"Sparrow" class Carrier

Length: 570.6 m
Beam: ?m
Height: ?m

Ship's Company: 750 (Officers & Enlisted)
Flight Wing: 260 (Pilots & Support)

Armament:
4x Triple Heracles 85L Guns
4x Twin Bias 50L Guns
4x Nestor 30L Guns
6x Twin Point-Defense Turrets

Fighter Craft:
36x HI-142 "Kestrel" Fighters
24x HI-172 "Eagle" Fighters
4x Der-5 "Cobra" Bombers

First appearance: Page 02.17

Although the Alliance's practice of buying commercial and civilian ships for conversion to military vessels was proving to be a success, Alliance Command was concerned by the fleet's lack of any heavy carrier. Since no suitable hulls could be purchased on the open market, funding was poured into a massive expansion of the Rendrath Shipyards. Now, as well as producing fighters and bombers based on commercial blueprints, the shipyards began work on a truly ambitious project - a carrier capable of holding said fighters.

Though codenamed the "Sparrow" during development to confuse enemy intelligence, Alliance Command was so amused by the contrast that they made it the official class name when the first prototype was completed. This prototype was first sent into combat at the Battle of White-rim, where it played a key role in the Alliance's plan.

Action Shots:

The prototype Sparrow launches fighters and bombers at the Battle of White-rim.