Initial Equipment of the SDF-Navy

The **Initial Equipment of the SDF-Navy** covers all vessels taken over by the young SDF-Navy from the Water Polices around the Free Lands upon the founding of the SDF-Navy in 1920. While many of these vessels were supplemented and ultimately replaced by vessels conceived and build under the Naval Armament Program of 1922, especially the harbour patrol vessels were used well into the 1940s. In 1930, the SDF-Navy classed all of the vessels in this category as frigates.

These vessels were built and maintained mostly by the Cities of the Free Lands, with some also being contributed by the Towns. While many were taken over by the young SDF-Navy, quite a lot were retained by the Water Polices.

## *SDFS Crúba Sionnaighi*

* *Fox Claws*
* Paddle-wheeler in service with the Water Police of Wembury
* originally commissioned in 1899, Navy-Commissioned in 1920, training ship in 1925, decomissioned in 1931
* museum ship in Wembury
* armed with Gabha G-8 47mm Guns

## Technical Data

### Armament

1x Gabha G-23 76mm gun, 2x Gabha R-22, mines or depth charges

The
**Cuan Mark IV Motor Launch**, or **Cuan IV** for short, was the second-to-last Motor Launch, a small vessel designed for harbour defense, submarine chasing and other auxiliary work, which had been designed by Bád Industries Limited of Cuan. A total of 144 vessels were built in the shipyards along the banks of the Coill-River.

Due to their small size, low costs and low crew size, they were the backbone of the Water Polices from 1914, 1915, when they were introduced, to 1941, when the last one was decommissioned. Only one Cuan Mark IV Motor Launch survived to this day, *Fiona*, laid up at the Museum of Seafaring in Fort Stone.

Armed with a Gabha G-23 76mm gun and two R-22 Machine Guns, the Cuan-IV was heavily armed for its size. 40 of these vessels were taken over by the SDF-Navy in 1920 and, over time, replaced by Cuan Mark V Motor Launches.

## Trawlers

Many of the City Guards and some of the Town Guards maintained small detachments of Naval Trawlers, usually the largest frontline vessels of the respective Guard. These vessels were essentially fishing trawlers converted to serve as military or police vessels, usually as minesweepers, but sometimes as ASW-vessels. The first sonars of the SDF-Navy were mounted on Trawlers.

As there were many types of fishing trawlers adapted to use as Naval Trawlers, there will be no further listing of classes here. Generally, however, armament did not exceed a few machine guns, a mine trawl and depth charges, if the vessel was also used as an ASW-Vessel. The crew usually consisted of 14 to 18 men and women. Some Trawlers were also adapted to serve as minelayers.

Over the course of the 1930, the majority of the Trawlers was handed back to the Water Polices or scrapped.

## Other Vessels

Light Cruisers: Rhiannon-class Light Cruiser, Cailleach-class Light Cruiser
Frigates: ***Initial Equipment of the SDF-Navy***
Sloops: Miodóg-class Sloop
Torpedo Boats: Grey Wolf class Torpedo Boat, Reathaí-class Torpedo Boat
Aircraft Carrying Vessels: SDFS Faoileán (Seaplane Tender)
Submarines: F-1-class Submarine, F-5-class Submarine, F-10-class Submarine

**Amphibious Operations Vessels**

Attack Transport: Chromán-class Attack Transport
Vehicle Landing Ships: Crogall-class Vehicle Landing Ship

**Supply and Support Vessels**

Mine Warfare Vessels: Trádghaoth-class Mine Warfare Vessel
Tenders: Leaba-class Destroyer Tender,
Other: Survey Vessel SDFAS Dreaga, Type 6 Motorboat

**Aircraft:**
Fighters: Shane Airworks Piongain, Sciathán Léachtóir
Fighter-Bombers: Sciathán Sánnagh
Heavy Fighters: Sciathán Iolar
Bombers: M-22 Faoilean Medium Bomber
Torpedo Bombers: LAF-3M-16 Giodróg
Attack Aircraft: Ironcastle Airworks Iarrean, Ironcastle Airworks Sleanna
Reconnaissance and Maritime Patrol Aircraft: Shane Airworks Débheathach, Monarcha M-29 Prásóg, Shane Airworks Snámhán
Transport Planes: Shane Airworks Lódálaí

**Other Equipment**

**Artillery:** Gabha G-91 135mm Gun, Gabha G-23 76mm gun
**Anti-Aircraft Weapons:** Ceantar C-44 40mm AA Gun, Gabha G-36 20mm Gun, Gabha R-22 Machine Gun
**Torpedoes:** 533mm torpedoes, 450 mm aerial torpedoes (700 kg)
**Rockets:** Rocket Barrage Anti-Aircraft System
**Mines:** *Present and Accounted for*
**Radar:** *In Development*
**Sonar:** *Present and accounted for*

Also see: Naval Armament Program (1922) (ran out in 1937), **Initial Equipment of the SDF-Navy**, Auxiliary Freighter Group, Regiment of SDF-Navy Troopers, Maighdean-class Cruiser Proposal (abandoned by 1933), Equipment of the SDF-Army in 1940
Project 1940: Structure of the SDF-Navy in 1942, Structure of the Imperial Navy in 1940, Structure of the Armed Forces of the Principality in 1940, Structure of the Lutetiian Navy in 1942, Structure of the Armed Forces of the Empire of Kupandukira in 1940
List of Kanmusu of the SDF-Navy