New Republic Mainstay Support Frigate

When the New Republic created the Republic Engineering Corporation to design
and produce its new starfleet, they began researching through salvaged Old
Republic data files looking for ship designs which more than served their
duties during the height of galactic civilization. One such venerable vessel
which they uncovered was the Sulanko star frigate which served as both a
heavy transport for valuable military supplies and as an adequate escort
starship.

The engineers at REC were inspired by many of the Sulanko's characteristics
and went to work to create a warship similar in both design and mission
profile. The result was the Mainstay-class support frigate.

While the Mainstay was nearly twice as long as the antiqued Sulanko, it
boasted better speed and maneuverability - the primary downfall of the
Sulanko design.

The Mainstays stretched 642 meters in length boasting four double turbolaser
turrets to fend off the attack of smaller capital ships. It was heavily
armored and shielded, as they would be made to carry vitual wartime supplies
to battlegroups all across the galaxy.

The sheer bulk of the ship's interior was made up of cargo space. In order
to maximize the cargo capacity of the Mainstay, the crew quarters onboard
are anything but luxurious. Crew members onboard were forced to live with
up to four men per room - each room barely having enough space to accomodate
four bunks.

Typical mission profiles for the Mainstay included everything from basic
escort duty to fleet engagements to fleet replinishment. Often times, entire
military convoys were made up of Mainstay frigates. No additional protection
would be required for these convoys as each frigate carried a complement of
four E-wing starfighters which often times proved more than enough to fend
off most small scale attacks. Valuable convoys were sometimes granted a
carrier or heavy cruiser for support.

Mainstay frigates in fleet service would normally remain close to the main
line, where the picket and escort lines would intercept most incoming hostile
starships. The Mainstays were usually loaded with replacement parts, supplies,
weapons and sometimes even starfighters and ground vehicles. Losing a loaded
Mainstay could set back a battlegroup significantly on supplies - Hajen fleet
tenders would then have to ferry out the replacement supplies rather than having
them onboard of a Mainstay for immediate resupply.

The New Republic would eventually field vast numbers of Mainstay frigates up
until the design was retired some seventy years following its initial fielding.
Many Mainstays would continue to serve in the fleet for many centuries following,
almost always in their designated role.

Craft: Republic Engineering Corporation's Mainstay-class Frigate
Type: Support frigate
Scale: Capital
Length: 642 meters
Skill: Capital ship piloting:
Crew: 143, gunners: 12, skeleton: 41/+15
Crew Skill: Astrogation 4D, capital ship gunnery 4D, capital ship
            piloting 4D+2, capital ship shields 4D+1, sensors 3D+1
Passengers: 40 (troops)
Cargo Capacity: 180,000 metric tons
Consumables: 2 years
Cost: Not available for sale
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x2
Hyperdrive Backup: x16
Nav Computer: Yes
Maneuverability: 1D
Space: 5
Hull: 6D
Shields: 4D
Sensors:
        Passive: 50/1D
        Scan: 100/2D
        Search: 150/3D
        Focus: 5/3D+2
Weapons:
4 Double Turbolaser Cannons
        Fire Arc: 21 ventral turrets, 2 dorsal turrets
        Crew: 3
        Skill: Capital ship gunnery
        Fire Control: 2D
        Space Range: 3-15/35/75
        Atmosphere Range: 6-30/70/150 km
        Damage: 6D

Era Introduced: Endor + 15 years

Starfighter Complement:
        4 external starfighter racks usually loaded with E-wing starfighters