T-493-HF/I Karasu Fighter

"Nothing can stop the attack of aircraft, except other aircraft."

—William "Billy" Mitchell

Her primary tool of destruction in space and in the air is a nuclear-capable T-493-HF/I Block 52+ “Karasu” (Crow) Aerospace Superiority Fighter/Interceptor. It has provisions for 6 fighter-class weapons or anti-fighter missiles, with a typical loadout being 4 rapid-fire, synchronized photon cannons and 2 pulse-based anti-shield weapons mounted on helmet-cued swivel mounts dotting the hull, along with auxiliary systems such as a cruise disruptor/missile launcher mount, mine dropper mount, and countermeasure dropper mount.

Dimensions

18.1 x 6.37 x 5.58 m

Wing Area

9.29 m₂

Crew

1

Weight

14.552 kg (Empty)

29.903 kg (Loaded)

Max Takeoff Weight

38,555 kg

Power

Deuterium Fusion Reactors

Propulsion

3 Coupled Impulse Engines

Envisioned as a high-speed, low-profile fighter intended to fight out close-range ship-to-ship dogfights in dense explosive gas pockets, the Karasu possesses good speed, acceleration, and maneuverability, although the unconventional design relies mostly on fly-by-light, a lifting body design, thrust, and canards to remain airborne in atmosphere. Three engines, arranged in a triangular pattern, give it more than enough power, and the ship maintains an impressive thrust-to-weight ratio of 2.3 with a combat load of 6 guns, 70 cruise disruptor missiles, 50 nuclear mines, 120 countermeasure flares, and on full fuel. Each engine is capped by a 3D thrust vectoring nozzle with a maximum range of movement of +-45 degrees in any direction, while the nose is tipped with recessed 360 degree maneuvering thrusters in order to achieve and sustain angles of attack of up to 78.82 degrees. To facilitate atmospheric movement and stability, it has five vertical stabilizers: two large ones on top, two small ones on the bottom, and one rudder located beneath the primary intake. The fins are relatively large and move quickly, as do the rest of the Karasu's limited control surfaces, and can tilt all the way backwards or forwards for better acceleration or to act as airbrakes, respectively.

The nose art and livery, previously consisting of a shark mouth and kill tallies, have been removed.

A specialized recon probe has been installed in the ship’s sensor suite, allowing for increased sensor penetration and range in the dense nebulas of the Sigma systems. As a specialized, limited production run “Interceptor” variant, Silver Bullet II is capable of a higher straight-line top speed than typical T-493s.

In order to ease logistics and increase service longevity, Silver Bullet II had its four Sunblast B “Banana Guns” (named as such after their distinctive yellow diamond projectiles) and two Improved Debilitator Mark 1 pulse cannons swapped for four rapid-fire phaser cannons. The sensor suite and reactor were also exchanged for smaller, more efficient systems, although the recon probe is maintained for better penetration through clutter. Additionally, the cruise disruptor mount has been replaced by an Assault-class slot, with four external pylons on the rear fuselage (capacity of 750 lb./340 kg max) for bombs or aerial rockets. It retains the mine dropper, now loaded with lower-yield spatial charges instead of actual tactical nuclear devices, as well as the all-aspect chaff countermeasure launchers, four on the nose and two at the rear of the craft.

Following Tal's return to the Sirius Sector, and Sylvie's transfer to Starbase Tranquility's fighter training division, she has been assigned the craft, while not displaying intentions to return it.

Performance

• Maximum Speed: in excess of Warp 0.5 sublight
• Range: ∞ (pilot-limited)
• Service Ceiling: Infinity and Beyond
• Rate of Climb: 78,740 ft/min (400 m/s) in Atmosphere
• Wing Loading: 320 lb/ft² (1566 kg/m²)
• Thrust to Weight: in excess of 2.3 (full combat load) in Atmosphere

Armament

• Guns: 7 Hardpoints total
  • 4x Phaser Cannons OR 6x NDR-24 Compressed Positron Cannons OR 2x Compressed Positron Beam Cannons and 2x Phaser Cannons
  • 1x Phaser Emitter (rear-mounted)
  • Any combination of 6x Sirius Standard Class 7 Guns and 1x Sirius Standard Class 1 Fighter Turret
• Auxiliary Hardpoints: 7 total, 5x under-fuselage and 2x rear with a total capacity of 17,750 lb (8,050 kg) fuel or ordnance
• Missiles:
  • Air-to-Air Missiles:
    • 1x X45 "Firestalker" Homing Missile Launcher with 70 reloads
    • 1x T-MX2 "Sidewinder" Missile Launcher with 70 reloads
    • 1x O-EMP-01 "Paralyzer" EMP Missile Launcher with 70 reloads
    • 1x CD98a "Mosquito" Cruise Disruptor Launcher with 70 reloads
    • 1x CD95XT Train Cruise Disruptor Launcher with 90 reloads
    • 1x CD98Rc Reinforced Cruise Disruptor Launcher with 70 reloads
  • Air-to-Surface Missiles:
    • 1x C242 "Cannonball" Missile Launcher with 50 reloads
    • 1x C82b "Catapult" Unguided Missile Launcher with 90 reloads
• Fighter Torpedoes
  • 1x T-92 "Starkiller" Torpedo Launcher with 70 reloads
  • 1x T-96 "Sunslayer" Torpedo Launcher with 70 reloads
  • 1x Variable-Yield Micro Torpedo Launcher with 7 reloads
• Air-to-Ground Weapons:
  • 1x Helmet-Cued Phaser Emitter
  • 1x "Mini Razor" Tachyon-Antimatter Cannon
• Bombs
  • Any 4x air-to-ground guided or unguided bombs, up to 750 lb (340 kg) each
• Mine Droppers
  • 1x MX-17 Nuclear Mine Dropper with 50 reloads
  • 1x M485 "Screamer" Mine Dropper with 70 reloads
  • 1x HM-i "Ripper" Homing Mine Dropper with 70 reloads
  • 1x M479 "Swatter" Mine Dropper with 90 reloads
• Others
  • 1x Ageira Technologies "Fortress" All-Aspect Chaff Launcher System (6 Launchers) OR
  • 1x Electronic Countermeasure Pod OR
  • 1x Fighter Light Cloaking Device
  • Up to 4x 480 U.S. gal (1800 L) H-Fuel tanks

Avionics

• Kishiro Technologies KT-N-198 Advanced Deep Scanner system
• Kishiro Technologies KT-ECM-90 self-protection jammer pod OR Kishiro Technologies KT-ECM-91 integrated defensive electronic countermeasures system
• Ageira Technologies AN/ALE-50 or Deep Space Engineering AN/ALE-55 towed decoy
• Ageira Technologies AN/ALR-89(V)6 Radar Warning Receiver
• Ageira Technologies MIDS Datalink Transceiver
• SG-e Class 9 "Champion" Graviton Shield Array
• Type VIII Armor Upgrade