Primus class battlecruiser

Infobox Fictional Spacecraft
name = "Primus" class

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caption = A Primus class battle cruiser
first = "The Coming of Shadows"
last =
affiliation = Centauri
launched =
fighters = Sentri class fighters
auxcraft = Shuttles
armaments = Ion cannons
Laser cannons
Pulse cannons
Missile launchers
defense = Armored hull
Tractor beams
Gravimetric defense grid
propulsion = Gravimetric drive
power =
mass =
length =
width =
height =
primeref =The Primus class battle cruiser is a battlecruiser in the fictional universe of Babylon 5. Despite the fact that ships of this class are at least 200 years old, the Primus is still the most powerful vessel in the Centauri Royal Navy.

Design

Designed to allow the Centauri to cause serious damage on the battlefield, the Primus was given a massive array of weapons including ion cannon turrets, battle lasers, missile launchers and others. These weapons, combined with its standard compliment of 12 Sentri class fighters, make the Primus more than a match for most of its Narn and Earth Alliance counterparts. Besides these advanced features, the Primus also processes a gravimetric drive system which gives ships of this class an advantage by providing artificial gravity and tractor beams. However, this capability uses between 50% and 65% of their total daily energy output. Additional problems stem from the class's extreme age, as these warships have been in service for more than two centuries and require periodic refits and upgrades. Primus class Battlecruisers possesses very thin armor, as fitting them with thicker protection would interfere with the gravitic countermeasures and leave the vessel vulnerable in combat. This is partially offset, however, by the powerful ion technology of the Centauri. On one occasion, a Primus Battlecruiser was able to shear a significant section off Babylon 5 with a single salvo. Even so, the thin armor and age of the Primus does leave it vulnerable to new alien warships with thicker armor, such as the Narn G'Quan-Class cruiser and the Earth Alliance Omega-Class destroyers. Furthermore, the most recent Earth Alliance warship, the Warlock-Class destroyer is significantly more powerful in all areas.

External links

* [http://www.isnnews.net/hyperspace/cent/index.html Hyperspace]
* [http://www.babtech-onthe.net/centauri/bc.html Babtech-onthe.net]
* [http://b5tech.com/centauri/centauriships/centauricapships/primus.html B5Tech]