The new batch of space fighters of the American navy, designed for the
XSCVN-1 Ellis (since cancelled and scrapped) were designed to complement
each other. The SF-20 was to be escorted and protected by the SF-19,
while employing their missiles to attack larger targets, while the SF-21
was to maintain local space superiority.
Surpisingly trouble-free development programme was followed by one of
the greatest disasters and jokes of the American space industry. The
carrier for which these craft were built suffered failure after failure.
For some reason, not a signle system built for the carrier operated as
required. The weapon systems could not lock on to a target, bay doors
refused to open and once open, refused to close, the engine used to
switch off during orbital injections and the escape pods would fire from
time to time. The closest any US crew came to a mutiny was after the
latrines aboard Ellis refused to operate, some 20 of them actually
reversing operation. After 7 years of testing and rebuilding, the
XSCVN-1 Ellis was declared non-space worthy and slated for scrapping.
At the request of the Navy, it was decided to allow the new SA/F-20
fighters to destroy the carrier, using live ammunition, as a training
excersize.
The honour went to the 12th Space Attack Fighter Wing. On the 21st of
October, 2299, 10 fighter craft fired two missiles each. Only two
missiles detonated on reaching their target. A second salvo of missiles
produced five detonations. The carrier suffered heavy damage, but
refused to explode. SPACOM decided not to waste any more missiles on the
intransigent carrier. Four space tugs took it in tow, and pulled it into
an orbit which will impact the sun sometime during 2302.
One result of the carrier project was the "Murphy Field Generator"
rumour, spread by the flight crew of the hapless ship.
The second result is the unsolved problem haunting the fighter craft -
where and how to deploy them. Since they were designed for a carrier, no
thought was given to streamlining them.
In the years to come, the USSN is going to search for ways to base
these fighters. There is already talk of "baby carriers," each fielding
two to three squadrons of fighter craft.
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Name: Ramco-Grumman FS-19 Ocelot
Type: Fighter
Nation: America
Warp: 4.79 (3.32 with laser, 4.18 with active sensor operating)
Power Plant: General Atomics MHD-12/3 3 MW MHD Turbine
Fuel: 21.6 tonnes, sufficient for 12 hours of operations
Range: NA
Mass: 146.6 tonnes
Volume: 156.6 cubic meters
Cargo: none
Comfort: 0
Life Support: 2
Sensors: Westinghouse NPG-46 Navigational radar
GE APG-89 Active suite
Westinghouse PPG-12 Passive suite
Price: Lv 29,664,000
Crew: Pilot and weapons officer
Weapons: One jack turret with Hyde Dynamics EAA-1000 laser and UTES
Combat Data:
Movement: 9/8 Radial Reflection: 2/3 Radial Profile: -3
Radiated Signature: 0/3 Lateral Reflection: 2/4 Lateral Profile: -3
Targetting Computer: +2 Screens: 0 Armour: 7
Active Sensors: 7 Passive Sensors: 12
Hull hits: 16/4/8
Power Plant hits: 6/2
Original Date of Design: December 1st, 2290
First Example Laid Down: May 19th, 2291
First Example Delivered: September 5th, 2291
Fleets of Service: America (USSN)
The SF-19 was to be the escort for SA/F-20. It was the first of the
batch to be completed, and some of late pre-production developments were
incorporated into the other two craft.
For a craft of this size, the sensors are very extensive, and pose a
considerable drain on the small power plant.
An advanced power distribution system manages the power usage,
allowing the pilot and the WO to concentrate on other tasks. Since
operating both the laser and the sensors would leave the fighter dead in
space, normal procedure is to use the active sensors only for the most
necessary scans.
The development of the SF-19 was surprisingly trouble free, and being
the cheapest of the three fighter craft, it has been procured in the
greatest numbers, for use as a fighter, short range interceptor and deep
space fighter for larger ships.
The most pressing upgrade programme, as far as the Navy is concerned,
is to increase the range of the SF-19. There are two view points - to
decrease armour or to increase weight. SF-19XA and SF-19XB are test
craft, conducting such tests even now.
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Name: Bell-Boeing SA/F-20 Bobcat II
Type: Attack fighter
Nation: America
Warp: 4.79 (3.32 with both lasers operating)
Power Plant: 6 MW MHD Turbine
Fuel: 64.8 tonnes, sufficient for 18 hours of operation
Range: NA
Mass: 292.52 tonnes, inclusive
Volume: 336.2 cubic meters, inclusive
Cargo: none
Comfort: 0
Life Support: 3
Sensors: Westinghouse NPG-46 Navigational radar
Texas Instruments APG-92 Active suite
Raython-Marconi PPG-37 Passive suite
Price: Lv 40,688,000, inclusive
Crew: Pilot and two weapons officers
Weapons: Two jack turrets EAA-1000 lasers with UTES
Two tripple SIM-14 missile packs
Two comminicators
Combat Data:
Movement: 9/7 Radial Reflection: 3 Radial Profile: -3
Radiated Signature: 1/4 Lateral Reflection: 4 Lateral Profile: -2
Targetting Computer: +2 Screens: 0 Armour: 0
Active Sensors: 10 Passive Sensors: 10
Hull hits: 4/1/2
Power Plant hits: 12/3
Notes: The Bobcat cannot operate its sensors and lasers simultaneously.
History:
Original Date of Design: December 1st, 2290
First Example Laid Down: July 13th, 2291
First Example Delivered: November 27th, 2291
Fleets of Service: America
The only unarmoured fighter among the three new designs, this
Bell-Boeing fighter poses considerable threat to larger ships, being
able to outrun almost every ship known to exist, while guiding two SIM-14
missiles simultaneously.
Four of these ships with their escorts participated in the Battle of
Beowulf, scoring two kills (one Hotel and one Epsilon) and one damaged
(Beta).
The Bobcats are supposed to operate with an escort of SF-19 fighters,
but are able to defend themselves with their two laser turrets.
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Name: Ramco-Gruman SF-21 Hellcat IV
Type: Heavy Fighter
Nation: America
Warp: 4.68 (3.45 with both laser and sensor operating)
Power Plant: 5 MW MHD Turbine
Fuel: 54 tonnes, sufficient for 18 hours of operation
Range: NA
Mass: 260 tonnes
Volume: 265 cubic meters
Cargo: none
Comfort: 0
Life Support: 2
Sensors: Westinghouse NPG-46 Navigational radar
Texas Instruments APG-92 Active suite
Raytheon-Marconi PPG-37 Passive suite
Price: Lv 36,884,000
Crew: Pilot and weapons officer
Weapons: One jack turret with Hyde EAA-1000 and UTES
Combat Data:
Movement: 9/7 Radial Reflection: 2 Radial Profile: -3
Radiated Signature: 1/4 Lateral Reflection: 2 Lateral Profile: -2
Targetting Computer: +2 Screens: 0 Armour: 12
Active Sensors: 10 Passive Sensors: 10
Hull hits: 39/9/18
Power Plant hits: 10/2
Original Date of Design: December 1st, 2290
First Example Laid Down: June 10th, 2291
First Example Delivered: November 28th, 2291
Fleets of Service: America
One of the three fighters designed for the projected (and cancelled)
deep space carrier, the Hellcat has more armour than any known combat craft.
>From the first day of its design envisaged as the primary interceptor
and space superiority fighter, the SF-21 had the most care lavished on
it. The design vindicated all expectations, being almost as fast as the
SF-19, and having 50% longer range.
The fighter is yet too new to have any variants, but there are plans to
upgrade the sensor suites. Bearing in mind the high original cost of the
ships, it is highly probable that in the years to come these ships shall
be upgraded again and again.
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