Community Vessel Frigate
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The smallest ship (rather than boat) of the Naval Service of the Community Defence Forces is also the most widely produced ship (and tied with the submarine for most widely produced vessel). It is used in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) on its own or more commonly part of an ASW task group with several other frigates and a destroyer as flagship.
Frigates are adequately armed against subsurface and surface threats, and have moderate air defence capabilities. The quad subsurface missile launcher with 48 missiles blends into the superstructure. The three antisubmarine mortars with 60 depth charges and 40 mini-mines are located at the bow, mid-starboard and mid-port. A dozen torpedoes may be launched from the twin torpedo tubes located near the bow.
The one quad anti-ship rocket launcher with 64 missiles is highly visible the rear of the second deck, while other rocket launchers. A radar controlled 80 mm gun in a turret near the bow is designed for use against surface ships but can also be used against aerial targets. More reliable are the four quad missile launchers with 126 anti-aircraft missiles.
A Chief Lieutenant is the overall and naval commanding officer of the total crew of 220 all ranks. The captain is assisted by a Lieutenant as executive officer and several Vice Lieutenants as section officers for the strictly naval component of 189 all ranks. The 20 air crew are headed by two Vice Lieutenants as the pilots for the single HU-77 Huan naval utility helicopter. It has equipment and personnel for both an ASW and a search and rescue role. A squad of 11 marines, headed by a Leading Soldier and having a motor launch, forms the boarding party.
The two dozen frigates in the first batch after one hundred million population of Sober Thought is reached are named F-1 through F-24, second F-25 through F-48, etc. They also bear names starting with the letter F. The hull of the frigate also forms the basis of the small craft tender when patrol boats and minesweepers/layer leave the coast for the open sea.
