ESF-SC01 Baikal-class

The Baikal-class is a ESF battlecruiser used by A-Laws in season 2 of Mobile Suit Gundam 00. The fleet is later transferred to the ESF-Army in Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie: A wakening of the Trailblazer.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The Baikal-class is the latest multi-purpose mobile suit (MS) space-carrier designed and mass-produced by the ESF. After Operation Fallen Angels, lessons learned from engaging Celestial Being (CB) and influence from Innovators prompted the ESF to create a new fleet of battleships. The military desired a new advanced craft that's has fast deployment capabilities, including being stealthy, deadly, and versatility for various missions.

The hull of the ship is long and slender, making the ship faster and less of a target against enemy fire. ESF engineers (previously from the Union) took inspiration from ancient Greek and Roman maritime battleships: a light fast attacking vessel carrying a small armed force. The top of the ship has total of 4 GN Cannons. Two of the pairs are lined right below the command bridge of the ship, allowing the crew to have visual confirmation of enemy attack and/or destruction. It has 3 large engines for horizontal thrust. The sides of the hull have a pair of rotatable (360 degree) vertical thrusters, each containing 3 smaller engines and 2 pairs of large missile launchers; a total of 7 engines and 128 GN Missles. It's maximum MS capacity is 6 and they're launched at the underbelly of the ship.

The forward underbelly section of the ship is a retractable gate to launch MSs. A catapult slides forward at the under section to launch the MSs, but it's a feature least used as pilots often prefer manual launching in the majority of their missions. Other than that, not much about the internal workings of the ship has been revealed. However, it seems to be utilizing two different power systems between propulsion and weapons. While the weapons are using particle energy, the engines are using plasma propulsion, suggesting it's utilizing a fusion reactor or a engine that feeds on GN Particles differently than of CB's propulsion systems. Since the forward half of the ship is a MS container bay, it's presumed living quarters and the engine room are all located at the rear section.

In terms of combat characteristics: The ship is best used in large numbers and in defensive positions to support its MSs. All of its weapons are designed for long range combat. The ship usually depends on its 6 MSs to effectively compensate for its weaknesses and destroy their target(s) before reaching close range. The GN Missiles are tracking missiles that hunts down its intended target, but weak in maneuverability.

Overall, the hull is strong enough to withstand all conventional non-GN weapons, but has limited endurance against GN-particle weaponry. The hull can endure limited damage against GN-beams and GN-missiles; against GN-blades and beam sabers. For stealth, the ship can disperse GN Particles to mask its signature against enemy units, but only effective against Katharon, not CB sensors. The ship also carries anti-beam countermeasures to protect itself against enemy beam fire; however that would limit the ship's combat capabilities within the dispersal field.

While not as fast as the CBS-74 Ptolemaios 2, the class is the fastest made by the ESF. The most effective way to down the ship (as with most ships) is by destroying the bridge. ESF engineers never built a second backup bridge should the ship lose its main bridge during emergency situations. Once the bridge is destroyed, all system controls will fail and the ship will be effectively "dead in the water." Because of its lean design, the ship requires routine re-supply. Alone, the ship is ineffective against CB, only a large fleet of its class can effectively handle against CB. By AD 2314, the class was upgraded and re-classified as the Volga-class.

Armaments

 * GN Cannons
 * Two of these powerful gun mounts are mounted in front of the bridge of the ship, and have a large firing arc and elevation angle, making them the main weapon for the battlecruiser.


 * GN Missiles
 * The launchers are fixed on the hullsides engine pods, making them quite vulnerable. When a cruiser is docked at an orbital elevator, its missile pods rotate upwards 90 degrees.

System Features

 * Anti-Beam Countermeasures
 * These canisters can release a gas-like particle that renders beam attacks useless.A large range of Anti-Particle Field can be formed if the fleets release the anti-beam countermeasures,force the enemy to use GN Missiles.


 * Trans-Am System
 * Available on the 2314 Volga-class ships. Primarily used for long distance travelling purposes. Specific way of usage is unknown but can be speculated to be for powerful acceleration and deceleration purposes.

History
Ever since the formation of A-Laws, a huge amount of these Baikal-class Battlecruisers are launched into space for active service. The first battlecruiser ever sunk is when Ptolemaios 2 returns to space and was ambushed by one, but soon destroyed by 00/Setsuna.

Several Baikal-class Battlecruisers are seen guarding the first Memento Mori ever built, and the commanding ship, captained by Arba Lindt, is caught by the explosion of the superweapon and the ship itself, exploded as well. This class of ships later saw action against Celestial Being's base in Lagrange 3 without losses of any ships.

The last and the largest defeat of the Baikal-class of ships occured in episode 22 of season 2. A-Laws gathered all remaining 21 battlecruisers as well as over 100 MS into the fight against Celestial Being, with 3 being special units that are doomed to sink in order to spread the anti-particle beam field. The remaining 18 battlecruisers and MS units attempted to overpower the smaller force of Celestial Being, but were caught off guard by Kati Mannequin's Coup d'état forces and Katharon, with 2 immidiately destroyed by Kati's forces. Arthur Goodman's flagship is destroyed by Celestial Being's 00 Raiser with a single shot in Trans-Am mode. The remaining ships continued to fight, but were hopelessly overwhelmed by the combined forces by the Coup d'état Faction, Katharon and Celestial Being. As the rail gun of CBS Celestial Being fired its first shot, most of the remaining ships and MS units were caught in the blast and destroyed. The remaining small portion of ships then retreated.

ELS War
The fleet is later transferred to the ESF-Army to battle against ELS in Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer.

Notes & Trivia

 * The upgraded Baikal ships in 2314 are known as Volga-class.