Pillar of Vigilance class long-range surveillance ship

The Pillar of Vigilance class long-rance surveillance ship was a late Second Age UOSF starship designed with one mission in mind: surveillance. Its sensor profile was designed to look like smaller civilian starships which commonly plied trade routes. However, upon closer inspection, the Pillar of Vigilance is much better armed and armored, coated in stealth materials. The Pillar of Vigilance also possessed the most advanced surveillance equipment of its contemporaries.

A small ship, the Pillar of Vigilance was most commonly deployed with larger UOSF task forces. Squadrons containing these ships would routinely jump into a system and conduct long-range surveillance before continuing upon a patrol, at a range where the casual observer is likely to dismiss the squadron as a trade convoy.

Armament

The Pillar of Vigilance is a formidable vessel for its size. Capable of moderate maneuvers, the Pillar is also well armed and armored, possessing an array of capital-scale weapons. However, the Pillar does not employ any point defense weaponry; it is dependent upon other vessels for defense from smaller space assets.

The prize of the Pillar of Vigilance's armament is its large sensor array. Embedded throughout the hull and armor, the sensors are capable of taking passive readings without raising suspicion. The Pillar may also deploy a longer-ranged, retractable sensor array, or allow small craft deployed from the vessel to conduct extreme-range surveillance. However, embedding the sensor array made refits, repairs and upgrades nightmarish.

Cargo

The Pillar of Vigilance was designed for surveillance, not for transportation. The ship contains a single cargo bay, capable of handling 2,100 tons. It has space to support up to four small craft in a second cargo bay.