Class: Volkshelfer
Operators: GDW
Manufacturer: SCS Group

Length: 115.60 Meters
Diameter:32.40 Meters

Crew: 6

Propulsion: Sacre Group Mark V Fusion Engine x4
Maximum Acceleration: 3.2g

Range: ~2 weeks before requiring resupply

Sensors:
Primary Omnidirectional Radar x1
Electro-Optical Sensors x12
Target Tracking Radar x3

Armament:
Eisenarme Kobalt Ship Defense Weapon x3
Eisenarme Kobalt Small Remote Weapon Station x4

Support Craft:
Lancaster Class Inter Vehicular Assault Suit x6

The Volkshelfer was developed in 2315 as an update for a range of small patrol ships designed to monitor GDW holdings near earth and Jupiter. The primary goal of the project was to replace the small escort ships, customs enforcement ships, repair ships, and supply tugs used near Jupiter with a single design. A single design was seen as desirable largely due to the constant need to send more ships to deal with problems near Jupiter such as customs enforcement turning into needing repair and refueling of damaged ships to keep them from falling too deep into Jupiter's gravity well.

The result was a reliable design that could handle a range of tasks, and that would see a large number of deployments mostly near the Jupiter colonies. While not the most glamorous assignment for the GDW, Volkshelfer would become a common sight near GDW holdings.

Fitting GDW doctrine at the time, the Volkshelfer is well armored against attacks from below, armored engine nozzles, reactors, and a thick anti-radiation shield to block off the engines and reactors from the modules above. This design is intended to provide protection against anti-ship attacks while the ship is decelerating to intercept.

The forward modules of the ship are lightly armored, and intended to provide protection more against radiation, micro-meteors, and small arms fire that might come from the crew of ships being boarded.

The Volkshelfer is lightly armed, and is aimed more towards the kind of low intensity fights that GDW forces typically get involved in during their customs and enforcement duties.

The three ship defense weapons include their own ranging systems, and are primarily designed for defending against starships and incoming missiles. The turrets are located on extensions that give them extensive line of sight around the craft allowing at least two of the turrets to always be able to track a target regardless of where it is.

See: Eisenarme Kobalt Ship Defense Weapon

The smaller remote weapon stations on the ship are aimed using optical sensors, and are primarily designed to deal with threats close in to the ship during boarding actions or customs enforcement.

See: Eisenarme Kobalt Small Remote Weapon Station