Sistine-class aircraft carrier



The Sistine class is a class of four in service with the Meridonian Navy. Derived from the Kamushain-class aircraft carrier developed in Chisei, the Sistine-class shares mostly similar deck layouts but features upgraded propulsion, weapons systems, and enhanced aviation facilities aboard. The Sistine-class ships are the first fixed-wing aircraft carriers of the Meridonian Navy comissioned since the Endwar period. The two ships of the class were originally planned to be a part of the Kamushain-class, but were cancelled in 2002. At the request of the Meridonian government, Chisei restarted construction of the two remaining hulls. They were delivered to the Navy in 2008 and 2010 after numerous delays, and spent 3 years between Chisei, Yamatai and Meridon conducting fitting-out and sea trials. Both ships were commissioned simultaneously on Federal Day, 2015.

The lead ship of the class, Sistine, is named after Port Sistine, the most populous city in the Federal Republic; while her sister ship Kohina is named after the city of Kohina. With a length of 270 m and a full-load displacement of 42,500 t, the Kamushain is the largest class of ship to ever be in service with the Navy, as well as the first nuclear-powered surface vessel under Meridonian registry.

The Sistine-class was designed to carry a complement of 28 - 40 aircraft, being designed to accommodate the F6M Hornet and F6M2 Wasp carrier based fighters, E6M2 electronics warfare aircraft, TBD AEWC, TBD COD, and helicopters such as the XX, XX and XX. It is also capable of launching any other CATOBAR-capable aircraft including the, , in use by other nations. Sistine-class carriers were also optimized for multi-mission combat operations, including supporting anti-submarine and anti-piracy patrols, air assaults, and humanitarian assistance duties. The Sistine-class is a -type carrier that uses three 75 m steam catapults of a shorter version of the catapult system installed on the Zusian -class aircraft carriers, one catapult at the bow and two overlapping across the front of the landing area- one additional from the original design.

Design and Construction
The hulls of the two Sistine-class ships were originally intended for a class of four Kamushain-class aircraft carriers for the Chiesei Royal Navy, however they were cancelled in 2001 and planned to be scrapped while partially constructed due to budgetary constraints. Following the results of the Millennium Defense Review conducted by the Meridonian Defense Force, the Chief of Defense Staff outlined growing threats to national defense and specified that naval aviation capabilities should increase drastically to further enable defense and expeditionary objectives could be met by the MDF. Later that same year, the Federal Republic petitioned for a halt to the scrapping of the two unfinished hulls. In March of 2003, Chisei and Meridon signed an agreement for the transfer of the hulls to Meridon upon completion, while Meridon agreed to finance the remainder of the construction for both vessels.

Both vessels took extensive amounts of time to re-start and finish construction, particularly as Meridonian requirements necessitated considerable alterations to interior spaces to accommodate mission requirements. Sistine was delivered in 2008 for trials, and Kohina was delivered in 2010. The ships spent an additional 3 years between Chisei and Yamatai to fit out with weapons systems and machinery, and finally arrived in Meridon in 2013 for final preparations and sea trials. President Stanley Albertson commissioned both vessels simultaneously during Federal Day celebrations in 2015.

Sistine-class vessels were designed as multi-role aircraft carriers, intended to conduct both combat operations as the centerpiece of a carrier task group; low-intensity enforcement operations either alone or as part of a group, and humanitarian operations. Its displacement is increased from the Kamushain-class owing to a slightly larger hull to accomodate multi-mission space and additional weaponry systems.

Controversy over procurement
The decision to procure two nuclear powered aircraft carriers was met with intense scrutiny from certain political parties and citizens, who were mainly concerned about the large and expensive acquisition of two such assets and their potential to involve Meridon in foreign entaglements. Many parties both domestic and abroad saw it as a Meridonian entry into HECO, and the announcement elicited demonstrations in major cities across Meridon. Senator from the Liberal Party, in a Senate hearing, grilled then Vice Chief of Defense Staff General Matthew Rose over the necessity of the decision. General Rose was recorded in a bar later that evening remarking that 'the first thing (he'd) use it for is to put a rocket to Senator Maue's house', who was one of the questioning senators. The incident became viral and resulted in the resignation of the general.

Protests subsided as the Albertson administration made its position clear that the purpose of the carriers were to 'serve domestic interests only' and 'were not a signal of accession to HECO'. Criticism of the decision as the procurement progressed also ranged into the delays that faced the program, citing an near 10-year timeframe from procurement to delivery. Other interests, particularly proponents against nuclear energy, have been critical of the decision to commission the ship.

Trials and technical problems
Sistine entered sea trials in 2009, while Kohina started her trials in late 2010 ahead of her schedule. The sea trials were aided immensely by ongoing data and collaboration from the Chiseian navy, which allowed the ships to fix reported issues before they were delivered, including arranging for increased reactor shielding and replacing propeller screws. However, integrating an increase in weapons systems and modules proved difficult. While originally planned to mount 2 127mm naval deck guns, the gun mounts proved unable to provide accurate and sustained fire, especially while maneuvering. These mounts were eventually changed to mount 57mm guns.

During a missile defense test on the Kohina, overheating in one of the feeding belts for the close-in weapons systems started a fire in its linkage. Though damage was not severe, it resulted in an evaluation of all gun CIWS mounts of the type aboard Navy vessels.

Operational service
To preserve the operational capability the carriers provide, stated Navy policy has each carrier rotate on peacetime deployments so that one is kept at sea while the other remains ported. Sistine first deployed in 2017, when it conducted a goodwill cruise around the world, making calls at ports in Redon,Chisei, Yamatai, Yeongseon, Gyunghwa, Valorium, among others.

Kohina conducted her first operational deployment in 2018, conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Crosswind Sea.

Sistine and Kohina both participated in Exercise Trident Tangent in 2020 to demonstrate the feasibility of two-carrier strike group.

Air wing
As multi-mission carriers, Sistine-class carriers' air wings will vary generally between operations. A war-time load would include two squadrons of 12 fighter aircrafts (F6M/ F6M2 type), 6 antisubmarine helicopters, 4 utility helicopters, 2 airborne early warning aircraft, and 2-4 electronics warfare aircrafts. Surge capacity for the ship has been stated at 50 aircraft.