Thunder-A Deck Layout/Flight Deck
The Thunder-A is extremely well-armed with an impressive array of torpedo tubes and carrying four squadrons of fighters. The Akira Class starship can stand up against just about any known ship in the known quadrants. An interesting item is the class' through-deck hangar bay allowing it to launch fighters and other spacecraft from the front while recovering them aft or vice versa. The hangar deck spans the entire length of the primary hull.
Three separate but adjoining shuttlebay doors stretch across the middle of the saucer's forward edge between the split Engineering hulls. Two bay doors are located aft on each side of a specially designed control tower that dominates the saucer's trailing edge. At maximum efficiency, the structure is designed to allow spacecraft to depart from the forward saucer and return to land at the aft doors near the control tower - a site protected by the surrounding ship's structure making it less vulnerable than on other vessels. The launching and landing bays are connected through the saucer's decks by maintenance and logistical support facilities.
General Overview: Located at the dorsal bow of the ship, the flight bay module has replaced the shuttlebay module that is in previous classes of starships. This flight bay contains support services for the latest in Starfleet shuttle and Runabout designs. The flight bay is controlled by a space/air-traffic control room, known as the "Flight Operations". This control room is located against the forward wall of the flight bay which is supervised by the Flight Operations Center. The flight bay typically contains the following spacecraft, though it can change on a mission-to-mission basis, meeting the needs of the mission profile:
- 10 FA-120 Falchions
- 10 FA-150 Mauls
- 8 FA-181 Hammerheads
- 4 FA-150R Mongooses
- 4 Type 11 Personnel Shuttles
- 6 Type 18 Shuttlepods
- 3 Danube Class Runabouts
- 2 Type M-1 Sphinx Workpods
For more information as to specific craft assigned to the Tunder-A see Thunder A Support Craft