SDF-3 Pioneer

In the fictional world of "Robotech", the SDF-3 is the third Super Dimensional Fortress of the United Earth Forces, and was first introduced in ' (1986). In recent comics, it was identified by name as the Pioneer"', and was rebuilt as a "Shadow Dimensional Fortress." It is commanded by Admiral Lisa Hunter, and later by her husband, Admiral Rick Hunter. In 2022, the SDF-3 was launched as the flagship of the Pioneer Expedition on a mission to find the Robotech Masters Homeworld to try and prevent another war on Earth. The mission, which would take many unexpected turns and face unimaginable challenges, would last 22 years.

:"This article specifically deals with Robotech continuity. See the article about the SDF-1 for more general information from both Macross and Robotech."

History and background

The SDF-1 and the newly built SDF-2 were both destroyed at the end of the First Robotech War in Khyron's final attack on New Macross City in January 2014. Construction of the SDF-3 began almost immediately using the salvaged remains of the ruined ships as well as technology taken from the captured Zentraedi Satellite factory. Construction, on board the Satellite factory, would take eight (8) years and would consume much of the resources of the Earth which was still struggling to rebuild after the Zentraedi holocaust of 2011 which devastated 95% of the surface and reduced the human population to only 70,000.

Some military officials, most notably Commander Anatole Leonard of the Army of the Southern Cross, were angry about the construction and mission. The construction of the SDF-3 had not only stripped the Zentraedi Satellite Factory of almost all usable equipment and would be of little further use. Earth had poured so much into the SDF-3 that other military and weapon development projects had been put on hold. In addition, the departure of the SDF-3, which had been fitted with Earth's most advanced weapon systems, as well as over 10,000 of Earth's best soldiers (and their families), would greatly compromise Earth's ability to defend itself should another alien attack occur. Before the SDF-3 departed, Leonard warned on television that "Once the SDF leaves orbit I won't be able to defend the Earth against a flock of pigeons.""Robotech Sentinels: The Devil's Hand" (Book 13 of the "Robotech" series), Del Rey Books, Jack McKinney, 1988.(ISBN: 0-345-35300-5)]

However, it was believed that the SDF-3 would require every advantage possible as its mission would be long and dangerous and that the likelihood of another alien attack on Earth was low. However, circumstances would play out in a manner nobody expected: The Robotech Masters had already become aware of the protoculture on Earth and of the failure of their Zentraedi soldiers to retrieve it. In 2012, the Masters, in command of a spacefleet of six motherships, had departed from Tirol, their homeworld on a 15 year journey to Earth. ["Robotech", episode 30, Viva Miriya. [http://www.robotech.com/infopedia/episodes/viewepisode.php?episode=30&seriescode=MAC] ] When the SDF-3 arrived on Tirol, they found a planet that had been devastated by the Invid years earlier. The Robotech Expeditionary Force would use the SDF-3 as a base to help rebuild Tirol and help free over a dozen other worlds from Invid occupation, as well as to form alliances with other alien races against the Invid.

However, in a twist of irony, the Robotech Masters would arrive at Earth in 2029 and the Second Robotech War would begin between them and the United Earth Forces (UEF) and the Army of the Southern Cross. The war would last one year and lead to the destruction of the Masters' entire fleet and the devastation of Earth and its military forces. The SDF-3 ended up fighting a war it never expected to face while Earth would face the war the SDF-3's mission was supposed to prevent. The war, which lead to the spread of the spores of the Invid flower of life across Earth drew the Invid to the planet a year later. The Invid Invasion was quick and devastating as the Earth forces had exhausted themselves fighting the Masters. The Third Robotech war began as Earth would remain under Invid occupation for 13 years. Events would keep the SDF-3 away from Earth during both wars, until 2044 when it was to lead a final assualt against the Invid on Earth.

Depiction in Robotech

' depicted the SDF-3 under the final stages of construction within the giant Robotech factory in orbit around the Earth in the year 2022. Though human-engineered, the exterior is of Tirolian design, as part of the Pioneer expedition's strategy of infiltrating the Robotech Masters homeworld. The ship is introduced in the finished animation of ', but the launch is never seen because the rest of the series was never completed. The storyline is continued in a series of "Robotech" novels from Del Rey.

Reconstruction

The sequel ' continues from both the end of the original "Robotech" television series and the unfinished The first issue of Wildstorm's 5-part prequel comic series ' shows the original version of the SDF-3 from the "Sentinels" video, but the ship is damaged and rebuilt as a "Shadow Dimensional Fortress" in later issues. This new look duplicates the general arrangement of the original SDF-1 design, but has a look more in the style of the larger ship designs from "Mospeada/", most specifically the SDF-4 Izumo (also referenced as the "Liberator". This has been explained as a total systems rebuild, incorporating the shadow-cloaking system to evade Invid Protoculture sensors.

Mysterious disappearance

In the final episode of the original "Robotech" series, audiences anticipated the return of the SDF-3, but were left hanging by its mysterious disappearance. Command of the returning Robotech Expeditionary Force was taken over by the SDF-4 Izumo. ["Robotech", episode 85: Symphony of Light [http://www.robotech.com/infopedia/episodes/viewepisode.php?episode=85] ] Del Rey continued the story through the novel "The End of the Circle", to a mixed reception by fans who preferred to see the "Sentinels" story completed by Harmony Gold. ["Robotech: The End of the Circle". Del Rey Books, Jack McKinney, 1989 (ISBN: 0-345-36311-6)]

In the movie "", it was revealed that the SDF-3 had been attempting to test-fire the new Neutron-S missiles. These malfunctioned badly as a result of design sabotage, seriously damaging the SDF-3 and the science vessel "Deukalion", and creating a black hole. The SDF-3 was immobilized and adrift near the new black hole. Captain Vince Grant and the "Icarus" attempted a rescue, but all three ships were attacked by hostile unknown forces, and Admiral Hunter ordered the "Icarus" to return to Earth with the "Deukalion" and deliver a warning about the Neutron-S missiles. The ultimate fate of the SDF-3 is unknown, as it was crippled and had just survived a ramming by a hostile warship when last seen.

At the conclusion of the movie, the starship "Ark Angel" is dispatched to find out what became of the ship and her crew, and recover survivors, if any.

Details

Dimensions

* Length: 1622 m (overall)
* Height: 362.7m
* Width: 281.6m
* Displacement: 46.85 Million Tons (approximate)

Crew complement

* Shipboard Crew: 10,000 (Includes the command crew, all officers, non-coms and enlisted ranks)
* Troops: 3,948 (Both combat ready and reserve)
* Total Crew: 13,948

Weapons and defensive systems

* Full Barrier System: This is a force field which encompasses the entire ship. It can be erected in as little as five seconds.
* Barrier Defense System: Also known as the Pinpoint Barrier System, this uses smaller, movable force shields, which are used to protect only the command tower.
* Laser Turrets (Zentraedi style): Forty-eight laser turrets line the top, bottom, and sides of the ship's hull. These are mainly point-defense, should any enemy mecha close in on the ship.
* Missile Bays: Twenty-four missile bays are strategically placed around the hull. They are retractable, and remain hidden until used.
* Laser Cannons: Located on either side of the main hull are appendages with laser cannons, two each. These can be used for point-defense, but their primary use is in ship-to-ship combat.
* Reflex Cannons (Main guns): The forward portions of the main hull are comprised mostly of two large Reflex cannons. These are used in ship-to-ship combat, or for space station/planetary assault. They can be used to devastating effect in clearing clusters of enemy mecha, as the beams destroy everything in their path out to an effective range of 192,000 km.
* Synchro-Cannons (Main guns): After the SDF-3 is severely damaged over Tirol and rebuilt, the destroyed Reflex Cannons were replaced with Synchro-cannons that have similar range and firepower. Because they are Shadowtech, the Synchro-cannons cannot be detected even when preparing to fire.
* In addition to the above systems, the SDF-3 carries a full complement of Veritech fighters (1100+), Destroid Mecha (1600+, which includes over 1000 Zentraedi mecha) and Zentraedi Warriors (1000+).

ee also

* SDF-1
* SDF-2
* SDF-4

References

External links

* [http://www.xs4all.nl/~ptn/Naval/Pioneer.html Pioneer Class Super Dimensional Fortress] at Robotech Reference Guide
* [http://www.robotech.com/infopedia/timeline/viewevents.php?seriescode=SEN Robotech Timeline - Sentinels] at Robotech.com