battle of Norsus. As the Maelstrom was designed with the cutting edge of technologies discovered during the schism, production costs skyrocketed. Many within the Naval Design Bureau were unconvinced that the ship was worth the cost. Advocates of tactically independent vessels believed that the Maelstrom's reliance on torpedoes heavily degraded its combat endurance, while Advocates of overwhelming firepower believed that the Maelstrom's "Hyperborea" torpedoes could not penetrate next-generation Zaretian armor.

Despite the opposition from the Naval Design Bureau, Aslai managed to procure Maelstrom bombers from the Sirdariim shipyards, thanks to Admiral Cyrillus's influence. Maelstrom bombers would be produced at low rates due to their technical complexity of both the ship and the ammunition.

Introduction
The first batch of operational Maelstroms was finished 3 months after the 2nd Battle of Norsus. Assigned to Battlegroup Vasrius, they would see action against the Margan and Zaretian fleets during Operation Seawall.

Initial deployments against the combined warlord fleets showed that the intrasystem subspace drive would prove helpful against Margan and Zaretian shock jumps. Maelstroms would be deployed the moment a hostile warship attempted to jump on an allied ship. Most Margan and Zaretian ships were not prepared to deal with the Maelstrom's opening salvos and as a result were unable to deploy their heavy capital ships or hunter-killer teams effectively. The Maelstroms defenses were adequate enough to neutralize or deter hostile strikecraft presence, giving them free rein over the battlespace.

Present
In the current day, Maelstroms are currently still undergoing OPEVAL within the 2nd and 3rd battlefleets to iron out the kinks. Many pilots still require time to get used to FORESIGHT as well as the inherent sluggishness of the ship. The current design focus is spent on improving FORESIGHT's electronic warfare capabilities and engine performance.

Lancer Variant
The Lancer variant removes the plasma bomb cannons, 4 plasma repeaters, and 2 CIWS to mount a single "Switchblade" beam emitter. Giving the Maelstrom Lancer even more range at the cost of close range defense.