Galactic Defense League Andrews-class destroyer

LCS Patuxent was an Andrews-class destroyer in the GDL Navy between the 40th and 42nd centuries. It served primarily as a patrol vessel in the Alpha Pegasi system.
Patuxent was lost in 4153 when the starboard fusion engine suffered a containment breach due to poor maintenance. The fusion flame blew out the starboard nacelle, and inertial stresses from the unexpected thrust caused severe internal damage. There were only 2 casualties among the crew, but the ship was written off and scrapped.

The name Patuxent, inherited from a 36th-century Vigil-class destroyer, was passed on to LCS Patuxent DG-294, launched in 4230 and serving until its capture and decommissioning during the War of 4404.

Andrews-class ships, like all destroyers of the GDL Navy pattern, are designed to work as light pickets, either for a larger capital ship or as part of a star system's patrol network. In keeping with GDL Navy design philosophy, their primary armament is the centreline gausstech lance, which packs a formidable punch but relies on the ship's own alignment for target tracking. The ship's secondary weapons, kinetic projectile turrets and nuclear missiles, are sufficient for point defense and engaging ships of a similar size, but lack the effectiveness of particle weapons and antimatter munitions.

GDL Navy destroyers are considered to be inferior to the Katana-class cruisers that were their counterparts in the War of 4404. Katana-class cruisers had less powerful lances, but benefited from greater maneuverability, as well as more effective turret batteries and missiles. Additionally, the Katana-class' shields gave them a strong defensive advantage over the GDL ships, which had only limited shielding and relied mostly on armour.