Type: Cutter
Class: Arcus
Role: Intra-System Patrol

Length: 58m
Beam: 13m
Draught: 17m

Range: Limited By Provisions
Endurance: Five Weeks, Standard Deployment
FTL: No
Cruise Acceleration: 1G
Top Acceleration: 5G
Powerplant: Type-1 Alessian Hybrid Fusion-Pulse Reactor

Armament: 10x short-range TNT cannons, 2x Balefire Cannons
Armour: No
Shields: /fill shield (TBA), Undisclosed Alessian Shielding

In keeping with Alessian naming principles, the Arcus-Class Cutters are named for cloud formations and phenomenon associated with thunderstorms. Examples of the class are Arcus and Windshear, famous for their involvement in the rescue of a UTS scout ship and its crew.

Arcus-Class ships are not known for their strength in battle, being roughly the equivalent of patrol boats and gunships in other fleets, but have an unmatched acceleration (only exceed by that of RAEF singleship fighters) among named fleet units. Their most effective weapon is the Balefire Cannon fitted as standard to all RAEF fleet units. This is backed up by the Compact TNT Cannon used as an area suppression weapon to defend against singleships. Defences are limited to the common Hardened Plasma Shield with some vessels being fitted with a new type of Alessian shield currently under development. Batch-1 vessels were not fitted with CIWS, but are slowly being retrofitted as CIWS becomes available. Batch-2 and -3 vessel are fited with CIWS as standard.

Due to their small size and relatively low emissions, these cutters are hard to detect at range by passive or active systems, tending to blend in with background radiation and local area emissions. However, they have no dedicated stealth system and rely on their acceleration to escape larger and slower combatants.

Arcus-Class Cutters have a reputation among the RAEF fleet for being extremely habitable spacecraft. While sleeping arrangements are basic, each crew member has their own bunk and the vessel is designed to be operated by a small crew, freeing up internal space for additional storage and crew facilities, including two sets of amenities and a spacious mess/rec hall. The captain’s cabin is located behind the bridge and is modelled on the sea-cabin for skippers of larger vessels, albeit more compact.
Crew morale aboard Arcus-Class vessels is reputably high across the fleet and they are a prized command for less experienced Junior Officers due to their ease of maintenance & upkeep, responsive handling and simple layout.

Arcus-Class Cutters are considered very modern vessels, even fifty years after their first inception. Newer batches use the more advanced Type-2 Fusion-Pulse hybrid reactors, though these have been reported to have issues with overloading the ship’s galley appliances.