Fleet Destroyers

Sydney-class Patrol Destroyers: 42 in service

A recent destroyer design. The size of the hull limits the technology she can be equipped with but a good newly-promoted Lt. Commander can look forward to commanding one of these ships. They are usually used for picket duty in outlying systems, or for escort. When on picket duty, they can use their four mine dispensers to lay minefields. When on escort duty, their heavy particle phalanxes are used to augment the fleet's point defense network. Also known as the "City" class.

Rota-class Destroyers: 32 in service

An older class of "Fleet Destroyers", these destroyers made use of several then-experimental technologies. Along with their heavy complement of lance torpedo tubes for their size, they had the experimental PD/SRAM missile system that used modified fighter missiles for either medium-range point defense against fighters, or short-range offensive use against larger warships. They also have an experimental pulse-fusion drive system that gives them a very high rate of acceleration. This class is the basis for the new Stornoway-class advanced destroyers.

Stornoway-class Advanced Destroyers: 1 in service (Classified number under construction)

A modified version of the Rota class, these ships are being built with the new Graviton Cannon anti-ship missile. This design replaces the chemlaser and PD/SRAM Missile system in favor of the Graviton Cannon, and makes up for the lessened point defense capability by replacing the midships ring of plasma phalanxes with full light particle phalanxes.

Archer-class Destroyers: 96 in service

The mainstay of the Earth fleet for patrol vessels, the Archer class is designed to be fast, have long range and require little support. Thus the center cargo bay where cargo pallets can be carried. Also this bay is modular allowing the Archer to carry different equipment, such as fighters, troops, or fire support weapons. Although aging rapidly, the modular capability has given considerable life span to these vessels. Due to the long construction life of this large class, several changes were made during construction, resulting in 4 slightly different "batches" of ships. The first batch of 12 was built to a simplified configuration, due to development problems with the intended sensor suite. The second batch of 30 ships was built with the improved sensor suite once the development problems were ironed out. All 12 original ships have since been upgraded to Batch 2 standard. The third batch, consisting of 26 ships, was built the same as Batch 2 but with an improved chemlaser with half the recharge time between shots. The fourth batch, consisting of the final 22 ships, was the same as Batch 3 but with new uprated ion engines. All ships will eventually be upgraded to Batch 4 standard as they undergo routine refits and Service Life Extension Programs.

Available modular bay modules include:

• Cargo Pallet Handling System
• Twin Assault Pinnace Hangar
• Launch Bay for 4 F-7 Corsair Medium Fighters
• 40x Lance Torpedo Box Launchers
• 1x Grav Laser broadside mount
• 2x Chemlaser broadside mounts
• 4x Particle Phalanx point defense system
• 80x PD/SRAM missile box launchers

Mandela-class Destroyers: 31 in service

The oldest vessels still in use. Modified to carry a large number of lance torpedoes in one-shot "box" launchers, these ships are designed for fire support and nothing else. These vessels are not popular assignments. They are cramped, slow, and carry very little armor or armament other than the torpedoes. Also known informally as the "Nation Builder" class.