Originally posted by AlphaOne
Well I think that if you have to go gainst a destroyer or two the best option would be an Orion(caounting on the fact that the orion has some 3 or 4 wing of interceptors protecting it against enemy fighters and bombers. But if you have to go gainst lets say one enemy destroyer and say one or two criusers or corvetes (shivan ones) or even terran I would prefer the Hecate because it has good antifighter protection so that its own fighters and bommbers could concentrate on taking out enemy cap ships.
I believe that a super destroyer would be a fusion of the Orion and the Hecate.
It would result a ship that has decent AAF protection and veri good anti capship weponry.
P.S. The latest MIG the MIG29 M is a superb aircraft capable of incredible maneuverability (it does not have stealth but on the other hand not many aircraft have this capabilaty). Even the old Mig29 is a excelent fighter.
The problem is that both are short range fighters, and nowadays BVR (Beyond Visual Range) combat is said to be the tune of war. So even with the overpowered monster engines they start from a disadvantage, and are reduced to close range final stage interception.
The Mig-IMI though looks like a true inheritor of the long range air superiority/interceptor fighter the Mig-31 had been - which is still a hell of a plane even nowadays.
Finally the latest Su-27 incarnates (Su-33,35 and 37) are the best middle range air superiority fighters and beside the last generation fighters (F22 Raptor, F35 and EF-Typoon) nothing has a chance against it in a 1 on 1 engagement. Their lack of stealth and supercruise though makes the later planes far superior in the non-centralised information networked air grid that becomes dominant in warfare.
BTW I agree that most Pre Capella Era ships are quite potent, and some of the newer designs aren't the best possible choice, though it is a known issue that economist can screw you twice and still persuade your boss/wife/mother in law that it was done for your improovement.
There greatest shortcoming though is there inability to withstand prolonged engagemnts like their Cappela Era brothers do.