For the UE to undertake offensive operations, a power source enabling more-dynamic warp flight was obviously needed. As a result, many engagements ended without significant damage to either ship. The ships would then usually close within extreme missile range, fire a volley of missiles, then attempt to evade their opponent’s missiles. Opposing ships would cautiously venture out from their bases until long-range sensor contact was made. Instead, ship-to-ship combat most often took the form of long-range missile duels. Despite broad popular support for attacks against Romulans planets, the UE and her allies simply did not have ships of sufficient capability and in sufficient number to successfully undertake offensive operations. When United Earth (UE) forces were finally given the opportunity to go on the offensive after a Romulan invasion fleet was destroyed at the Battle of the Vela Gap in 2157, the strategies available were severely limited by the poor quality of United Earth Stellar Navy (UESN) warships. Fighter carriers, of course, were impractical within these payload limitations. If a ship were to carry enough armaments for a powerful attack on enemy ships or ground targets, the fixed percentage of available payload meant that the ship would probably be extremely large and poorly maneuverable at both warp and impulse speeds. Furthermore, the maximum speed of wf 2.9 meant that a journey of 10 ly would take at least 150 days, during which time detection and interception become increasingly likely. If possible attack corridors shorter than 10 ly were continuously well defended, all attacks could be probably be discouraged or repelled. However, the limitations of range meant that attacks across more than 10 ly of interstellar space could not be accomplished without repeated refueling, which required that ships drop out of warp and risk detection and interception. For an attack to succeed, it must be made either when and where the enemy is least prepared or with an overwhelming superiority of force. Another disadvantage of fusion reactors is their low peak power output, which limits the maximum speed that can be achieved.īecause of these limitations of range, speed, and payload, fusion-powered ships were unsuited for offensive interstellar operations. The second limitation of range must be addressed by frequently refueling at starbases, convoying the ship with tankers, or rendezvousing with tankers en route. Since a fixed percentage of a ship’s mass must be fuel and drive system to operate at a given warp speed for a given duration, the non-fuel payload can be increased by increasing the total size of the ship. The first limitation of payload can be partly addressed by scaling up the ship. Second, the high rate of consumption severely limits range. First, a large percentage (20% or more) of the ship’s internal volume is fuel, which limits non-fuel payload, such as weapons, sensors, and shuttlecraft. To form and maintain a warp field, fusion reactors must consume deuterium at extremely high rates, which places two limitations on a ship’s capabilities.
Probably the most serious disadvantage, in tactical terms, is their relatively low efficiency. Fusion-powered warp reactors have decided disadvantages when compared with modern matter/antimatter (M/AM) systems.
Although rarely used for this purpose today, fusion reactors were the sole means of power for the first century of warp flight on Earth. Written by Masao Okazaki Limitations of Fusion-Powered Warp ShipsĪt the start of the Earth-Romulan War in 2156, all belligerent powers used warp-capable ships powered by fusion reactors.
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