Doomsday: I Build a Space Fleet

Chapter 203 Ready to Go

After inputting the images taken by the drone into the main control unit, Cleveland was able to determine the size of the cargo ship almost instantly.

The ship is 262 meters long, 68.9 meters wide, and has a deadweight tonnage of around 108,000 tons. With a little modification, it can become a semi-submersible crane vessel capable of offshore operations.

After all the prerequisites were met, Lorraine called Ouyang Nian over, and the three of them then searched the database for a ship capable of carrying multiple 203mm electromagnetic guns.

After some discussion, the three decided on a heavy cruiser with a wide hull and great potential for modification.

The ship is 219.42 meters long, 24.32 meters wide, and has a draft of 6.8 meters.

The standard displacement is 18,645 tons, and the full load displacement is 21,862 tons.

This type of ship has a top speed of 33 knots and can carry 1830 crew members.

The ship's original main guns were three triple-mounted 230mm naval guns.

In terms of its purpose, this warship is a specialized vessel.

Because Lorraine needed the ship to use its 230mm main guns for the highest possible accuracy, after discussions among the three, the ship was changed from having three triple-mounted turrets to four twin-mounted turrets.

The increased spacing between the two main guns, combined with the muzzle device, ensures that the blast wave generated when the cannon leaves the barrel has almost no impact on the other gun.

While the three were discussing, the flagship weighed anchor and set sail, escorted by a destroyer, towards a distance.

Two hours later, the flagship stopped near the cargo ship, and then the stern hatch opened, and two hovercraft carrying two silver-gray containers pulled up next to the cargo ship.

The fan responsible for inflating the air cushion slowed down, the ramp at the bow was lowered, and the temporarily installed sliding rails began to work, pushing the loaded silver-gray containers onto the cargo ship.

The two containers began to melt rapidly upon contact with the outer wall of the cargo ship, and then, enveloped in a white light, they vanished completely.

Cleveland's voice rang out from the flagship.

[Secondary nanocore detected online; data transmission initiated.]

In just 5 minutes, the entire set of design drawings, totaling 500GB, was transferred.

Subsequently, the two secondary nanocores reported that the ship's maintenance was complete.

On the way back to port, the two secondary nanocores began to reinforce the ship's hull.

Four hours later, when the ship arrived at the cargo ship, the reinforcement work on the bottom of the hull was completed, and the deck was completely bare.

Six hours later, when a Vanguard-class transport ship arrived at the port with two 6-barrel 30mm close-in weapon systems, a navigation radar, and two sets of floating power generation systems, the 100,000-ton semi-submersible vessel was already taking shape.

Twenty hours later, late at night on the 17th day, with the two secondary nanocores working at full capacity, the navigation and control systems located at the bow of the ship were completed, and the semi-submersible capability was fully acquired.

After receiving approval from Cleveland, the semi-submersible vessel shifted its focus to shipbuilding.

To save materials and speed up the project, the offshore work platform, codenamed SPD-1, used two 4-ton cargo ships docked in the port as raw materials, selecting the one in the best condition as the main construction vessel.

Step 1: Optimize the ship's shape, significantly reduce the cargo ship's beam, lengthen the hull to 219.5 meters, and adjust the bow design.

After the hull was completed, the keel from another cargo ship was transplanted to complete the keel length.

Step 2: Strengthen the structure.

In this step, only the bottom of the offshore operating platform, which is more than 200 meters long and more than 10 meters wide, remains; the rest of the structure uses a large amount of special steel.

If the various baffles in the middle of the ship's hull are removed, a continuous space will be formed in the middle of the ship's hull.

This structure is the upgrade redundancy that Lorraine made for this ship.

Under the current circumstances, the spaces separated by the various baffles will be used as power compartments, fuel compartments, and ammunition compartments.

In future upgrades, the location of the ammunition compartment will be adjusted, with the main space reserved for the nuclear reactor, anti-gravity device, and a axial cannon.

The reason why special steel was not used to reinforce the bottom of the hull is that once the ship is airborne, Lorraine needs direct-fire weapons capable of launching ground attacks.

In this strait filled with mines and unmanned underwater vehicles, there are no creatures or weapons that could suddenly threaten the ship.

In addition, the bulkhead structure of the ship's above-water section is different from that of ordinary warships, leaving space for the installation of composite armor and smart skin.

Step 3: Power System.

The ship's propulsion system is even more formidable, equipped with four GT-4000 improved gas turbines with waste heat recovery devices, while the auxiliary propulsion system is the same as that of the Sea Knight.

The propulsion system remains largely unchanged, consisting of four variable-pitch propellers.

Step 4: Island.

The island superstructure of this ship is not as towering as that of conventional warships. Compared to the 18-meter height of the island superstructure of the HMS Sea Knight, this ship is only 9 meters high, but it is only equipped with a single retractable electronic mast on top.

Step 4: Island.

The island superstructure of this ship is not as towering as that of conventional warships. Compared to the 18-meter height of the island superstructure of the HMS Sea Knight, this ship is only 9 meters high, but it is only equipped with a single retractable electronic mast on top.

Step 5: Weapons.

Four twin-mounted turrets were mounted on the ship in a two-forward, two-backward configuration, while two 6-barreled 30mm close-in weapon systems were mounted on the fore and aft sides of the island superstructure.

Because the ship used existing hull and prefabricated structures during construction, this 2-ton heavy cruiser was completed in just 100 hours.

The task of overseeing the ship's sea trials was handed over to Ouyang Nian, while Lorraine returned to the bridge and, together with Bai Jin, reviewed the situation of the war behemoth underground in the mine over the past two days.

The bad news is that the War Beasts' recovery speed has increased during the shipbuilding period.

The good news is that it will take at least 27 hours for the behemoths near mines two through four to regain consciousness.

It will take at least 35 hours for the war behemoths in mines five and six to regain consciousness.

The ship's sea trials can be completed in just one hour, and the ammunition needed to complete its land attack mission has already been produced, and the ammunition loading can be completed in just 40 minutes.

The unmanned combat swarm was well prepared, with the electromagnetic arresting system already installed and ammunition for attacking the five small war behemoths filling an entire large hangar.

There are still 50 heavy bunker buster bombs sponsored by Yaoguang stored in Base 2.

Beacons have been placed above the area where these five war behemoths lie dormant, ready to guide these heavy bunker-buster bombs via radio at any time.

During the sea trials of the ships, an advance force of the unmanned combat group has arrived at the No. 2 mine, where the war behemoth is recovering the fastest.

All preparations on the ground have been completed; now all that remains is to wait for the ship to complete its sea trials.