Vega Log Team Mk 1.7

[RedEclipse]

Vega Log Mk 1,7
Log Report 17
James Mace
Position: Vega captain; Lyra Defensive Wing technical supervisor
Topic: Convoy arrival, Armor tests

We have finally received the first deliveries of armor, and the veil of secrecy can finally be lifted. In addition, I spoke personally with Mr. Donagan and specialists from Corinth who were involved in this development. Essentially, this is improved armor based on the knowledge we gained from the production of the Hyperion, a Leviathan-class vessel. But the technological process does not stand still, just as our enemies do not sleep. Based on the metals known to us - or more precisely, the best alloys and various composites - they have improved their resistance characteristics against various types of weapons, achieving maximum resistance to damage to multilayer armor. The good and bad news is that all the panels were manufactured by a third party, raising the question of why Livadia's production facilities were not used - such a complex material is still beyond the capabilities of our industry. But I hope our new friends will help us with this as well.

As for the armor itself, the first samples were immediately sent to Corinth, where the staff began testing. The task of the joint commission and scientists was to create the most accurate simulation of the material possible and run through all possible scenarios of armor damage. It was necessary to verify the accuracy of the initial calculations while our engineers created test benches that simulated armor damage as closely as possible. To do this, weapons of various calibers were installed inside the Corinth compartments. The first virtual tests showed incredible results compared to the old Vega armor, which is not surprising - over its entire history, the armor had lost its original characteristics, with a difference of more than 40% against different weapons. Compared to the Hyperion armor, the crown jewel of Phoenix engineering, the absorption efficiency is about 7%, which is a noticeable improvement. However, this design has an Achilles' heel: given the multilayered armor and various alloys, ranging from molybdenum to gold and iridium, Vega's specific weight will increase. But considering its size and new powerplant, this will not greatly affect its technical and tactical qualities. It is quite possible that modern Bismarcks will not be inferior to Vega in terms of specific mass. Further tests were conducted with different angles of attack, impact force, and energy.

Additional tests were conducted on friction resistance - given the size of the ship and its main region of operation, this makes sense. Although I insisted otherwise, under no circumstances will this ship engage in combat inside an asteroid field or a heavily cluttered area, as this would be tantamount to suicide. But the scientists were adamant - the armor had to be tested under all conditions. Unfortunately, there is nothing to be happy about here - the specific resistance to impact from a large asteroid remained at the same level compared to Hyperion armor technology. Christian was somewhat puzzled by these characteristics, but I convinced him that this would have virtually no effect on the final result, given the Bismarck's power skeleton. Next, actual measurements of the armor were taken using the destruction method - the armor showed similar characteristics to those predicted by computer modeling, and even higher resistance to cumulative and high-explosive types. In any case, the final tests will be carried out in open space - the samples are being installed on platforms for final testing.

As for the moment when the convoy with the materials arrived at Livadia, to say that we were surprised would be the mildest description I could use. In addition to the ships under our identification, a whole flotilla of various ships from Rheinland arrived. Daumann Heavy Construction, Rheinland Military, difficult to pronounce, but I'll try anyway: Marinenachrichtendienst. Daumann and Military specialists are settling in at Livadia, it seems that they will be directly involved in restoring the ship's systems. But that's all just speculation; the details will come later. I have a meeting planned with Christian, where I will be able to ask more specific questions.
While the tests continued, we took inventory of all the armor parts and fasteners for the supporting structures and the missing support beams themselves - everything was clearly numbered and matched the amount needed for installation on the Vega. Moreover, there were even some extra parts, which we will be able to use in the future for quick repairs in case of damage, without waiting for new deliveries.

The destructive testing was successful, and this time, as in the previous one, turrets of our flagship Hyperion got a closer look at the armor. After studying all the samples and their structural changes in the metal after exposure to various weapons, all our data on the best armor characteristics was confirmed. The teams are greenlighted to start installation of the new armor.