Europa class Type-3 Guided Missile Destroyer

Rounding out the new RDF space fleets is this fast, maneuverable spacecraft. Designed to patrol Earth's solar system and to escort the more vulnerable A.R.M.D. platforms, this vehicle entered service in 2004, five years before the launching of the SDF-1. Though most were destroyed by the Zentraedi immediately after they entered Earth orbit and when the SDF-1 attempted to link up with Armor 1 and Armor 10, or later when they were recalled to Earth just before the Zentraedi Holocaust, many survived and continued to patrol the solar system until the remainder were decommissioned just before the SDF-3 departed for Tirol.

This vessel was fairly spacious, and was popular with its crews before the Zentraedi arrived, but proved to be woefully underarmed to deal with the far larger and deadlier Zentraedi vessels. They also served to evacuate the personnel from of Mars Base Sara because of the threat made by anti-unificationist terrorists that caused the abandonment of the base. The Helene was captured by these terrorists, who used it to destroy the Europa; all hands (including Lisa Hayes' fiencee, Carl Rieber) were killed. The Agamemnon was then dispatched after the Helene, and destroyed the rogue ship.

Furthermore, the Europa-class vessels served admirably in their patrol role after the destruction of the SDF-1, and were instrumental in rooting out and destroying several damaged Zentraedi destroyers and scouts that had escaped the destruction of Dolza's mobile base.

There is often a marine platoon of 36 men stationed aboard these vessels for landing actions (such as the incident on Mars Base Sera before the Zentraedi arrived) as well as the boarding of derelict craft. Four technical specialists are typically attached to the marines. These specialists pilot and service the shuttle, among other tasks.

The Europa-class is well-armed for its size, with 4 powerful forward-firing particle guns, multiple point-defense lasers, and 36 deadly anti-warship missiles. Nevertheless, it is still barely a match for the Zentraedi Salan scout ship, and can prevail only if it utilizes its maneuverability to avoid the Salan's guns.

Stats:

Weapon Systems:

• 2 Heavy Laser Cannons
• 2 Medium Laser Cannons
• 32 Anti-Aircraft Laser Turrets
• 36 LRM's

Vehicle/Mecha Complement

• 1 Space Shuttle

Vessels Constructed