SGCS Abydos

Abydos-class Starship

Type: Small long-range hyperspace capable warship
Technology base: Earth/Asgard
User/s: United States Navy, United States Air Force, Royal Navy/Air Force, Russian Space Service
Naval Classification: Destroyer/Light Cruiser
Dimensions:
~Length: 124m (406 feet)
~Width: 36m (118 feet)
~Height: 42m (137 feet)
Displacement: 1,800 tons
Crew: 29
~Troops: 60
~Craft: Two Tel'tac cargo/scout ships or two Puddlejumpers.
~Vehicles: 6 (four Humvees, two LAVs)
Powerplant: Mk. III Naquada Reactor
Engines:
~Sixteen small ion-based sublight drives
~Four hyperspace window generators
~Antigravity wave generator network
Weapons:
~Ten Mk. II six-cell retractable missile clips
~Eight Point Defense Pulse Laser cannons
~One 155mm coilgun
Defenses:
~Asgard shields
~Cloaking Device
~Reactive armor plating
Other Technology:
~Asgard transporters
~Asgard sensors
~Gou'ald Rings

Technical and Historical Notes:

After the launch of the BC-304 Daedalus, the United States military issued a requirement (top secret) for a smaller starship class to supplement the new battlecruisers that would begin coming off the assembly line. The vessel would have to be smaller, cheaper, and more maneuverable than the Daedalus, but be able to deploy near-equal firepower against threat ships and installations.

The United States Navy, already involved in constructing the BC-304 and teaching the Air Force how to run ships, immediately recalled Commander R. Doyle Gillespie back from retirement. He had been involved in designing the next-generation of United States attack submarine, and with his unique background in mathmatics and command, was perfect to run such a program.

With the threat of the Goa'uld largely eliminated, Commander Gillespie believed that now was a good time for the development and testing of new technologies in the new ship class (codenamed X-305), as there was no rush to get more ships into the air with what they had. Drawing up a design based on current Navy vessels in development, the vessel would only use trinium in 60% of it's construction, cutting it's cost considerably. The project, now codenamed "Abydos", was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee and began work in a secure drydock near the old submarine base in Charleston, South Carolina.

The design of the X-305 was based heavily upon the RV Triton, and the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer. A tri-hull configuration, already used to good effect by the Daedalus, would also form the foundation for the X-305. Taking the engines, shields, powerplant, and basic systems from the BC-304 program, the X-305's true innovations were in weaponry, versatility, and overall performance.

Rather than using vertical-launch tubes for it's missiles, the X-305 used new technology intended for future attack submarine-Retractable weapons clips on the sides of the vessel. Essentially "swing-out" launchers, the clips were housed inside the outer edge of the hull, and with a simple release mechanism would turn outwards, exposing it's six missiles in their individual cells for launch. The clips would launch the missiles at a slight angle away from the hull, and properly spaced, a ship could launch it's entire payload without difficulty. The weapon of choice would be the new Mk. VIIb naquada-enhanced missile system, which featured a modest, cheap inertial dampening unit that greatly improved the missile's acceleration and maneuverability. The X-305 could also carry modified AMRAAM, Sea Sparrow, and Harpoon missiles in it's clips. This gave the small ship a total of 60 weapons, a very heavy armament. However, unlike the BC-304, the X-305 would be forced to return to base to reload after expending it's missiles from it's tubes. Reloading them from within the ship is impractical.

Along with new, short-range pulse laser cannons (the BC-304s stuck with reliable rail guns) for defense, the X-305 was given the first practical coil gun (or mass driver), built with help from the Asgard. Capable of firing naquada-tipped, depleted uranium shells at a million meters a second, the coil gun would be the weapon of choice against the X-305's intended prey-Al'kesh and other small threat force starships. Each shot would equal roughly a kiloton of explosive force in kinetic energy alone, and with the modest naquada enhancement, the coil gun could do some damage even against Ha'tak-class motherships.

To save money, the X-305's hull was plated in reactive armor, instead of trinium. The armor explodes outward when struck by weapon's fire, disappating up to 60% of the energy of the hit. With key areas of the vessel reinforced with trinium, and the use of Asgard shields and a cloaking device, the X-305 (christened Abydos) would prove a formidable weapon.

Launched shortly after the destruction of the Prometheus, the Abydos was undergoing extensive shakedown trials and tests in Mars orbit. Her hyperdrive had yet to be installed, and so she was not considered to be sent to rescue SG-1 along with the Oddessy. She would later participate in anti-smuggling operations with the Free Jaffa Nation Spacefleet, a joint-maneuver designed to promote solidarity between the Tau'ri and the young galactic superpower. In this mission, Abydos was responsible for intercepting a huge shipment of kassa bound for Chulak. One week later, in a rather unorthodox strategy, she defeated a Prior of the Ori by landing on him on the planet Madrona. Finally, her ability to float in water and cloak allowed her to covertly assist in the recovery of a downed US submarine in the Pacific.

Now designated SDD-305 (Space Destroyer), the Abydos-class starship will soon enter full-scale production, largely under the management of the US Navy (though the USAF has requested a few). The Russian Space Service and the Royal Air Force/Navy have expressed interest in the design as well, and may soon begin production of their own SDD-305s.