A Sharlin class warcruiser The Sharlin Class Warcruiser is the main starship of the Minbari Federation in the fictional Babylon 5 universe. Also commonly known as the Minbari War Cruiser, the Sharlin class is very large, being 1.6 kilometers long and about 1.9 kilometers tall.
Sharlin class ships use a gravitic drive system, which is used to provide artifical gravity. An artifical singularity and fusion reactors provide power for this type of vessel. The Sharlin class is very well armed, having gravitic neutron and fusion cannons, as well neutron and fusion guns, electro-pulse Guns, a missile launcher, and an antimatter cannon. The ship also makes use of stealth technology which allows it to be come effectively invisible to sensor and targeting systems.
These ships can hold up to 8000 people. Such vessels have a crew of about 190 people. In combat situations there can be 60 additional combat personnel - such as pilots, gunners, and other support officers, and about 8000 ground troops. In peacetime the Sharlin class ships only have the 190 person regular crew. The low crew requirement is due to the advanced computer system in place. The Valen'tha - a specially equipped Sharlin class - is home to the Grey Council - the leaders of the Minbari government.
The Sharlin class ships have a special holographic chamber. The chamber provides a complete 360 degree 3D image of the space around the ship. Normally it is used as a command center during battle situations. This chamber allows the commander to view the battlefield. A similar chamber is used by the Grey Council.
Among the younger races of the galaxy, the Sharlin class has no equals. During the Earth-Minbari war only one Sharlin class ship was lost, while the Sharlin class inflicted heavy casualities on the humans. But the Sharlin class was no match for the more advanced First Ones - the Shadows were able to destroy a number of Sharlin class ships during the course of the war.
Known Sharlin Class Ships
- Black Star - called Drala Fi' in Minbari, this ship was the flagship of the Minbari fleet until its destruction during the Earth-Minbari war by Captain John Sheridan. It was the only Sharlin class ship destroyed by the humans during the war.
- Trigati - This ship participated in the Battle of the Line. When the order to surrender came, the ship's captain committed suicide rather than obey. His crew took the ship into hyperspace, and spent the next ten years in exile. They finally came out of exile in 2259 when John Sheridan took command of Babylon 5 and tried to provoke him into a fight. When he refused, another Minbari vessel came out of hyperspace and tried to make the Trigati surrender. The Trigati's crew committed suicide rather than obey.
- Ingata - This war crusier came to Babylon 5 in 2258 while carrying the body of the deceased war leader Brammer home.
- Valen'tha - a specialized war cruiser that serves as home to the Grey Council. It was this vessel that was damaged by the humans at the disaterous first contact between the humans and Minbari. The damage resulted in the death of their leader Dukhat, and started the war between Minbar and Earth.
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