Volga-class

The Volga-class is an ESF battlecruiser used by the ESF-Army in Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie: A wakening of the Trailblazer.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The Volga-class is the successor of the Baikal-class. Combat experience against Celestial Being (CB) made the ESF realize that their ships, even in superior numbers, was just no match for a single CB battle-cruiser. To create a combative edge against CB and future threats, a new class of ship was needed, but with a vow of pacifism in future endeavors, a massive ship re-fit was decided instead.

Building on top of the pre-existing Baikal-class, ESF engineers added an entirely new module section to the aft of the ship with new system enhancements. A pair of MS hangers was added to the port and starboard of the ship to increase its MS support capacity. A series of support beams were added to the aft to support the overall weight and structure of the new module. Its held together by a bridge platform that connects the two hangers together. The new additions were designed to limit obstructing the original capabilities of the Baikal-class, therefore most if-not-all the original capabilities of its former class remains.

Just like the original class, the bow of the ship is a MS hanger. When deploying a MS squadron, the hatch would slide forward to sortie the squad. The hatch door also doubles as a MS catapult should the squad need to sortie with advance speed. The new additional MS hangers have their own catapults as well, totaling 3 MS hangers to sortie and launch from their individual catapults. Underneath the new catapults, a pair of retractable fixed-positioned Laser Cannons are closed within until activated for combat. These cannons were the same type as the main cannon mounted on the Baikal-class. The enhancements tripled their MS combat force, firepower, and scramble time, making each ship of its class three times more formidable against enemy targets.

While the Baikal-class was the fastest battlecruiser of the ESF, it wasn't as fast as CBS-74 Ptolemaios 2. The enemy always managed to escape capture using its Trans-Am System. While it's not clear did ESF engineers mimicked Ptolemy's ability, they did install and modify their propulsion system in a hybrid configuration. The hybrid system utilizes both plasma and GN particles for propulsion. Because the ESF still uses GN T Drives, a GN Engine couldn't be fully realized. A compromise design was to only apply Trans-Am only for emergency speeds; it's weapons and overall systems still utilizes fusion power.

It's overall systems and capabilities are not completely defined. There are 4 pods attached to the sides of the Volga-class and it was never explained for their primary purpose. It's only theorized that it's 4 GN Engines or possibly particle containers. Overall, the class is a great successor, but still doesn't match the might of CB engineering.

Armaments

 * Laser 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. Four more "main cannons" were concealed within the new starboard and port MS Hangers located beneath the catapults. Many other laser cannons are mounted in a fixed firing position on the top and also in the side thrusters of the ship. These smaller lasers are capable of firing angled-beams.


 * 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

 * Trans-Am System
 * 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.

Class Re-Fit
Following the Battle of Lagrange 2 the Earth Sphere Federation disbanded A-LAWS transferring the Baikal-class battle-cruiser fleet over to the hands of the Earth Sphere Federation Army. Between A.D. 2312 and A.D. 2314 the ESF-Army decided to upgrade some of their Baikal-class into the Volga-class battleship.

ELS War
Before and during the ELS conflict Volga-class battleships served in the capacity of the ESF-Army alongside their Baikal-class predecessors. One such cruiser was used to transport Kati Mannequin and her husband Patrick Colasour to the Celestial Being. When the ESF Army detected a deep space ship from Jupiter a Volga-class Battleship fired its GN Missiles three times and launched its Mobile Suits to destroy the incoming ship at the begining of the ELS War. During the final battle of the war many Volga-class were deployed and were undoubtedly assimilated and/or destroyed by the Extraterrestrial Living-metal Shape-shifter during combat.