Saturday, December 5, 2009

Battlestar Profile 012 : SST 413 Panther Class Strikestar Sabercat

The Panther class Strikestars are among the newest ships in the Colonial Fleet.  They are a well-balanced mix of speed, firepower and fighter capacity, even if they are hardly a match for even the smallest Battlestars.

Designed to hold up to two squadrons of Vipers and a pair of Raptors, albeit in cramped conditions, the Panther was designed to operate autonomously as well as provide support to Battlestars.  She solved the usual fighter docking problems by extending the flight deck over the rear hull. Even though exposed, it has a greatly increased fighter recovery rate over any vessel outside of a Battlestar.

Lightly armed, she carries 10 double turrets and nearly 200 CWIS for defense against fighters.  Lightly armoured and with limited ammo stores, the Panthers are not designed for protracted engagements or running battles, instead they are effective patrol vessels and support for Battlestars.

The Sabretooth was launched a little under a decade ago from the Scorpia shipyards and has operated in the Aerilon sector ever since, aside from two tours with the Battlestar Valkyrie.

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