Arakawa-Class

The Arakawa-class is an enhanced variant of the Chuzenji-class. A large GN battlecruiser that served as either an aircraft(Mobile Suit) carrier, a capital ship, or a dreadnought.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
Like the Volga-class, the Arakawa-Class is the successor of the Chuzenji-class. Building on top of the pre-existing Chuzenji-class, the new class cut and save production cost than attempting to create new lines of ships. While having the base body of it's predecessor, it's performance is relatively the same. The Arakawa-class is technically the Full-Armor System and Weapon System (FSWS) of Mobile Suits, but for spacecrafts and warships, particularly the Chuzenji-class.

The module sections found on the aft of the Volga-class were redesigned and practically extends the stern portion of the ship. Due to this, the additional two MS hangers were extended to accommodate more units and new system enhancements. The pair of new MS hangers retained the extensions of the port and starboard, and each a pair of GN Engines (each with a large PG-size GN Drive Taus) on movable, rotatable mounts. With nine existing GN Thrusters and four additional engines, it tremendously became the fastest, largest GN-type battlecruiser. Furthermore, rimming the top and bottom sides of the bow of the ship are additional reinforcements with rows of batteries and cannons to assist the long ranged weaponries as close-to-mid range defensive system. The prow is slightly extended and the edges where the catapult hatch rest on is chopped off to allow the launching pad to lay flat, instead of slightly diagonal. The MS hanger bow of the ship is extended to also accommodate an additional of two more MS units, as well as extending the hatch that doubles as a MS catapult.

Most of the armaments remained the same, as the additions are found in the new module sections. Each side hangers have another pair of retractable fixed-positioned laser cannons, and two sets of 4 mini-chain beam batteries located on the top and bottom. These laser cannons were the same type as the main cannon mounted on front and back of the command bridges, and is located below the catapults of the MS Hangers facing forward. The beam chain-guns are mostly used as a close-proximity defense due to most of them having lower power output than the laser cannons; of course, more than the GN Beam Bazookas. The chain-guns row is also found on the edges of the bow, having a total of thirty. Between the top and bottom of the prow are another two pairs of dual laser cannons on rotatable, movable mounts, having a total of fourteen individual cannons (ten/five on movable mounts, and four/two on fixed-positions. Also, the bow's reinforcements also have several hardpoints to attach different types of weapons, such as a 16-tube missile launcher or another dual laser cannon.

The Arakawa-class also possess the simple conversion feature found on the Chuzenji-class, allowing to traverse both on sea, in the air, or/and up in space. However, this class needs more time to convert than the predecessor, since the new MS hangers are not symmetrical enough to simply turn upside-down/rightside-up. The large battlecruiser needs a shipyard station or a factory/construction ship to assist it to switch the MS Hangers positions. Switching only the hangers opposite of each other, it can currently set on the waters or exit the atmosphere. Similarly, once it's submerged half of itself on the water, half of it's armaments are inaccessible (unless countering underwater assaults). Incidentally, once it's converted to a sea-type ship, it resembles an aircraft carrier with the main and two secondary catapults, all facing forward.

Armaments

 * GN 10m-Grade Dual Laser Cannons
 * Fourteen of these powerful primary weapons are mounted in front of the both bridges, in front of the shuttle bay of the ship, underneath the catapults of the new MS Hangers, and on the front prow of the ship. Most have a large firing arc and elevation angle, while those underneath the hangers are fixed to shoot forward. They have displayed the ability to either fire off small, short bursts at rapidly moving targets or charged up shots for attacking targets at a distance.


 * GN Fixed Laser Cannons
 * These smaller lasers are mounted in fixed firing positions on the top, bottom, and also on the side thrusters of the ship. These smaller lasers are capable of firing angled-beams and are normally used for defensive purposes. Fourteen of these cannons are built into the dorsal bow of the ship, in front of the 10m-grade dual laser cannons. Sixteen of the laser cannons are built into the side of each engine pod for a total of thirty-two. Another sixteen lasers are lined up along the underside of the ship near the shuttle bay, giving the Chuzenji-class a total of 62 laser cannons. The set on the dorsal bow is inaccessible during it's sea mode, since it's now on the bottom hull and submerged in water; however, it's possible it can be used to counter submarines or underwater-type Mobile Suits, along with the grade dual cannons.


 * GN Missile Pods
 * The launchers are fixed on forward facing portions of the side thrusters, giving them a clear line of fire forward of the ship. They fire 8.4 meter-long anti-ship tracking missiles. It can also fire smaller pods containing several GN Micro Missiles, and multi-purpose GN Torpedoes fitted for different purposes for both space/air and sea.


 * GN Dual Blast Cannons
 * Smaller than the 10m-Grade dual laser cannons and slightly larger than the fixed laser cannons, these pair of GN Cannon-types mounted in fixed forward firing positions on the top and bottom of the side thrusters are the second primary weapons if the first ones are busy with moving targets. While slightly having a lower power output than the dual cannons, it's power is equivalent to a fully powered Gundam Virtue's GN Bazooka's Full Burst Mode.


 * GN Beam Chain-Guns
 * Located on the hull and MS hangers, this vulcan-type beam guns are used similarly how GN Vulcans are used on a MS, just slightly larger for ships. Each gun are powerful enough to take out a target, shoot down the salvos of missiles, and slightly, significantly damage other warships. Though they are not effective at long range, they protect the ship at a relatively close range, giving the class an all-range set of armaments. It is unknown why the Chuzenji-class lack this weapons.

Special Equipment & Features

 * Space Wrap Boosters
 * Due to not having the Trans-Am System for emergency speeds and long-distance acceleration, the boosters is the alternative and an experimental prototype for a system similar to Trans-Am. It is the same found on the Chuzenji-class, but slightly enhanced to compensate the mass and size of the new class.


 * E-Sensors


 * Guidance-Homing Aid System
 * A targeting system that helps missiles and rockets hit their target before they launch. Also has the system to intercept other missiles' guiding system and either redirects or caused it to malfunction and explode.


 * GN Field

Optional Equipment

 * 16-Tube Missile Launcher