Redgum-class frigate

The Redgum-class frigate is the first domestic warship design to come out of the Commonwealth of New South Wales, and one of the first frigates to be mass produced outside of the UNSC. Based on the interwar and post-war designs of SinoViet Heavy Industries and the Reyes-McLees Corporation, the Redgum-class frigate was the brainchild of Cockatoo Dockyards' chief engineer Helen Jackson, who previously worked for the RMC before the Commonwealth's secession. Sporting two light MAC units, eight oversized pods of Archer missiles, four 11A2R1 Viper coilguns and twelve M870 Rampart point defence guns, and a minimum of 0.8 metres of Titanium-A1 armour plating covering her hull, the Redgum-class is a potent anti-ship design, easily capable of being configured into any number of roles. As the Created Crisis began, and the Commonwealth found itself cut off from any UNSC assistance, the Redgum-class is heavily relied upon as the backbone of many Commonwealth fleets, and by 2562 is the most common ship in the Commonwealth Naval Forces.
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==Operational History ==
In 2554, the Commonwealth of New South Wales was founded, along with its military, the Commonwealth Defence Force. With it, the new nation took a portion of the UNSC's veteran forces with it, as many wished to continue to fight for their home planets, whilst many others, who had only joined the UNSCDF due to the specter of the Covenant, didn't want to continue fighting for what they saw as an aggressive, authoritarian empire. The division of forces for the Commonwealth's navy was a convoluted process, yet in the end they were able to take with them a Valiant-class large cruiser, four Halberd-class destroyers, and nine Paris-class heavy frigates.
As the post-war period moved on, the Commonwealth Naval Forces expanded in size, capability and quality. The 1st Fleet Expansion Program saw the CNF increase to a size of 58 vessels, with many of these ships being the venerable Paris-class. Despite its long and honourable combat record, however, the Paris was getting old, and was quickly being overshadowed by newer vessels coming out of the UNSC's dockyards. Whilst the CNF did attempt to remediate this by buying several of the advanced Nevada-class heavy frigates, a UNSC license freeze on the Nevadas, and a political need within the Commonwealth to invest in domestic industries meant that only five were purchased. As such, in 2555, a design contest was established, with a committee of politicians, naval officers and engineers commissioned to study, adjust and refine all designs submitted, to create a ship that could meet all the standards required.
The design from a former RMC employee, Helen Jackson, was chosen as the winner, after fierce competition between hers and the SinoViet Heavy Industries' Nebula-4 Design. The original design was heavily inspired by the UNSC frigates used during the HCW, with several changes. Whilst the wing sponsoons were lengthened towards the stern of the vessel, the signature twin prows of the UNSC frigates were joined together to create a blocky outline, whilst the bridge was tucked more into the hull. Also introduced was a second MAC system, positioned directly beneath the first. Whilst slightly lengthened, widened and heightened, the design had a 100,000 ton increase, mostly due to the added armour and weapons.
The committee were satisfied with the design, as it eventually won out over the Nebula-4 Design, which was considered to be too expensive. As such, after some minor alterations, the Redgum-class was approved for construction, with the laying down of the CNFS Redgum (FFG/49) in May 2555 at Cockatoo Dockyards, in orbit around Barton. Production would be taken up at several other shipyards in the nation: Sentinel Systems in Darwin and Federation Industries in Tasmania began to produce the Redgum-class in bulk. Block I of the class was meant to take up only six vessels: however production as later expanded to twelve ships, as Block II was authorised in January 2556.
Block II would have several minor upgrades, such as the addition of several new airlocks, enhanced RADAR suites, and provisions to latch a Black Cat-class prowler on the underside of the hull. 36 of these were approved, as production of the frigates boomed. They were very popular with the civilian population of New South Wales, as it was a symbol of domestic independence, and they brought thousands upon thousands of jobs to the planets housing the shipyards. In addition to the base Redgums, several were taken and modified into two subclasses: the Striker assault frigate, and the Gymea EAW frigate.
The Redgum-class' first action would come in 2558, when a Forerunner Guardian jumped into the Antipodes System, beginning the Naval Battle of Barton. Six Redgum-class frigates were with the Home Fleet at the time of the battle: Redgum, Dragon, Avalon, Jerilderie, Kingswood and Arthur. Of these six, five were fully operational, whilst the Arthur was docked in the refit yards around Barton undergoing a sensor upgrade. As such, the five operable frigates loosed their MACs as part of the first salvo that crippled the Guardian. In this action, the five frigates broke formation and then withdrew with the rest of the fleet behind New South Wales, as they waited for the second salvo from the Caldwell Orbital Defence Grid to hit. That salvo caused the Guardian to withdraw from the system with heavy damage. The Redgums had acquitted themselves well.
Over the course of the Created Crisis, most of the CNF's time was spent preparing for another Guardian incursion that would never come. As they were preparing, the Redgum-class soared to new heights, with a total of 60 being built. Four Block III Redgums would be ordered but later cancelled, with the funds going to manufacturing the newer Midnight-class cruisers and Powderfinger-class heavy frigates.
As the ever-present threat of the Created waned in 2560, the CNSW finally found its feet once again, and authorised Phase Two of Operation: MANDATE, which focused on annexing independent colonial worlds and capturing systems of strategic importance to their territorial integrity. To accomplish this, almost every single Redgum-class were transferred to the CNF's expeditionary fleets, whereupon they would engage in securing spatial superiority in systems targeted by MANDATE. Several of these ships would be requisitioned by the BMIS for use in Operation: CRYSTAL BALL, the goal of which being to find and secure Forerunner and ancient human artefacts across the Outer Colonies.
It was in these campaigns where the first loss of a Redgum would occur, when the CNFS Bradman would be destroyed by a Banished warhulk party in a naval engagement with the CNF's Battlegroup Sierra. Whilst the warhulk party would be destroyed in totality, the Bradman was lost with all hands, a sad loss for the CNF. 
It is not uncommon anymore to see the Commonwealth's fleets suddenly appear over an independent world, either to assist in repelling a Banished assault, or to simply integrate the planet into the Commonwealth. Nor is it uncommon to see the distinct, harsh angles of the Redgum-class frigate in orbit above the planet, serving the nation of its creation with dignity and excellence.
==Role & Usage==
==Specifications==
==Variants==
===Striker-Class Assault Frigate===
The Striker subclass of Redgums are a variant of the simple design, maximised to fit as much destroyer-sized ordnance on the ship as physically possible, whilst still retaining its speed and armour. As such, the engine layout was changed considerably, with the replacement of the engines with a far more powerful propulsion and powerplant system. The Striker focuses on an alpha-strike capability, swapping out most of the Archer pods and all coilguns in exchange for the same MAC battery mounted on the Halberd-class destroyer.
These changes led to a slightly heavier displacement then the Redgums, however the Striker still retains the same speed and armour protection as the Redgum. Due to the significant changes in the engine and stern of the ship, some consider the Striker-subclass to be its own class, however the CNF records all Striker subclass vessels as part of the larger Redgum-class. 
The most well-known Striker subclass is the CNFS Ned Kelly, which has racked up several battle honours, notably the Occupation of New Corinth, the New Zanzibar Front and the Frontier Bush War. As of now it serves in an undisclosed capacity for the Bureau of Military Intelligence & Security, most likely in Operation: CRYSTAL BALL.
===Gymea-Class EAW Frigate===
The Gymea subclass is the electronic warfare variation of the Redgum. With a lighter armament, it features advanced electronic systems dedicated to bypassing most countermeasures and stealth systems utilised by both Insurrectionist and Covenant-remnant factions. The domestically-created REAVER anti-baffler array and DAGGER high-frequency detection system (HIFREDS) give it the capability to locate and engage enemy vessels before the Gymea is even detected by their systems. 
However, its electronic warfare capability does not end with passive systems. The MACs used are the V4 variant of the Redgum's base 65P8V4, which are specially refitted to fire the Commonwealth's new EA12-4 electromagnetic pulse MAC round, otherwise known as the 'Warbler'. It is also capable of firing older, UNSC-era EMP MAC rounds, and standard depleted uranium and ferrous tungsten rounds.
The 65P8V4 MACs also have more conductive coils than the standard V1 MACs, allowing for the MAC round to achieve faster speeds than those mounted on the Redgums. However, this comes with a drawback of a slower fire rate, due to the need to allow the coils to cool for a longer period.
The Gymeas also have a tendency to be mounted with 'smart' AIs more than other Redgums. Of the subclass of six, all of them have AIs mounted as part of the ship's crew, each catered towards improving the efficiency of the frigate's engines and weapons array.
==Ships of the Line==
Main article: Commonwealth Naval Forces Order of Battle