The pioneer Class aircraft carrier was designed to fill the developing Aircraft carrier gap in the Hardenburghian navy .The basic frame was retained but was reinforced with super strong alloys in many places to strengthen the vessel. The hull and structures were refitted with high strength alloys and composites and are far stronger than they were when the ship was first laid down. The machinery was found to have many problems so was completely replaced. The steam plant was replaced by eight gas turbines driving four shafts with variable pitch propellers. These turbines are of the same design as those carried on the Empire class Destroyer and produced about 40% most power than the original power plant and had around the same fuel efficiency even though they were Gas Turbines. There has been much speculation from Romagnian naval engineers that the engines were close copies of the General Electric LM-2500 Gas Turbine. The engines could drive the carrier at two knots greater than the original steam plant. These engines were later replaced with fusion turbines which further increased the speed up to 34.5 knots and gave the ship virtually unlimited endurance. Later carriers were built with four fusion reactors as the main power plant. The original flight deck system was retained on the Pioneer with a ramp used for take off although later Hardenburghian carriers used catapults. Virtually all of the electronics were replaced with a new system. The original phased array system was replaced by a more advanced system which used a diamond shaped panel. To augment this, a steerable single phased array system was mounted. The mounting of these systems virtually completely changed the configuration of the carrier's island. One of the few systems which was retained was the hull sonar although the electronics in the system have been upgraded. All the new systems and additional armor increased the vessels displacement.
The weapon systems were actually reduced when compared to the original weapon suite when the vessel was commissioned. The vessel originally carried six single 30 mm anti-aircraft mounts in addition to the eight CADS-N-1 Close In Weapon System mounts. The six single 30 mm mounts were removed when the ship was refitted but the CADS-N-1 mounts were retained initially. These were later replaced by eight CAD-N-6 Mounts which used a pulse laser in place of the 30 mm cannons. The Kinzhal VLS systems were retained but the launchers were refitted to fire conventional medium range missiles instead of SA-N-9 Gauntlet missiles which the launcher was originally fitted for. The engineers at first considered removing the cruise missile launchers but the decided instead to replace the twelve Shipwreck missiles with twice as many smaller cruise missiles. Like the original launchers, the cruise missile launchers are flush decked and barely visible. The two anti-torpedo launchers were replaced with 'Killer Dart' interceptor torpedo launchers. The weapon layout of the Pioneer was used as a basis for later carriers but the missile launchers were of a more modern design and the number of cruise missiles carried were reduced to about half.
An important feature of the refit was the addition of automation to reduce the crew the ship required. The Gas turbine engines already required a small crew than the steam plant and the new allows reduced general ship maintenance. The total reduction was almost thirty percent for ship's crew and about ten percent for the air crew. Crew quarters were comfortable but the ship did not have the incredibly luxurious officers quarters such as the Dauntless carried. Originally the carrier was designed to be able to carry ninety aircraft.

Statistics

LOA: 980 Ft
Beam:220 Ft
Displacement: 90,000 – 110,000 long tons
Draft: 41 ft
Propolusion: Group I : 8 Gas Turbines , from Group II : 2 Nuclear fusion Reactors
Armor 2.5 Inches of Kevlar over vital areas
Complement 3,500 Ships company , 2,400 Air Wing
Armament: (See Below)
Aircraft Carried 85-90 fixed wing and helicopters

Weapons Systems

Kashstan CADS-N-6 CIWS Systems 8 : Combination Anti-Missile Defense Systems which combines both a rapid fire laser and a short range missile launchers. While mounted in one system, both defense systems have separate tracking systems. Short range missiles are designed to be able to track and target multiple missiles simultaneously.

Maximum Effective Range: Laser Cannons: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters)

SS-N-40 Cruise Missile Vertical Launchers (24): The ship originally carried twelve launchers for P-500/SS-N-19 Granit "Shipwreck"heavy cruise missiles but these launchers were replaced by launchers for smaller cruise missiles. The launchers are located flush with the forward part of the carrier's flight deck. Later carriers carry a smaller number of cruise missile launchers. The cruise missiles can be fired be fired at either ground or surface targets but cannot be targeted on air targets. The launchers can launch at multiple targets simultaneously. 


Chaff Launcher (: Located on the superstructure of the ship, they are designed to confuse incoming missiles. All eight launchers must be operated or effects will be reduced. Reduce effects of launchers by 50% per launcher not used.

Special Systems

SAVY 1 Missile Detection SystemCan identify and simultaneously track up to can simultaneously track and identify up to 90 targets at one time. The system controls missile launched from the missile launchers and the system track and guide each individual missile to an individual target for up to 100 targets. Range: 312 miles (498.5 km) 


"Morningstar" Active Phased Array Radar System: Unlike systems carried by most larger naval vessels, radar system is comprised of a single array on top of the main mast. This system is smaller, lighter, and requires less power than a system of fixed panels. If allowed by the horizon, the system can track out to 150 miles (241.4 km) and can simultaneously track and identify up to 240 targets at one time. The system controls missile launched from the long range missile launchers and the system can track and guide each individual missile to an individual target for up to 80 targets.

MGK-345 Bronza/Ox Yoke Hull Mounted Sonar: Sonar system has a range of around 16 nautical miles (18.4 miles / 29.6 km).. This hull sonar system has both a passive and active system built in. Sonar system can track up to 8 targets any one time