M-705 Main Battle Tank

Created by Captain Alexander Gunning on Thu Apr 12th, 2012 @ 12:02pm

{| class="wikitable" |- ! ! |- | Manufacturer | Federation Dynamics |- | Crew | 2 - (Commander/gunner, Driver) |- | Weight | 72 tons |- | Length (Gun Forward) | 10 metres (32.8 ft) |- | Turret Height | 3 metres (9.84ft) |- | Width | 3 metres (9.84ft) |- | Ground Clearance | 0.55 meters (22 inches) |- | Power Plant | 2 x Deuterium fusion/fission drives |- | Drive/Suspension System | 4 x Independent Treads with variable suspension |- | Speed | 120.7kph (75mph max) |- | Main Armament | Micro-torpedo launcher located on Turret |- | Torpedo Capacity | 85 |- | Coaxial Weapon | 1 Type-IV Phaser Emitter |- | Armour | 110mm Sloped Ablative Hull Armour |- | Defensive Systems | Environmental Containment Field |}

Design:

The Mattis is a Federation-produced Marine Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) specifically made for heavy combat. The M-705 Main Battle Tank (MBT) is named after General James N. Mattis, who was the Commanding General of United States Joint Forces Command from 2007-2009. It boasts well rounded offensive capabilities while still maintaining armor, speed and agility. Major design features include ablative armoring, a micro-torpedo launcher, separate ammunition storage in a blowout container for crew safety, and flexible suspension with four independent driving treads. This Marine Corps Main Battle Tank is intended for use on terrestrial bodies with habitable gravitational pull (between 4-13 m/s gravity acceleration). The purpose of the Mattis MBT is to sustain modern ground combat without the support of starships or aerial support. The Mattis MBT is an all-weather, & most terrain vehicle.

The Mattis MBT entered service in 2374, after Federation Marines demanded a ground combat vehicle capable of fighting the Dominion on terrestrial bodies. It's testing was short as the need for it on the battlefield rose. The armor is sloped 110mm ablative armor, capable of withstanding a great deal of small arms phaser fire. The armor is enough to withstand large bursts of energy or missiles, but its armor is thinner on the canopy. The crew cockpit, which is located forward of the turret, is encased in a smaller ablative armor "tub". The crew compartment is accessed from a hatch above. An emergency drop-plate is located below for a crawl-out exit. Armor is weakest on the after of the tank (where the blowout ammunition storage container is) and the under-carriage (where the drive train's plating is smallest in diameter). Other defensive measures used include a Frequency jamming system, which can affect the vehicle's own communication; a missile countermeasure device that disrupts laser-guided, Semi Active Control Line of Site (SACLOC) wire and radio-guided missiles, as well as thermally and infrared guided missiles (ATGM). This device is located on the turret roof and projects 360-degrees around the vehicle.

The main armament of the Mattis Tank is a Micro-torpedo launcher. The launcher, located on the turret, uses an automatic-loader. Thus, the MBT does not require a loader for the 85 micro-torpedoes stored in the aft section. Loading the tank's magazine can be done through the side of the turret, just above the tank's engine. The automatic loader is not as fast as a real loader, but it is timed for a 2 second reload. The tank's commander targets the micro torpedo and Type-4 phaser with the onboard computer. The computer corrects the main gun's angle, and the turrets position in order to fire. The Tank Commander can also override the gun system computer and manually operate the turret's position and gun angle. This is preferred for used of the coaxial gun. The tank Commander can also use a TR-133 Ballistic Cannon for use as an anti-personnel weapon. He or she will need to be exposed out of the hatch, however, but will indeed have about 200 degrees of motion on a pivotal turret.

The targeting computer is based off of several key sensors included in the package. This includes lead angle of the launcher/phaser, crosswind sensor, pendulum static-cant sensor, data on ammunition type, tank-specific launcher bore data (for manufacturer inconsistencies in production of launcher), ammunition temperature, barometric pressure, muzzle reference sensor, and target velocity. The commander's position site (CPS) can also be used for manual alignment of the barrel. Data can also be transferred to the Tank's systems by another vessel or tank (The targeting computer generates a 97% hit at nominal ranges for the weapon. Turret traverse and gun elevation can be manually positioned with the use of crank handles in the event of hydraulic failures.

The MBT's other electronic support include a Battlefield Combat Identification System, which sends a "friendly" signal to other Federation units, as well as a TCCS (Tactical Combat and Control System) which provides information on Federation units, identified and suspected enemy formations, and communications. This allows individual units to put in fire support requests to aerial units (aviation, spacecraft) or unit support (artillery), as well as provide seamless, real-time information on combat to commanding officers on any level.

The driver uses rudders and a steering wheel to control the vehicle. He or she has access to a navigational computer, 360-degree enhanced vision digital sites with the option of switching to thermal or night vision. He has access to the gun computer in cases of emergencies and if the Tank Commander is incapacitated. Cabin clearance is tight, but manageable, with the crew having enough room to wear environmental suits, if needed.

The vehicle is equipped with an environmental containment field for use on inhospitable planets or bodies. On mission to these planets, however, it is recommended (though not always practiced) to wear environmental suits. The Mattis MBT also utilizes a NBC-Fed/Dyn 200 II Clean Air System which filters and recycles CO2, or any hazardous gases or elements. This includes various biological, chemical, or nuclear agents which can harm the drivers if the environmental shield is not being used. When in use, the environmental containment field does not surround the commander's weapon, therefore rendering it inoperable unless suits are worn.

The Mattis Main Battle Tank can be transported to the field using large cargo-bay transporters. It can also be carried to terrestrial bodies by the use of tractor beams on the Tri-Star and Argo shuttles. This limits the shuttle's mobility, especially under atmospheric conditions. Preferably, large landing vessels would be used to transport large numbers of vessels to the planet's surface.

The Mattis is used by Marines and only for ground combat. It is limited in its defensive capabilities, and ideal for use in defense of colonies against ground assaults. The majority of the Federation MBT inventory is made up by Marine Expeditionary Forces (MEFs) and only has a limited role in ship's compliments. Vessels with large enough cargo bays can carry the Mattis, but only when the vessel is outfitted with them.

Currently, ships capable of carrying the Mattis Main Battle Tank are: