The Drake Golem OX is a compact, modular cargo ship with a deployable tractor beam and excellent maneuverability, designed primarily for short-range hauling but limited by fragile hull and high IR emissions. Despite its low radar cross-section, its stealth capabilities are constrained by component emissions, resulting in moderate stealth performance confirmed through practical detection tests.
In this detailed review and test of the Drake Golem OX, the presenter begins by introducing the ship’s size and design. The Golem OX is a size two, single-seater ship measuring 15.5 meters long, 7 meters wide, and 4.5 meters high. It features no interior space, with all components placed externally. The ship includes two weapon racks, external storage of 900k micro ICU, and several size one components such as radar, power plant, cooler, shield, quantum drive, and life support. It also has two size one hardpoints with missiles located underneath the pilot seat. The ship is equipped with VTOL thrusters on all four thrusters, enhancing its maneuverability.
The presenter explores the ship’s modular components, showing how weapons and parts like the power plant, cooler, shield generator, and quantum drive can be detached and reattached. However, he encounters difficulties snapping some components back into place due to cargo grid issues, highlighting a design flaw that could render the ship inoperable if components are detached improperly. This issue emphasizes the need for better component management in future updates. Despite this, the Golem OX is primarily designed for cargo hauling, with a 96 SCU cargo grid capable of holding two 32 SCU cargo boxes.
One of the ship’s standout features is its deployable tractor beam, which can be controlled remotely from the cockpit. This functionality allows for easy cargo management, making loading and unloading cargo more efficient. The presenter expresses a wish for similar tractor beam systems to be implemented on larger capital ships, enhancing their cargo handling capabilities. The Golem OX is noted as a fragile ship with a total hull strength of 20,700 hit points and limited fuel capacity, making it better suited for short-range cargo runs rather than long-distance hauling.
The main focus of the video is testing the ship’s stealth capabilities. Despite its very low radar cross-section, the presenter finds that the ship’s electromagnetic (EM) and infrared (IR) signatures remain relatively high, with an IR signature around 6,000 even after optimizing power management and switching to stealth components. Turning off non-essential systems like weapons, shields, and tractor beams helps reduce the IR signature, but it cannot be lowered below this threshold due to the ship’s component emissions. The presenter notes that the cross-section value alone is not a reliable indicator of stealth performance.
Finally, the presenter conducts a practical stealth test using a Polaris with a size four radar to detect the Golem OX. The detection range matches theoretical calculations at approximately 5.7 kilometers, confirming that the ship’s stealth range is limited by its IR signature rather than its radar cross-section. Different radar sizes show varying detection distances, with smaller radars detecting the ship at shorter ranges. Overall, the Golem OX offers moderate stealth capabilities for a cargo ship, but its stealth performance is constrained by component emissions and power requirements, making it best suited for short-range, low-profile operations.