Battlestar Profile 005 : BSG 8 Atlantia Class Battlestar Athena

The Athena is one of the most famous of the early Battlestars.  During the first Battle for Caprica, the Athena jumped into the middle of a furious melee involving several Battlestars and a massive Cylon assault force.  Her sudden appearance shocked the Cylons long enough for Colonial forces to regroup and defeat the Cylon armada.  After her tour on the line, she was sent to drydock and completely upgraded to a Columbia Class configuration with full hull plating, improved FTL engines and refurbished armament.

A highly decorated ship, she accompanied Admiral Murata's fleet for the assault on the main Cylon shipyards.  Unfortunately Murata fell into a Cylon trap.  The loss of 9 Battlestars is still remembered as the Blackest Day of the Fleet.  The destruction of the Athena could not be confirmed and she remains listed as Missing in Action, presumed destroyed.  Some have suggested that she was captured by the Cylons and used to work out new methods to destroy Colonial Battlestars.  The loss of the Columbia in the final hours of the war is seen as possible proof.

The name of Athena is still used by some in the Colonial Fleet as a rallying cry, much in the same way as the Kobol.  In honour of her heroic past a newly laid down Mercury Class will bear the name and carry on her tradition.

The Athena follows the design patterns of the Atlantia and Columbia classes.  Several improvements made to the Athena were retrofitted to older Battlestars.

Commander : Commander Maximilian Brenner
XO : Colonel Lara Ithares
CAG : Major Ferenc Draco
Complement : Up to 6 squadrons of fighters, up to 25 Raptors
Armament : 24 Thunderbolt 2 twin turrets, 514 Balista CIWS, 12 missile bays.