A new feature of these ships is that they carry their own complement of interceptors and strike ships. Four flight decks, two each side, carry a squadron of twelve fighting ships each plus its own complement of maintenance and service craft. This provides operational security if one is damaged, three are still available.

This class of ship features the latest in automatic target aquision and firing, navigation and control with multiple defence shields for maximum protection. The ship in the illustration, the battleship Repulse of the fourth fleet, is one of 11 such ships currently entering service and a further eighteen are on order. This particular craft is also the one that Marshal Keyes led the fourth fleet into the disastrous initial invasion of Laguna 9 in late 2219 (Great Space Battles, Hamlyn publishing). Ahead of the battleship is a flight of Avery Hornets which provide interception and strike ship cover.

It is pictured against the closest planet orbiting the sun in the Gliese 876 system, 15 light-years from Sol. Discovered in 2005, this planet was at the time the closest to an Earth-like planet yet found and the Repulse was despatched to survey the planet.