UNS San Francisco

Named after the city in which the United Nations for formed, the UNS San Francisco was the first spaceborne warship to be commissioned into the organization. The first flagship of their navy, it was supposed to supposed to establish the standard that all other warships were measured against, but serious problems with its frame and components saw it quickly relegated to a second-line position.

Ordered as part of a five-ship block to formally establish the armed portion of the United Nations fleet, the San Francisco was constructed at the High Altitude Luna Assembly Yards (HALAY), with its various components shipped from Earth. It was ordered as both an experimental test ship and a policing vessel, where it stopped and searched ships traveling to wherever it was stationed at. In this guise, it may also be called upon to perform peacekeeping operations, either to bring both sides to the negotiation table or at least stop the spread of violence. Knowing that it would eventually be outclassed, it had a large cargo capacity to act as a resupply vessel towards the end of its lifespan.

Unfortunately, the final warship was found to be deeply flawed, earning the San Francisco a number of colorful, insulting nicknames. The budget allocated to it, although larger than that initially given for the succeeding ships, was simply not enough and led to compromises. It was already known that the ship would be undergunned and unarmored, but its framework was far too weak and required strengthening following its shakedown cruise. This did not resolve its problems, and the poor-quality of work haunted it throughout its lifespan. The solar-diesel equipment proved expensive to upkeep, and they were too small and provided too little electrical power to allow for future refits. The crew noted that it was uncomfortable to ride in, due to its cramped interior and because only a few of its rooms were designed to take advantage of thrust-gravity. On the bright side, its range was formidable thanks to the BAE Mark 11 targeting system, and its range was considerably greater than expected. Intended as a class, the San Francisco only had a single half-sister, the UNS London, which held little in common with its predecessor.

The UNS San Francisco was formally commissioned in 2087, after a five-year-long construction period. In spite of its problems, it had a long if uneventful history. During its brief service as the UN flagship, it routinely ferried diplomats between Earth and Luna, and was the site of a China-American conference aimed at easing tensions between the two powers. After the UNS Moscow took over as head of the UN navy, it was transferred to border-patrol duties around Luna, and then to the Jovian Moons in 2114. The introduction of the more economical second-generation warships eventually saw the San Francisco disarmed and decommissioned, though it still served on in various civilian roles, such as an intra-moon transport and even a habitat construction vessel. It was eventually scrapped in the Ireland Point shipbreaking station in 2134.