FA-2289 Cloudship

Overview

The FA-2289 Cloudship is a specialized aerial vessel with several features specifically designed for Agency usage. Developed by the Sault Labs research and development group. The ship is made of a new metal/fabric allow that can be inflated with a hydrogen and helium gas blend to achieve lift. This new metallic polymer is also damage resistant and can withstand impacts from many modern ordinances. Tests show that blasts up to 3 megatons will not cause any damage to the material. This provides an unprecedented level of protection for the gas filled vessel.

Appearance

The FA-2289 looks much like a traditional helium gas blimp, but has been upgraded with several visual features. The hull of the ship is covered with polished, reactive mirrors that break up its lines and when viewed from below is practically invisible. Above the reactive mirrors, is the main hull body of titanium and mithril alloy. The hull is painted white across the entire ship.

The FA-2289 is enormous, and end to end is about six football fields. When the smoke/cloud machines are running at full capacity, the ship has been said to appear like a storm forming in the distance. Hence its nickname, Thunderhead.

The hull body is modular with sections connected via covered walkways that can be pressurized when at extreme altitudes. These walkways are also lined with specialized components to attach a variety of additional tools and support systems. Each modular compartment functions on it's own power source and is linked to a specified solar panel for renewable power. All vital life systems are module specific and can be individually jettisoned should the module compromise the rest of the ship.

These module are also oval shaped and painted white. From the exterior and below, these module appear to be clouds adding to the visual stealth capabilities of the ship. FA-2289's overall appearance is of a large cloud in the sky.

Functions

FA-2289 is a multipurpose, self contained, self supported vessel. It is powered by six 40,000 RPM plasma engines that have been designed to run quietly. These engines cannot be heard by the human ear even while all six engines are at full power.

There are several solar arrays that provide power to specific modules on the vessel. As well as smaller plasma engines that are redundant power sources and are primarily used for maintaining life support systems across the ship. There are several smoke/cloud machines that constantly provide additional cloud cover, further obscuring the ship from view. The oval shaped, modular design of the vessel compartments further disguise the ship from detection from radar and other advanced tracking systems.

Personnel

At any given time, the FA-2289 houses 400 people. An additional 75 are permanently assigned to the ship and maintain the critical ship systems. The 75 permanent staff members have some of the highest clearance levels in the Agency as the FA-2289 has many top-secret, extremely classified technologies in use.

The FA-2289 supports 4 containment teams at a time and a reserve containment unit if needed. These teams can deploy anywhere in the world from the vessel. A research wing houses 12 research specialists who run experiments and high altitude studies in the science module of the ship.

Deployment Vessels

Eight FA-92 Hybrid fighters are also available for use in the ships hangar. This modular hanger can be used for storage of many research vessels and serves as in flight refueling station for any Agency aircraft in need. The hangar sits above the workshops and living modules therefore maintaining the stealth capabilities of the ship.

Air to ground teams are also stationed on the FA-2289 as a way to maintain first strike capabilities where SCPs are considered. The Agency wants the ability to respond to anything and everything within a ten minute window, and be able to do that anywhere in the world.