DuQuesne class

The DuQuesne classThe name is probably a nod by David Weber to Dr. Marc DuQuesne, galaxy-conquering-villain-turned-hero of E.E. "Doc" Smith's Skylark series. was a class of superdreadnoughts built and used by the People's Navy. It was named for the creator of the DuQuesne Plan.
== Class Design ==
The design was the largest warship to be built by the Havenite Navy. The class was designed to take a more conservative approach with a mix of missile tubes, beam weapons, active defenses, and armor. The design lineage hearkens back to the Hempstead-class dreadnought and breaks with the modern Havenite doctrine of win the engagement in the first salvo.
As of 1905 PD there were five flights in the design. Flight II vessels had an improved sidewall strength and hammerhead armor. Flight III vessels replaced a quarter of the broadside point defense clusters with countermissile tubes. The AR-2 Phased Radar Array was upgraded to the AR-7(b) system.
Flight IV vessels had a re-arrangement of a number interior spaces for ease of maintenance, while improving the sidewalls. Flight V vessels got three more salvos of magazine storage to each broadside through use of an improved feed mechanism.
After the Flight IV upgrades, the class became one of the most sought after billets in the Navy due to its comfortability and versatility. The class has one of the best rates of uptime and readiness. This was due to the incorporation of many lessons learned from the near-continuous military expansion of the Republic.
A Flight VI study was considered to reduce missile tube broadside to forty-four, but it has not gotten any support.
== Construction Notes ==
PNS DuQuesne, the first vessel to be laid down, was commissioned in 1879 PD, introducing the largest class of superdreadnoughts to be built at the time. ()
==Service in other navies==
Eleven DuQuesne-class superdreadnoughts captured at the Third Battle of Yeltsin's Star were given to the Grayson Space Navy and refitted as the Manticore's Gift class. ()
18 ships were used by Manticore until the ceasefire. They were sold to the Grayson Space Navy. ("House of Steel")
== External links ==
* DuQuesne-class - Honorverse Nefarious Ships List
== References ==
Category:Ship Classes
Category:Havenite Ship Classes
Category:Superdreadnought Ship Classes