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Description

HC-19 ‘Moa’ as used by the Escean Air Force.

Designed and manufactured by the KHA Aerospace Division, the HC-19 Moa is the largest conventional aircraft in human military service. Development of this aircraft started in 2089 and full production in 2102.

The Moa was built to partially replace the Escean Air Force fleet of HC-16 ‘Kingfisher’, previously the largest aircraft in Escean service and second largest in the world after the Rothan VY-300 ‘Pelikan’. Design requirements submitted by the Senatorial Armaments Procurement Committee included at least a 30% increase in aircraft size and payload capacity over the Kingfisher. The final designs submitted by KHAAD dwarfed both the Kingfisher and Pelikan and made the Moa the largest of any conventional fixed-wing aircraft in human history. While the Moa has a vertical takeoff and landing ability, it is not classed as a VTOL.

Not including aircraft modified by civilian airlines, three variations of the design exist in Escean service: cargo, tanker and ACAWS. Half of the 500-strong fleet consists of the standard cargo (Moa) design, used by EAF Air Mobility Command to transport personnel, vehicles and materiel into warzones. One-hundred and fifty aircraft were constructed as heavy tankers (Skyline), while the remaining hundred airframes were converted into Airborne Control and Warning System (Shadow Eye) aircraft.

The Moa can transport oversized payloads up to 450 tons, with the volume of its cargo hold and the inclusion of clamshell doors that reach all the way up to the tail allowing it to carry even the mighty SHVT-24 ‘Condor’, providing the engine nacelles and vertical flight surfaces are removed. Operating at full capacity, the aircraft could comfortably transport either six HM-2A1 ‘Chasseur’ main battle tanks, forty H-65X vehicles, forty- five MAV-66 ‘Mastiff’ assault vehicles, or eighty HLSV-33X vehicles. Moa may also transport all Heavy, Medium and Light VTOL aircraft in Escean service in operational condition, and are the primary airborne launch platform for the HADES (Hale Airborne Delivery and Excursion System). Configured for troop transportation, the Moa can bring up to 1500 personnel into an airfield in palletised seating, or deliver up to 2000 paratroopers in full combat load, almost twenty times the capacity of a single Kingfisher.

The design is notable for the inclusion of rotating engine nacelles, allowing the aircraft to take-off and land near-vertically, or aid in shot-takeoff and landings. This greatly enhances the operational capability of the aircraft and counters any hindrance resulting from its increased size. Rugged landing gear means the aircraft can settle on unpaved runways, while the position of its engines avoids dust and dirt ingestion.

Composite materials and hyperalloys used in the construction of the aircraft make it far lighter and stronger than some smaller and older aircraft, permitting a greater payload to be carried as less engine power is needed to lift the aircraft alone. Graphene armour is applied to the fuel tanks, engines and avionics, and all windows are fabricated from aluminium oxynitride. The Moa design also pioneered a large-scale variation of the ballistic recovery system, which fires large parachutes to help stabilise a power stricken aircraft and reduce altitude loss, thereby increasing survivability for the crew and airframe.

Electronic countermeasures, augmented by pyrotechnic units deploying flares and chaff and a CIPDL turret in the tail, protect the aircraft from guided weaponry. The MONA artificial assistant installed, which assists the pilots in controlling the aircraft, monitors each system and activates them without pilot input to increase reaction time to threats.

Specifications:

Crew: 6 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Flight Engineer, 3x Loadmaster)

Capacity: 1500 (Palletised Seating), 500 (Bulkhead Seating), 2000 (Standing), 250 (Medical Litters), 450,000kg of cargo or vehicles.

Length: 155m

Wingspan: 115m

Height: 28m

Empty Weight: 240,000kg

Loaded Weight: 490,000kg

Max. Takeoff Weight: 940,000kg

Powerplant: 8x Inox J-31 Turbofans

Maximum Speed: Mach 0.6

Range: 14,300nmi

Combat Radius: 6,700nmi

Ferry Range: 16,000nmi

Service Ceiling: 50,000ft

Rate of Climb: 20,000ft/min

Armament: None

Description

HC-19 ‘Moa’ as used by the Escean Air Force.

Designed and manufactured by the KHA Aerospace Division, the HC-19 Moa is the largest conventional aircraft in human military service. Development of this aircraft started in 2089 and full production in 2102.

The Moa was built to partially replace the Escean Air Force fleet of HC-16 ‘Kingfisher’, previously the largest aircraft in Escean service and second largest in the world after the Rothan VY-300 ‘Pelikan’. Design requirements submitted by the Senatorial Armaments Procurement Committee included at least a 30% increase in aircraft size and payload capacity over the Kingfisher. The final designs submitted by KHAAD dwarfed both the Kingfisher and Pelikan and made the Moa the largest of any conventional fixed-wing aircraft in human history. While the Moa has a vertical takeoff and landing ability, it is not classed as a VTOL.

Not including aircraft modified by civilian airlines, three variations of the design exist in Escean service: cargo, tanker and ACAWS. Half of the 500-strong fleet consists of the standard cargo (Moa) design, used by EAF Air Mobility Command to transport personnel, vehicles and materiel into warzones. One-hundred and fifty aircraft were constructed as heavy tankers (Skyline), while the remaining hundred airframes were converted into Airborne Control and Warning System (Shadow Eye) aircraft.

The Moa can transport oversized payloads up to 450 tons, with the volume of its cargo hold and the inclusion of clamshell doors that reach all the way up to the tail allowing it to carry even the mighty SHVT-24 ‘Condor’, providing the engine nacelles and vertical flight surfaces are removed. Operating at full capacity, the aircraft could comfortably transport either six HM-2A1 ‘Chasseur’ main battle tanks, forty H-65X vehicles, forty- five MAV-66 ‘Mastiff’ assault vehicles, or eighty HLSV-33X vehicles. Moa may also transport all Heavy, Medium and Light VTOL aircraft in Escean service in operational condition, and are the primary airborne launch platform for the HADES (Hale Airborne Delivery and Excursion System). Configured for troop transportation, the Moa can bring up to 1500 personnel into an airfield in palletised seating, or deliver up to 2000 paratroopers in full combat load, almost twenty times the capacity of a single Kingfisher.

The design is notable for the inclusion of rotating engine nacelles, allowing the aircraft to take-off and land near-vertically, or aid in shot-takeoff and landings. This greatly enhances the operational capability of the aircraft and counters any hindrance resulting from its increased size. Rugged landing gear means the aircraft can settle on unpaved runways, while the position of its engines avoids dust and dirt ingestion.

Composite materials and hyperalloys used in the construction of the aircraft make it far lighter and stronger than some smaller and older aircraft, permitting a greater payload to be carried as less engine power is needed to lift the aircraft alone. Graphene armour is applied to the fuel tanks, engines and avionics, and all windows are fabricated from aluminium oxynitride. The Moa design also pioneered a large-scale variation of the ballistic recovery system, which fires large parachutes to help stabilise a power stricken aircraft and reduce altitude loss, thereby increasing survivability for the crew and airframe.

Electronic countermeasures, augmented by pyrotechnic units deploying flares and chaff and a CIPDL turret in the tail, protect the aircraft from guided weaponry. The MONA artificial assistant installed, which assists the pilots in controlling the aircraft, monitors each system and activates them without pilot input to increase reaction time to threats.

Specifications:

Crew: 6 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Flight Engineer, 3x Loadmaster)

Capacity: 1500 (Palletised Seating), 500 (Bulkhead Seating), 2000 (Standing), 250 (Medical Litters), 450,000kg of cargo or vehicles.

Length: 155m

Wingspan: 115m

Height: 28m

Empty Weight: 240,000kg

Loaded Weight: 490,000kg

Max. Takeoff Weight: 940,000kg

Powerplant: 8x Inox J-31 Turbofans

Maximum Speed: Mach 0.6

Range: 14,300nmi

Combat Radius: 6,700nmi

Ferry Range: 16,000nmi

Service Ceiling: 50,000ft

Rate of Climb: 20,000ft/min

Armament: None