ST-46
| |
| ST-46 | |
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | United Outworlders Corporation[1]
Various |
| Use | Cargo/Passenger Carrier |
| Type (Shape) | Civilian Aerodyne |
| Tech Base | Inner Sphere |
| Cost | 4,431,060 C-Bills[2] |
| Introduced | 2528 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Mass | 100 tons |
| Structural Integrity | 6 |
| Length | 22 meters |
| Width | 19 meters |
| Engine (Type) | Entech 200c |
| Safe Thrust | 2 g |
| Maximum Thrust | 3 g |
| Fuel | 5 tons |
| Burn Rate | 1.84 |
| Armament | None |
| Armor | 18.5 tons standard |
| Heat Sinks | 10 single |
| Crew | 3[3]
|
| Passengers | 8 |
| BV (1.0) | 654[4][5] |
| BV (2.0) | |
Description
The ST-46 is a typical example of the atmospheric capable shuttlecraft in use within both the Inner Sphere and Clan territories. Many stations and larger transports, such as JumpShips and WarShips, carry at least one of these craft to allow planetary transport of crew and cargo without having to rely upon docked DropShips for the task.[6]
Because the ST-46 features an aerodyne shape, the design is able to conserve fuel during trips from space to a planetary surface, though the craft requires a prepared ferrocrete runway to land on as the landing gear is susceptible to damage and collapse on unpaved terrain.[3][7][8]
Armament
Primarily intended for civilian use, the ST-46 is totally unarmed. The small amount of armor the craft carries is intended more to offer some protection, however minor, against landing or docking mishaps or micrometeroids rather than overt offensive assault.[3][6][7][8]
Cargo
Directly behind the ST-46's cockpit is the 8-person capacity passenger section which leads to the craft's single airlock. The vessel's 12-ton cargo hold is directly behind the passenger section but there is no internal access to the cargo bay and engineering section behind it from inside the craft, only via the single large cargo hatch on the ST-46's starboard side.[3][7] The cargo section can, however, be accessed from the engineering section through ducting.[8]
- Bay 1: Passengers (8), 0 doors
- Bay 2: Cargo (12 tons), 0 doors
Variants
- ST-46C
- Originally speculated to be captured Inner Sphere craft with its non-military use,[6] the ST-46C was actually introduced in 2897. With Falcon's Roost Orbital Assembly Plant[9] and Tseng Facility[10] production begun by 3080, the Clan version of the ST-46C boasts minor improvements in both armor and cargo capacity due to their higher level of technology. Like the Inner Sphere version, it is also unarmed. BV (1.0)= 813[3][11]
Notes
No heat sinks are detailed in Technical Readout: 3057 Revised, though 10 are so written in DropShips and JumpShips. As fusion engines get "free" heatsinks, and making use of the vessel's thrust would end in uncontrollable heat buildup otherwise, 10 heat sinks are added to the writeup as above.
Gallery
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Illustration of ST-46 from DropShips and JumpShips: ComStar Intelligence Summary -
Flying ST-46 from TRO:3057 -
ST-46 from 1st Somerset Strikers
References
- ↑ Objectives: The Clans, p. 21: "United Outworlders Corporation"
- ↑ Combat Operations, p. 107
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Technical Readout: 3057 Revised, p. 168
- ↑ Combat Operations, p. 107
- ↑ AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 192
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 1st Somerset Strikers, p. 92: ST-46 Shuttle"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 DropShips and JumpShips: ComStar Intelligence Summary, p. 68
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Technical Readout: 3057, p. 170
- ↑ Objectives: The Clans, p. 14, "Falcon's Roost Orbital Assembly Plant"
- ↑ Objectives: The Clans, p. 34, "Tseng Facility"
- ↑ AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 193