CMS Prophet

CMS Prophet (CLG-71) is the lead ship of the third batch of Shearwater-class cruisers in the service of the Caspian Navy. By 11 ABY, ProThrust had developed a new powerplant called the Magko CX and been testing it on a frigate named Octet (as it was the eighth major warship engineering project for CDMC). Octet was to be the lead on an entire new class of warship, but with some degree of budgetary restraint shown, the build plan was canceled in favor of expanding and improving the Shearwater-class, Senator-class, and larger ships already underway. The results of the tests, though, were very inspiring, and the engines were pulled from Octet and installed in the skeleton of a Shearwater.

Indeed, with these new engines installed, Prophet (a name which was to be used for the third Octet) penned a new tactic for Caspian crews &mdash; the "Crash Glide". The engines are quite dynamic, and possess an exceptional output-to-plant-noise rating. More importantly, there is very little lag in the system, and the engines respond instantly to control. Prophet's crew discovered that the engines could be run up to full power for a short burst, then "crashed" down to a undetectable plant signature level. Then, without any noticeable damage (at least at that time), the engines could be brought up to full flank power again within a moment's notice. Besides this, the hyperdrive would remain spun-up as well to provide a quick escape if needed. What this gliding technique allowed was a Caspian warship to drift through vast tracts of space without broadcasting a "loud" power signature, all while giving its own sensor suite an uninhibited sweep of the region.

Bolstered by the procedure's potential successes, the Admiralty ordered an additional batch of Shearwaters, all to be built around the new powerplant. Prophet was completed in haste, and received several brand-new subsystems and amenities aboard, finally reaching the fleet in 12 ABY to begin duties.

She typically operates out of Kasputin Yar, making "crash glide" patrols of the routes leading into and out of Hutt Space which are usually rife with pirates and raiders.