Hey guys!  So I got out of school exactly three days ago, and made this!  Actually, this ship has been around since February, but I really powered through much of it over the past three days, and I think the most work was done in a total of four days, maybe five actually spent building.  However, now that school is over, I will be able to work a whole lot more on ships, as evidenced by how fast I finished this.  Expect the Dauntless in a few weeks I hope, and then I'll start working on ships for Celestial Chaos.  This ship also features in a blog I'll post when it's done being proofread on how I build my airships.  Essentially, I walk you through the construction process of the Rapier, and then go a bit further to cover how to make good posts.  But since my computer seems to crash whenever I open Minecraft's screenshots folder, hence why there are no additional screenshots for this ship, I'll need to fix that before continuing.  Anyway, you know what time it is!

Specs!

Class: Rapier
Type: Destroyer/Guided Missile Destroyer
First Flown: 2/22/14
Length: 156m
Width: 55m
Height: 43m
Armament:

• • 6 5-in cannons. (1 double-barreled TNT cannon and four dispensers)
    
  • 14 8-in cannons. (Semi-auto TNT cannons)
    
  • 2 AIM-333 Mini-Demon Antiship Missiles
    
  • 9 FBM-1 Crusader Fleet Ballistic Missiles
    
  • 14 Browning M2HB machine guns (not shown)
    
  • 4 Phalanx CIWS systems (nonfunctional)
    

Top Speed: Mach 4.5
Powerplant: 1 Mk IV Cold Fusion Reactor
Thrust: 2 Fixed Nuclear Thrusters
Lift: Iyectan Room-Temperature Superconductors, 4 Rotors.
Displacement: 20,000 tons
Commissioned Ships:

• Skyship Rapier (SDD-04)
  
• Skyship Broadsword (SDD-05)
  
• Skyship Excalibur (SDD-06)
  
• Skyship Katana (SDD-07)
  
• Skyship Kirpan (SDD-08)
  
• Skyship Blodgang (SDD-09)
  
• Skyship Naegling (SDD-10)
  
• Skyship Arondight (SDD-11)
  
• Skyship Angurvadal (SDD-12)
  
• Skyship Durendal (SDD-13)
  
• Skyship Khopesh (SDD-14)
  
• Skyship Harpe (SDD-15)
  
• Skyship Gladius (SDD-16)
  
• Skyship Paramerion (SDD-17)
  
• Skyship Saber (SDD-18)
  
• Skyship Scimitar (SDD-19)
  
• Skyship Shinken (SDD-20)
  
• 20 more have been ordered, but are as of now unnamed.
  

Crew: 250 (175 enlisted, 75 officers)
Operating Ceiling: 45,000 feet
Cost: $120 million Skylord Dollars
Auxiliary Aircraft:

• 1 SH-66 Shrike General-Purpose Helicopter
  

As new threats appeared left and right, especially ones that threatened the traditional carrier task force tactics of the Skylord Air Navy, the admiralty realized a need remained for more combat-oriented ships.  One of the classes that had yet to be filled in the fleet was a destroyer, so Skylord Brony was instantly commissioned to begin work.  The Rapier, the first Skylord vessel to incorporate Iyectan superconductors as levitation, started off as a light, fast, and lightly-armed vessel, although Brony realized that he had abandoned this concept as he installed the 11th 8-inch cannon, although he shrugged it off and continued.  After a blindingly fast 3 months, the first Rapiers were ready for combat.  The ship's primary purpose outside of engaging enemy targets is enhanced protection of carrier task forces, both long and close ranged.  Armed with ballistic missiles, cannons, and machine guns, it can engage threats at nearly any range required, and can get up close and personal with a radar emulator like the Akira's.  Because of the superconductors, the ship can safely hover at lower altitudes as well, enhancing its ground-support potential.  With a relatively low cost, superefficient reactor, light weight for its size, and low crew count, the Rapier is the perfect vessel for the Skylord industrial machine, and many more are expected.

The ship is full of experimentation.  While obviously the superconductors are new, in addition, external nuclear engines with cooling scoops help reduce the amount of coolant needed, a large cargo bay opening to the outside adds the potential for heavy cargo otherwise unable to be directly loaded, new missiles, hull-mounted cannons, a larger radar emulator, and more powerful radar represent big steps towards more advanced ships.  One of the most drastic changes, however, is the decentralization of the command system.  Originally, the bridge served as the ship's control room for maneuvering, communications, and weaponry.  The CIC would act as a supplementary coordination and detection center, but the bridge was where all of the main decisions happened.  With the Rapier, the bridge is now relegated to a purely navigational role, with CIC and Fire Control handling weapons.  While the department leaders still answer to the captain, the bridge is no longer the center of the ship.  All-in-all, the Rapier is expected to perform admirably in its tasks, and serve as a powerful yet inexpensive warship for years to come.