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"It has a few advantages over the Prometheus. The more advanced alien technologies were integrated into the original design rather than tacked on after the fact."
Samantha Carter[src]

The BC-304,[6] (also known as the Daedalus-class battlecruiser[7] and Daedalus-class warship[1][2]) is a class of deep space carrier[5] built by the Tau'ri, and the most advanced series of vessels in the Tau'ri fleet. As of 2010, six Daedalus-class warships have been built. These include the Daedalus, Odyssey, Korolev, Apollo, Sun Tzu, and George Hammond. All but two are operated by Air Force Space Command. One 304, the Korolev, was given to the Russian Federation, and subsequently lost in a battle with the Ori, while another 304, the Sun Tzu, is operated by the Chinese Government.[8]

Overview

Although referred to as "sister ships" to the BC-303 Prometheus, the BC-304s differ significantly in their design and technology. While the Prometheus was originally built with reverse-engineered Goa'uld technology and salvaged equipment, the BC-304s incorporated Asgard technology in their original design; All BC-304s are equipped with Asgard shields, sensors, transporters, as well as intergalactic hyperdrive technology that allow the ships to make large intergalactic journeys in a matter of days. (SG1: "Moebius, Part 1")

While the Asgard initially refused to install Asgard-designed weapons on the BC-304, Asgard plasma beam weapons were gifted to the Tau'ri in 2007 as part of a larger refit to the class. Earth's flagship, the Odyssey, was the first to receive these upgrades, followed by the Daedalus and Apollo shortly thereafter. Since 2007, these upgrades have been incorporated into the base design of all new BC-304s in production. (SG1: "Unending", SGA: "Be All My Sins Remember'd", "The Last Man")

While built along similar lines to other members of the class, the George Hammond (completed in 2009) was built from the outset as an upgraded version of the Daedalus-class; The George Hammond possessed a heavier superstructure around the bridge, larger and wider 302 Bays, improved reverse thrusters that enabled it to land in smaller spaces easier, and a new, more-powerful series of railguns. (SGA: "The Lost")

History

BC-304

An early draft of the Daedalus.

Earth's first battlecruiser, the Prometheus, initially proved itself to be a capable warship, with several ships of the BC-303-class planned for production. However, over the course of the ship's lifespan, several improvements were made, with the Asgard installing several new systems in a show of gratitude for the Tau'ri's help in battling the Replicators. With the addition of these upgrades, and the great technological strides made by the Tau'ri in general since Prometheus was originally constructed, it soon became apparent that using the original BC-303 design as a template from which to construct new ships was impractical. Therefore, a new spaceship, intended to be built from the ground up with these upgrades, was designed.

The construction of this new class of ship, known as the BC-304, immediately became one of Stargate Command's most important projects. Currently, seventy percent of the SGC's operating budget has been transferred to the construction of Daedalus-class vessels, with each vessel costing seven billion dollars. (SGA: "Legacy: Homecoming") The first vessel of the class was the Daedalus, which was introduced in 2005. Upon its completion, the ship was immediately assigned to the Pegasus galaxy to assist the Atlantis expedition in the Tau'ri-Wraith war. (SG1: "Disclosure", "Moebius, Part 1", SGA: "The Siege, Part 3")

The following year, in 2006, the second Daedalus-class ship, the Odyssey, was constructed. The ship's initial mission was to deal with the Lucian Alliance and, foremost, the forces of the Ori, which had invaded the galaxy. (SG1: "Off the Grid")

The first two Daedalus-class ships were commanded by the Air Force Space Command. However, when the Ori invaded the Milky Way a third Daedalus-class ship was near completion. The Korolev was given to the Russians as a "trade agreement" for the United States of America to continue running the SGC with the Alpha Gate, which was on lease from Russia. The Korolev was destroyed during the Battle of P3Y-229 soon after being rushed into service. (SG1: "Camelot")

Battle of the Asgard Legacy

The Odyssey uses its newly acquired Asgard plasma beam weapons to destroy an Ori warship.

In 2007, when faced with the extinction of their race, the Asgard gave the Tau'ri their complete knowledge base in the form of the Asgard computer core. They also gave the Tau'ri vessel, Odyssey, a mass-upgrade. Since that historic event all Daedalus-class warships have been outfitted with Asgard advancements, including Asgard plasma beam weapons. (SG1: "Unending", SGA: "Be All My Sins Remember'd", "The Last Man")

Battle to save Atlantis 1

The Apollo engages an Asuran cruiser

Another Daedalus-class ship, the Apollo was constructed later in 2007. It was stationed around Earth in defense against a potential Ori attack. The attack never took place however, and it was subsequently assigned to the Pegasus galaxy to fight the Asurans in the Asuran-Tau'ri-Wraith war. (SG1: "The Ark of Truth", SGA: "First Strike")

The next 304 in line, the Sun Tzu, was put into service by China in early 2009. In its first mission, the Sun Tzu and the Apollo jointly engaged the Super-hive, which had found the location of Earth. The attack was a failure and both the ships were crippled in battle. The Hive ship was subsequently destroyed over Earth. (SGA: "Enemy at the Gate")

Additionally, Earth's sixth 304, the George Hammond (introduced in an alternate timeline as the "Phoenix"), was completed in 2009 and is placed under the command of Colonel Samantha Carter. It later took part in the defense of Icarus Base and other Lucian Alliance conflicts. (SGA: "The Last Man", "Enemy at the Gate", SGU: "Air, Part 1", "Incursion, Part 1"). It was additionally assigned to the Pegasus galaxy to assist in the Tau'ri's conflict with the Wraith. (SGA: "Legacy: Homecoming")

Locations

Bridge

The bridge of the BC-304 is located in the structure at the beginning of the ship's neck.[Note] While BC-304s differ significantly in several key aspects from the BC-303, the bridge layout is relatively similar. The forward viewport has been redesigned and is wider to allow a greater visual field. This is particularly useful during battle situations, allowing several officers to make suggestions about how to proceed without obstructing the captain's chair. Also built into the forward viewport is a Heads up display. (SGA: "Allies", "The Hive")

The captain's chair is located in the front section of the bridge and is centered several meters behind the forward viewport. A weapons officer sits to the right of the captain, a helmsman to the left. These are the only chairs present on the bridge, with the remaining bridge terminals being operated from the standing position. A large map display is located in the rear section of the bridge. This display is illuminated in a different color for each BC-304, being green on the Daedalus, orange on the Odyssey, white on the Apollo, purple of the Korolev, and orange on the George Hammond. (SG1: "Unending", SGA: "The Last Man", SGU: "Air, Part 1")

Originally, a static illuminated panel was integrated into the right and left walls of the bridge's forward section. These have since been replaced with a plaque that denotes the identity of the particular BC-304 on the right wall, and a computer terminal on the left wall.[Note] (SGA: "Aurora", "Be All My Sins Remember'd", "The Daedalus Variations")

Engineering

The engineering deck consists of a small room containing a number of computer terminals and displays. As of the refit to the class in 2007, a large Asgard terminal is located in engineering. (SGA: "Search and Rescue") It is large enough to accommodate approximately a dozen personnel at any given time. (SGA: "The Intruder") A viewport overlooking the Asgard hyperdrive can be found at the aft end of the chamber.[9] Tasks from systems diagnostics to the deployment of weapons can be carried out here. (SGA: "The Intruder", "Echoes", "Inferno", "Allies", "Be All My Sins Remember'd", "Search and Rescue", "The Daedalus Variations")

Hangar bay

BC-304s possess two large hangar bays - one located on each side of the ship. They are able to carry twice as many F-302 fighter-interceptors as the BC-303 — eight in each of its two hangar bays, for a total of 16. However, while some BC-304s are known to carry a full complement, the Daedalus has occasionally been seen carrying fighters only in its starboard hangar. (SGU: "Incursion, Part 1", SGA: "The Intruder") The hangars of the BC-304 are large enough to accommodate a number of other ships, including Puddle Jumpers and Wraith scout ships. (SGA: "First Strike", "First Contact") Additionally, an Al'kesh is able to barely fit into the hangar bay.[10]

The entrance of each hangar possesses a large airtight bulkhead. Once opened, a shield is projected over each hangar bay door. This shield allows for the passage of F-302s into and out of the bay while active, while simultaneously preventing decompression from occurring. This shield appears to operate independently of the BC-304's main shield system; it is projected as a plane over the hangar bay doors, whereas the ship's main shield forms a bubble around the entire vessel. (SGA: "The Intruder", SG1: "Flesh and Blood")

Infirmary

The Infirmary on board the BC-304s are nearly identical to the infirmary of the BC-303. They contain several rooms with hospital beds and are stocked with all manner of medications and equipment for the crew members. A surgical suite is also part of the infirmary. (SG1: "Dominion", SGA: "The Siege, Part 3", "Sateda", "Search and Rescue", "The Lost Tribe")

Bomb bay

At least one 304, the Apollo, features a large bomb bay built into the underside of the ship, capable of deploying the Horizon weapons platform. A control room just aft of the bay includes a set of observation windows, arranged much like the ship's engine room. It is unclear whether any other BC-304s also possesses such a bay, or if the Apollo constitutes a new variant of the class. (SGA: "No Man's Land", "First Strike")

Mess hall

As the BC-304s are designed for extensive deep-space voyages, a mess hall is available to off-duty personnel. It is located on the starboard side of the ship, offering a view port into space. Hot coffee and other drinks are available in the mess, no matter the time of day. (SG1: "Unending", "The Ark of Truth", SGA: "The Intruder", "Sateda", "First Contact", SGU: "Air, Part 1")

Observation deck

BC-304s possess at least one observation deck. Such rooms are located against the outer walls of the ship, consisting of a large window as to allow for a wide view into space. A large padded bench stands a few feet behind this window. A computer display is mounted into the wall directly opposite the main window and is surrounded by a computer terminal. (SGA: "McKay and Mrs. Miller", SGU: "Air, Part 1")

Brig

The brig on a 304 is a small, unadorned room not dissimilar to the ship's storage compartments. It contains a surveillance camera through which the prisoners can be observed. The brig is furnished with a small metal bench and a small sink that rests on top of a cabinet. Though apparently designed for only a single occupant, it has been used to hold up to four people, indicating there may be only one such room on the ship. (SG1: "The Ark of Truth", SGA: "Enemy at the Gate")

Cargo holds

While the hangar bays of the BC-304 are often used to store cargo, BC-304s additionally possess a number of smaller, independent cargo holds. Some of these can be quite large, easily accommodating upward of thirty crew members; such holds are often used to store a variety of industrial equipment. Other, much smaller, holds have been used to store food. (SG1: "Company of Thieves", "Unending", "The Ark of Truth")

Briefing room

BC-304 26

The Odyssey's briefing room

BC-304s are designed with a briefing room in which the captain can meet with senior officers for briefing before difficult/complex or strategic operations. The 304s' briefing room is a spacious room with a high ceiling, paneled in gray tones and equipped with large florescent lighting fixtures on the ceiling. It is dominated with a large black meeting table, and lined with several chairs along the sides. Behind the captain's chair is a large flat screen monitor built into the wall. As a screensaver, it displays the seal of the ship with the ship name at the top and the registry number of the ship along the bottom. Screens are additionally positioned around the room. (SG1: "Off the Grid", "Dominion", "Unending")

Asgard knowledge room

BC-304 27

The Odyssey's Asgard knowledge room.

Following the retrofit of the Odyssey conducted by the Asgard in 2007, a small, curved room containing a small terminal is present on the ship. From this terminal, a holographic display can be activated, which wraps around the entire room. This holographic display is linked to the Asgard computer core and can be used as an interface to interact with the information stored inside it. It is unknown if other BC-304s were similarly equipped with such room. (SG1: "Unending")

Crew quarters

BC-304 28

Crew quarters aboard Odyssey.

The BC-304 contains a number of relatively spacious crew quarters. While the location and the number of them are unknown, several are positioned along the hull of the ship, allowing for a view into space via a small window. The rooms are equipped with recessed lighting and are large enough to accommodate a variety of furnishing. (SG1: "Unending", SGU: "Air, Part 1")

Armory

BC-304 29

An armory on the Odyssey.

There are several armories on the BC-304. These armories consist small rooms in which various weapons and munitions are stored; They are known to contain Tau'ri, Goa'uld and Wraith weapons, in addition to vests, radios, equipment cases, and a variety of other supplies. The armories also include several lockers assigned to each SG team and team member. (SG1: "Talion", SGA: "First Contact", "The Lost Tribe", "Enemy at the Gate")

Airlocks

BC-304 30

An outer airlock door on the Daedalus.

Several airlocks line the slender midsection of the BC-304. Airlocks may be vented through initiating a venting sequence controlled through the ship's computer consoles, or by performing a manual override to open the door via a control keypad. The airlock itself is composed of two doors (one inner, one outer) between which is a small space large enough for two people. Attached to the walls inside this space is a phone, a small computer display, and two large yellow lights that illuminate once the sequence to open the outer door has been initiated. (SGA: "The Intruder")

Gym

BC-304 31

The gym on board the Odyssey.

The BC-304 is equipped with a gym containing a variety of exercise equipment including treadmills, exercise bikes, and weights. The gym is located in a large room with a high ceiling. The room's center is large and open, which provides ample space for crew members to spar. (SG1: "Unending")

Technology

The BC-304s boast an array of incredibly advanced technology, with a number of systems being of Asgard origin.

Sensors and communications

Long-range transmitter

The long-range transmitter array.

The BC-304 possesses an advanced array of Asgard sensors which can be utilized to scan a finite area of space in relatively close proximity to the BC-304. (SGA: "The Intruder") The capability of these sensors can, however, be increased by performing a variety of modifications; By increasing the power allocated to the sensor arrays by five-fold, the Apollo was able to scan the entirety of a narrow corridor of space between Lantea and M12-578. However, due to the sheer vastness of space, a minimum of 50 brief hyperspace jumps were required to scan over this relatively short distance. (SGA: "Lifeline")

The BC-304 additionally features a Long-range transmitter capable of broadcasting through subspace. This transmitter is located with a series of other communications-related equipment, including an Asgard sensor array used for the targeting system of the BC-304's Asgard transporters, at the top-rear port section of the ship. (SGA: "The Intruder") There are additional sensors located at various positions across the BC-304's hull, including in an array located on the nose section of the ship. [9]

Shields

Battle in the Alteran Home Galaxy 6

An active, but heavily depleted, shield.

Asgard-designed energy shields serve as the primary defense of the BC-304. These shields create an elliptical "bubble" around the ship that absorb and diffuse the energy from incoming weapons fire. Despite being incredibly resilient, these shields will gradually weaken under sustained fire, though the rate at which they weaken is dependent upon the severity of the fire they're repelling. (SGA: "The Siege, Part 3", "Search and Rescue") As these shields begin to weaken, energy from the attack will begin to bleed through and cause damage to the hull of the ship. Although additional energy can be allocated to the shield bubble to reinforce it, the only way for the BC-304's shields to ultimately survive a continual bombardment is for the ship to withdraw from an engagement to give them time to recharge. (SG1: "Off the Grid", SGA: "The Siege, Part 3", "No Man's Land")

Much like how speed the of the BC-304's Asgard-designed hyperdrive is dependent upon on the power supplied to it, the effectiveness of the BC-304's shield is similarly dependent upon the amount of energy it is supplied. For reference, when powered by conventional means, the BC-304's shields are able to withstand two direct shots from the primary weapon of an Ori warship. (SG1: "Camelot") When powered by a ZPM, the BC-304's shields are able to withstand well over a dozen. (Stargate: The Ark of Truth)

Asgard transporters

Asgard transporter 2

An Asgard transporter in action.

The BC-304 is equipped with a much-more advanced form of the Asgard beaming technology than was originally installed on the BC-303. (SGA: "The Intruder") With these transporters, a number of individuals and objects are able to be beamed to and from the ship simultaneously, even while the BC-304's shields are active.[Note] However, beaming one individual between locations inside the ship has proven to be more difficult. (SG1: "Company of Thieves")

The Asgard beaming system can be accessed from several locations on the BC-304, including the bridge and engineering. (SGA: "The Siege, Part 3", SG1: "Flesh and Blood") For a lock to be achieved on an individual, they must be emitting a locator signal, or be near a person who is. (SG1: "Off the Grid") Alternatively, a radio signal emanating from an individual's location can be used to achieve a transporter lock. (SGA: "The Intruder") As the transporter systems on board Asgard vessels were able to lock onto an individual without requiring a locator signal, it is unknown if this feature was included by the retrofit provided by the Asgard to the class in 2007. (SG1: "Unending", SGA: "Be All My Sins Remember'd")

While a series of failsafes were initially placed upon the transporter system of the BC-304 by the Asgard as to prevent the direct beaming of weapons onto other vessels, these failsafes were disabled by the Asgard soon after the BC-304's introduction. (SGA: "The Siege, Part 3") As such, the tactic of beaming nuclear weapons aboard enemy ships to destroy them is a relatively standard engagement tactic. This tactic may, however, only be employed against unshielded vessels as the targeting sensors required to achieve a lock are often unable to penetrate shielded vessels. (SG1: "Camelot") Additionally, unshielded vessels, like many Wraith ships, employ countermeasures to prevent such a lock from being achieved. (SGA: "The Siege, Part 3", "No Man's Land")

Transportation rings

Transportation rings 3

Transportation rings on a BC-304 activate.

In addition to the Asgard transporters, 304s also possesses transportation rings as a means of transportation. Transportation rings are used to transport people or objects over short distances, such as from ship to ship or to a nearby planet. It is unknown whether the Tau'ri utilize already-existing ring platforms or if they construct them themselves. However, the ring platforms utilized on BC-304s have a unique gray color, as opposed to the gold color seen elsewhere, possibly indicating the latter. (SG1: "Avalon, Part 1", "Dominion")

Heads up display

Battle of Edowin 3

The HUD of the Daedalus.

A Heads up display can be pulled up on the center window of a 304's bridge. The transparent display overlays icons on to real-world objects that can be seen through the window, such as various enemy ships and other points of interest. Much like the HUD of a Puddle Jumper, the view from the bridge remains unobstructed, meaning pilots and crew can still see the battlefield, and even weapons fire dissipating the shield before them. (SGA: "The Hive")

Life support system

The BC-304 is equipped with a main and backup life support system. This system has the capacity to provide a breathable atmosphere for the approximately 200-member crew, in addition to a reasonably large number of passengers. Ultimately, the number of passengers the ship may transport is limited by the capacity of this system. With the system deactivated, there is enough breathable air remaining on the ship to support the crew for 9 hours, after which point the CO2 levels onboard will reach critical levels. (SGA: "Inferno", "No Man's Land")

Computer systems

BC-304s are equipped with hundreds of individual computers with dozens of backup systems and redundancies. Many of these computers are interconnected, with several of the more-complex systems, like navigation and propulsion, requiring a certain amount of interconnectivity to properly function. Certain systems, including life support, are deliberately isolated to prevent them from being compromised by problems in other systems. (SGA: "The Intruder")

A combination of conventional Earth-based computer systems and Asgard computer systems are utilized on the BC-304, both of which are integrated together. As such, both conventional and Asgard computer terminals are present across the ship.

Asgard computer core

Asgard Computer Core 1

The Asgard computer core installed on the Odyssey.

The Asgard computer core is a database of all the knowledge of the Asgard. The computer core includes a knowledge base of the entire Asgard history, interactive holograms of every Asgard recorded into the knowledge base, time dilation technology, and an independent power source. These features likely only scratch the surface of the device's full capability. The Asgard gave this to the Tau'ri as a gift and to help them fight the Ori. The Asgard installed it on the Odyssey in 2007 before committing mass-suicide. (SG1: "Unending")

It is unknown whether the computer core was installed on any other Daedalus-class ship. Although that seems unlikely. The Phoenix contained an Asgard computer core with the control console on the bridge in an alternate timeline. (SGA: "The Last Man")

Cloak

Cloak 1

The Odyssey activates its cloak.

The Daedalus-class ship Odyssey acquired a very effective cloaking device of Ancient design from Dr. Daniel Jackson who, at the time, possessed the mind and Ancient knowledge of Merlin. Jackson claimed that Odyssey's Zero Point Module helped him in creating the cloak, so it's possible he utilized the ZPM on the ship in some unknown manner, or that the cloak required a level of power that only a ZPM could provide. The cloak can be activated on demand from the bridge. It must be deactivated before entering hyperspace. The Odyssey is the only BC-304 to possess this cloaking ability. (SG1: "The Shroud", "Dominion", "The Ark of Truth")

Subspace capacitor (Alternate reality)

The Subspace capacitor was a power generating system created by a parallel version of the Atlantis expedition. It could reach a "near-Zero Point Module" level of energy, though it is unknown what the term 'near' exactly was. Like a ZPM, it draws energy from Subspace. Since it does not draw from a limited, contained area of subspace, but instead draws energy from our subspace time a Subspace capacitor is a renewable energy source. However, there is a limit on how much power can be stored and made available at one time. (SGA: "The Daedalus Variations")

Tractor beam

The George Hammond possessed a tractor beam which could be used to pull smaller ships into its 302 bays. (SGA: "Inheritors")

Engines

Incursion, Part 1

The George Hammond's engines.

The BC-304 possesses 4 main engines: maneuvering thrusters, the sublight engines, landing thrusters, and an Asgard hyperdrive.

Maneuvering thrusters

While maneuvering thrusters are by far the slowest form of propulsion, they are able to make slight adjustments to a ship's trajectory and to aid the ship in gaining momentum. Reverse thrust is also possible with these thrusters, which aid the BC-304 in slowing down in the frictionless environment of space. (SG1: "Flesh and Blood", SGA: "The Daedalus Variations")

Sublight engines

BC-304s have 2 main 'rocket-booster' engine units located at the rear of the vessel. These comprise the ship's Sublight drive. While several smaller rocket engines also exist at the rear, these engines provide the greatest thrust, capable of moving the ship at speeds around half the speed of light. (SGA: "The Daedalus Variations")

Landing thrusters

The BC-304 possess four small, circular landing thrusters located on the underside of the ship. These allow BC-304s to hover over an area and land vertically on a surface. (SGA: "The Siege, Part 3")

Hyperdrive

BC-304 35

A 304 emerges from hyperspace

The BC-304 is equipped with an Asgard hyperdrive, comparable to the hyperdrive retrofitted onto the BC-303, Prometheus, by the Asgard in 2003. (SG1: "Ripple Effect") When powered by conventional means, this hyperdrive enables the BC-304 to traverse vast intergalactic distances within a matter of weeks; A voyage from Earth in the Milky Way galaxy to Atlantis in the Pegasus galaxy can be completed within 18 days. (SGA: "The Intruder") An Asgard ship (powered by Neutrino-ion generators) and a BC-304 (powered by a ZPM) are able to traverse this same distance in only 4 days. [Note] (SGA: "Misbegotten", "The Siege, Part 3")

Alternate reality drive (Alternate reality)

Equipped on the BC-304 Daedalus of an alternate reality, the alternate reality drive was designed to transport the ship through a matter bridge into a parallel reality. It was powered by a Subspace capacitor, capable of providing near-Zero Point Module levels of energy. Due to the harmful radiation emitted by the device, the drive was encased in a shielded area of the ship's engineering section. Despite its ability of inter-universal travel, the ship would remain in the same relative position after every jump. (SGA: "The Daedalus Variations")

Armaments

The BC-304 possesses a vast array of weapons, ranging from projectile to energy-based.

Railguns

The Hive

Railguns firing

The BC-304 boasts 32 railgun turrets for ship-to-ship combat. The fire from these turrets are able to destroy a Wraith Dart or Goa'uld Death Glider relatively quickly. (SGA: "The Siege, Part 3", SG1: "Prometheus Unbound") However, against capital ships, their effectiveness varies; While they have proven to be a match against the shields of aGoa'uld Ha'tak in battle, they are far less effective against Hive ships due in part to the sheer size of such vessels and the density of their organic hulls. (SG1: "Off the Grid", SGA: "No Man's Land") Furthermore, like all weapons, with the exception Asgard plasma beam weapons, railguns have proven ineffective against the shields of the Ori. (SG1: "Ethon", "Camelot")

Against vessels that possesses shields but have them deactivated, railguns have proven to be quite effective at penetrating the vessels' hulls; The hull of an Asuran Aurora-class battleship was easily penetrated by railgun fire from a BC-304. (SGA: "Be All My Sins Remember'd")

Battle complement

BC-304 36

The Daedalus launching F-302 fighter-interceptors.

Being a deep space carrier, the BC-304 carries a complement of between 8 and 16 F-302 fighter-interceptors. While F-302s are generally used as a fighter craft against comparable alien fighters, they have also proven to be effective in disabling the hyperdrive engines of larger 'capital' ships, including Wraith Hive ships. (SGA: "No Man's Land", "Be All My Sins Remember'd") F-302s can additionally be fitted with Nuclear warheads. (SGA: "Enemy at the Gate")

Missiles

< Vertical launching system
Odyssey 1

VLS missile tubes firing

BC-304s possess 16 VLS Missile Tubes capable of firing Cruise missiles as well as missiles equipped with nuclear warheads. Among the warheads BC-304s are known to carry are the Mark III, Mark VIII, and Mark IX. One Mark VIII is capable of destroying a Wraith Hive ship if placed (or beamed) inside the vessel and detonated. (SGA: "The Siege, Part 3") However, multiple warheads are required to destroy such vessel if detonated upon impact with the Hive ship's outer hull. (SGA: "No Man's Land", "The Last Man")

Asgard beam weapons

Asgard plasma beam weapon 2

Asgard plasma beams firing

The first BC-304 to be equipped with Asgard plasma beam weapons was the Odyssey when, in 2007, the Asgard provided the ship with a mass upgrade. By 2008, these weapons were retrofitted on all other BC-304s as part of a larger refit to the class.

Unlike most ship-based energy weapon systems, which are designed to fire individual pulses of energy, the Asgard plasma beam is a narrow, high-intensity beam of super-heated plasma. These beams are capable of overloading and penetrating even the most advanced shields and burning through the hulls and internal structures of vessel with comparative ease. In terms of effectiveness, Asgard plasma beam weapons are among the only known weapons capable of penetrating the shields of Ori warships, being able to destroy such vessels in 5 to 6 shots. (SG1: "Unending") They have also proven to be exceedingly effective at destroying Wraith Hive ships, being able to do so in as few as 3 shots, and Asuran Aurora-class battleships in 7 shots. (SGA: "The Last Man", "Be All My Sins Remember'd")

Additionally, the intensity of Asgard plasma beam weapons can be varied; The Daedalus was able to reduce the intensity of these weapons to heavily damage a Wraith cruiser without destroying it. (SGA: "Search and Rescue")

Horizon weapons system

Horizon

Horizon weapons platform

The Horizon weapon system consists of a large, bullet-shaped delivery module containing ten missiles; six Mark IX tactical warheads and four decoys. The device can be carried in the bomb bay of the BC-304 and deployed upon a planet from orbit. Once launched, the weapon's three rocket engines propel it into the atmosphere of a planet; these rockets shut down and the missiles themselves are released approximately twelve seconds prior to impact, finding individual targets and detonating simultaneously. The total time from launch to detonation is approximately one minute. It is unknown if all BC-304's possess this weapon and the bomb bay from which it can be deployed. (SGA: "First Strike")

Known 304s

Notes

Wiki2
Stargate Wiki has a collection of images related to 304 images.

Bridge location

The bridge of the 304s is identified in the MGM Tech Journal as being on the structure towards the ship's rear. However, it is often identified on the show as residing in the structure at the beginning of the ship's neck. This contradiction is likely due to the ship's neck only sporadically being shown through the bridge's main viewport (as it clearly is in the episodes "Allies" and "Air, Part 1"). Scenes in which the neck does not appear outside the bridge's window could potentially be attributed to the angle at which the scene was shot, or possibly because it was left out by the producers for whatever reason. However, as there is more evidence to show that the bridge is in the structure atop the ship's neck, this article describes the bridge as being at that location. The MGM tech journal identifies an incorrect location for the bridge of Aurora-class battleships, which calls into question the accuracy of that source.

Bridge terminal

In the episodes The Siege, Part 3 and The Intruder, the leftmost wall of the Daedalus' bridge contained an illuminated static panel that displayed a schematic-like diagram of a ship resembling a BC-303 class vessel. Starting with the episode Aurora, this panel was replaced with a large computer display, which filled the entire space previously occupied by the illuminated panel. Starting with the episode No Man's Land of Stargate Atlantis (and Flesh and Blood of Stargate SG-1, both of which originally aired together) this large display was replaced with a slightly smaller display, which is slightly recessed into the wall. Starting with the episode The Daedalus Variations, a computer console was placed in front of this display.

Bridge plaque

On the rightmost wall of the bridge of each BC-304 is a plaque denoting the name of the ship, its class, and to what wing it is assigned. This plaque first made an appearance in episode Lifeline of Stargate Atlantis on the Apollo, taking the place of an illuminated panel that previously appeared in the same location on all BC-304s in all preceding episodes. This plaque was possibly added as a way to more-clearly distinguish each BC-304 as more BC-304s began being introduced in the series.

Beaming through shields

In the episode Search and Rescue, Colonel Steven Caldwell claims that he is forced to endanger the Daedalus by dropping the ship's shields during an engagement in order to beam up Ronon Dex and John Sheppard. However, this is the only instance in any Stargate series in which an individual has been unable to be beamed aboard a BC-304 while the shields were active. In numerous previous episodes, including, The Siege, Part 3, No Man's Land, and Be All My Sins Remember'd, beaming through the shields has occurred without incident.

Engine speed

The only known instance of an Asgard vessel traveling between Earth and Atlantis occurred in the Stargate Atlantis episode Misbegotten, in which it was stated than an Asgard vessel could make the trip in about 4 days; Dr. Weir states that the travel time between Earth and Atlantis will be "cut by almost two weeks" by traveling on board an Asgard vessel. As the standard travel time for a BC-304 to traverse this distance is about 18 days, about 18 days - about 2 weeks gives a time frame that would appear to be approximately 4 days.

However, Asgard ships were capable of reaching Earth from the Othala galaxy within hours of travel time if not sooner in (New Order, Part 2). An O'neill class vessel was capable of travesing the same distance, while towing Prometheus, to Hala in about one day (Unnatural Selection). The fact that it took an Asgard vessel 4 days to travel over 3 million light years while it took mere hours from the Othala galaxy 2 million LY distance appears to be a discrepancy. Note: the distance between Pegasus (3 million LY) and Othala (2 million LY) from the Milky Way.

Dimensions

An infographic created by the fan-made Facebook page StargateNow, and later posted by Joseph Mallozzi on Reddit, was uploaded in early 2018. As per StargateNow's original Facebook post, which can be found here, the BC-304's dimensions are given as length:650 m, width: 367 m, height:135 m. As is detailed in the post, "the images shown are high-resolution renders of the screen-used model for the BC-304. All size measurements are from official 3D screen-used studio models. The DVD collection did not reference the screen-used models for their scaling... These default 3D model scales have been confirmed by comparing a standard 6ft 3D person to the windows, bridge and other details." As the post A gallery of StargateNow's files can be found here.

This infographic provides dimensions of the BC-304 which differ considerably from those provided in the DVD Collection magazines; the DVD collection magazines are used in this article for reasons discussed in the references section of this article. However, while the DVD magazines are officially licenced and considered canon, Joseph Mallozzi's posting of this infographic on his official Reddit account calls into question the extent to which he supports StargateNow's dimensions and whether this support supersedes the dimensions provided by the DVD Collection Magazines.

Miscellaneous

  • On various occasions, notably in "Moebius, Part 1" and "The Siege, Part 3", the design of the 304 is shown to be that of a hybrid of a Prometheus-like design with front components similar to that of the finalized 304 design. Although as time progressed, these sightings have disappeared. They do appear on occasion, such as on the Korolev in "Camelot".
  • On various occasions, the tower towards the rear of the ship appears on the ship's right side instead of left. This is the case with the Odyssey in "The Pegasus Project" and the Apollo in certain parts of "Be All My Sins Remember'd". However, they appear like this sporadically throughout the series.
  • On the MGM Tech Journal entry for the 304, an Asgard beam turret is labeled as being at a location on the end of the neck. However, the object labeled as the beam turret existed before the Asgard upgrades.
  • The MGM Tech Journal omits a Satellite dish-like array on the rear structure above the location it labels as the 'bridge'.
  • While the Daedalus, Odyssey and George Hammond are shown to serve the role of a battlecruiser and support ship for the SGC and Atlantis, the Apollo appears to mainly serve in the form of performing special missions. Two of its known missions were to launch Horizon upon Asuras to stop a potential attack on Earth and to assist in hunting Poole's Replicator on Earth. The other missions shown for the ship are to defend Earth when no other ship is available in Stargate: The Ark of Truth, a mission in "Be All My Sins Remember'd" that required both the Apollo and the Daedalus and a single routine mission to Atlantis in "Remnants". Aside from that single routine mission, the Apollo is only ever seen serving during special circumstances. In contrast, the Odyssey, the Daedalus and the George Hammond are regularly seen being sent on more routine missions such as support to SG teams and Atlantis.
  • An alternate version of the Daedalus in The Daedalus Variations had an orange map display on the bridge, rather than the green one present in the main universe. Additionally, in The Last Man, the Phoenix, an alternate version of George Hammond, had an Asgard terminal in order to give the crew access to the Asgard Core while on the bridge.

Appearances

Appearances for BC-304

In chronological order:

Gallery

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Stargate SG-1: The DVD Collection 62
    Note: the measurements presented in this issue and issue 70 conflict with each other slightly. Additionally, taking into account the officially-released dimensions of the F-302 and that of other ships, in addition to visual estimations, it is not entirely clear to what extent these measurements are correct. As they originated in an officially-licensed source, Stargate wiki includes them, in accordance with our broader policy

    Some issues of The DVD Collection magazine are known to contain errors with respect to the dimensions they provide for spaceships. Dimensions for the same class of ship may vary between issues. The dimensions given in an issue may contradict how the ship visually appears on screen. The dimensions of two ships which appear similarly sized on screen may be given different measurements in The DVD Collection magazines. However, as the DVD Collection Magazines are officially licensed by MGM (and thus considered canon) Stargate Wiki includes them, while noting the apparent discrepancies in instances where they occur. See policy and List of spaceships by size for more information. For additional information regarding possible alternative dimensions for the BC-304, see the Notes section of this article.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Stargate Atlantis: The DVD Collection 70
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Daedalus Variations
  4. No Man's Land - Rodney McKay asks Dave Kleinman "How many people on board [the Daedalus]?, to which Kleinman responds "In and around the two hundred mark."
  5. 5.0 5.1 Phrase 'deep space carrier' appears on Paul Emerson's uniform's patch throughout the series, starting with the episode Off the Grid.
  6. Best-Lock Construction Toys: BC-304 Daedalus set
  7. The Siege, Part 2 - Col. Dillon Everett refers to the Daedalus as a battlecruiser
  8. January 31, 2009: I’ll take a DVD, an eight-track cassette, and a tincture of laudanum on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog (backup link).
  9. 9.0 9.1 MGM Tech Journal: Daedalus Battleship Schematic
  10. March 7, 2009: How do you answer the call of nature if you’re stuck on a cargo ship? on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog (backup link).
  11. February 1, 2009: Dogs, Mailbag and NFL - I renounce thee on Joseph Mallozzi's blog

Links and navigation

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Tau'ri spaceship classes
Fighters ( X-301 )  · ( X-302 )  · F-302
Battlecruisers ( X-303 )  · BC-303  · BC-304
v  e
Tau'ri Battlecruisers
BC-303 Prometheus
BC-304 Apollo · Daedalus · George Hammond · Korolev · Odyssey · Sun Tzu
Unknown Eos
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