The Axe is a small escort vessel built to fulfill the Commonwealth’s need for a fighter carrier. Lightly armed and armored, these carriers are really little more than glorified transports. In combat, they are meant to stay well behind the battle lines, ideally with their own escorts in case enemy ships jump in close.
At 2,920 meters wide, the Axe is the largest escort in the Commonwealth navy. Much of its size is devoted to internal fighter storage, allowing it to hold 120 small craft. It takes time to launch all of its parasite craft, requiring protection early in battle. The vessel has 12 20-cell point defense missile launchers and 60 60mm scatter cannons for defense against fighters, and 10 400mm gyro cannons for a token antiship armament. It primarily relies on its fighter complement to dish out damage.
The Axe-class is only lightly armored and shielded, unable to stand up to heavy assault from ships or attack craft. It is also rather slow, even considering its size, so it must either rely on allied ships’ protection from danger, or it must jump away to escape attack.
As a light vessel meant for indirect combat support, the Axe-class actually fits well with Commonwealth battle doctrine. Sitting at extreme range behind a wall of dedicated combatants, this carrier can overwhelm the enemy from extreme range while the other warships pound the enemy with missiles.