HOME | DD

Description
For NationStates; Modeled in DoGa with more custom parts than you can shake a starfighter at.

----

In late 2175 it was decided that - with some new technologies making their way into service - that the Super Aggressor would get both a cosmetic and technology update. As a general rule, fighters don't get a lot of love in the Republic Defense Force. Various factors make them essentially ineffective in space combat - their low mass means they are slower than larger ships, less efficient, and by-and-large the weapons they can mount can't do more than tickle something a million times their size. That doesn't mean they don't have their uses, however, and the RDF does maintain the Super Aggressor for these use-cases; most ships still carry two to four in dedicated hangars.

Cosmetically, the design was updated to include the same sweeping shapes used in the current fleet refresh. This primarily affected the look of the weapon spars and winglets as well as what had previously been assumed to be a 'cockpit' in the middle. Some engineering was also applied to the idea of minimizing the craft's carried volume - the winglets and spars all slide-slash-pivot into a generally square'ish block. This operated well with terrestrial Marine forces as well, since the retracted unit can be easily carried on the aft deck of Typhoon and Hurricane-Type Super-Heavy platforms during surface-to-surface transitions.

Movement is now completely inertialess - both in space and in atmosphere it can 'fly' as well forwards as back, with the weapon spars twisting and rotating to present both fixed weapons and secondary maneuvering surfaces as needed. The winglets are both secondary atmospheric maneuvering surfaces as well as rotational 'thrust' surfaces; while the inertialess drive means that it can just move in any direction it wants, it typically combines both in atmosphere so as to keep its movements deceptive - a sweeping arc can become a sudden stop and vertical rise all while maintaining the same orientation.

The primary weapon system is a new variable particle interface that is also the craft's power source. This is then 'piped' through a D20 Shield Grid that allows complete fire coverage from any angle excepting those shield triangles that are currently depleted. The VPI is software-driven; manifestations can be anything from a 'standard' high-fraction neutral particle beam to a hamburger fresh off the grill. This allows the craft to accomplish a much wider variety of missions than previous - a unit previously engaged in close air support can seamlessly pivot to repair and reconstruction; a flying 3D printer if you will. This allows the Super Aggressor to act as the primary external repair craft for their carrier starships, rather than ARC5 or other smaller drone units.

Occupying the base of the weapon spars are six - per spar - covered launch bays. These carry the same ND4 variable-yield torpedo as carried by the larger starships; ND4's are self-propelled, though starships carry them in large Cyclone-type launch assemblies capable of spitting out thousands at much higher speeds. While volume - in the form of the Itano Circus - can somewhat offset the slower speed, it cannot ultimately compensate for it. Even given the nature of an ND4 warhead, they are not expected to be particularly effective against anything but K1-level vessels. However the same launch bays can also carry a wide variety of secondary casings and this expands their usefulness; Marine units often replace them with landing capsules for rapid insertion operations and Exploration Command vessels use them for placing remote sensor platforms in cluttered environments.

As mentioned earlier, Super Aggressors are no longer manned though that was a useful fiction in the previous generation. These were unmanned as well, though it is now official. Operations are conducted by an expert system while a frame-jacked 'fighter jock' supplies initiative and experience input via a remote Eien connection. This is supplemented by a back-up non-sentient engram 'hard' copy that can take over if the connection is severed, as well as a tertiary multi-specialty (again, non-sapient) back-up that allows the unit or remote operator to 'load' in a particular experience set. Combined with the VPI, this can allow the platform to act as anything from a close air support gunship to a hot dog stand to a mobile surgical unit, producing what it needs on the fly.

Of course, all of this is very expensive depending on the size of one's triangle and there are secondary costs. The VPI is mass-limited - though just how much that mass is is highly classified - and once depleted the entire craft must be replaced. Determining that exact number is simple but fatal; tampering with the interface will result in a total release and destruction of the craft as well as whatever might be nearby. Which one could then measure, if one were so inclined...

Description
For NationStates; Modeled in DoGa with more custom parts than you can shake a starfighter at.

----

In late 2175 it was decided that - with some new technologies making their way into service - that the Super Aggressor would get both a cosmetic and technology update. As a general rule, fighters don't get a lot of love in the Republic Defense Force. Various factors make them essentially ineffective in space combat - their low mass means they are slower than larger ships, less efficient, and by-and-large the weapons they can mount can't do more than tickle something a million times their size. That doesn't mean they don't have their uses, however, and the RDF does maintain the Super Aggressor for these use-cases; most ships still carry two to four in dedicated hangars.

Cosmetically, the design was updated to include the same sweeping shapes used in the current fleet refresh. This primarily affected the look of the weapon spars and winglets as well as what had previously been assumed to be a 'cockpit' in the middle. Some engineering was also applied to the idea of minimizing the craft's carried volume - the winglets and spars all slide-slash-pivot into a generally square'ish block. This operated well with terrestrial Marine forces as well, since the retracted unit can be easily carried on the aft deck of Typhoon and Hurricane-Type Super-Heavy platforms during surface-to-surface transitions.

Movement is now completely inertialess - both in space and in atmosphere it can 'fly' as well forwards as back, with the weapon spars twisting and rotating to present both fixed weapons and secondary maneuvering surfaces as needed. The winglets are both secondary atmospheric maneuvering surfaces as well as rotational 'thrust' surfaces; while the inertialess drive means that it can just move in any direction it wants, it typically combines both in atmosphere so as to keep its movements deceptive - a sweeping arc can become a sudden stop and vertical rise all while maintaining the same orientation.

The primary weapon system is a new variable particle interface that is also the craft's power source. This is then 'piped' through a D20 Shield Grid that allows complete fire coverage from any angle excepting those shield triangles that are currently depleted. The VPI is software-driven; manifestations can be anything from a 'standard' high-fraction neutral particle beam to a hamburger fresh off the grill. This allows the craft to accomplish a much wider variety of missions than previous - a unit previously engaged in close air support can seamlessly pivot to repair and reconstruction; a flying 3D printer if you will. This allows the Super Aggressor to act as the primary external repair craft for their carrier starships, rather than ARC5 or other smaller drone units.

Occupying the base of the weapon spars are six - per spar - covered launch bays. These carry the same ND4 variable-yield torpedo as carried by the larger starships; ND4's are self-propelled, though starships carry them in large Cyclone-type launch assemblies capable of spitting out thousands at much higher speeds. While volume - in the form of the Itano Circus - can somewhat offset the slower speed, it cannot ultimately compensate for it. Even given the nature of an ND4 warhead, they are not expected to be particularly effective against anything but K1-level vessels. However the same launch bays can also carry a wide variety of secondary casings and this expands their usefulness; Marine units often replace them with landing capsules for rapid insertion operations and Exploration Command vessels use them for placing remote sensor platforms in cluttered environments.

As mentioned earlier, Super Aggressors are no longer manned though that was a useful fiction in the previous generation. These were unmanned as well, though it is now official. Operations are conducted by an expert system while a frame-jacked 'fighter jock' supplies initiative and experience input via a remote Eien connection. This is supplemented by a back-up non-sentient engram 'hard' copy that can take over if the connection is severed, as well as a tertiary multi-specialty (again, non-sapient) back-up that allows the unit or remote operator to 'load' in a particular experience set. Combined with the VPI, this can allow the platform to act as anything from a close air support gunship to a hot dog stand to a mobile surgical unit, producing what it needs on the fly.

Of course, all of this is very expensive depending on the size of one's triangle and there are secondary costs. The VPI is mass-limited - though just how much that mass is is highly classified - and once depleted the entire craft must be replaced. Determining that exact number is simple but fatal; tampering with the interface will result in a total release and destruction of the craft as well as whatever might be nearby. Which one could then measure, if one were so inclined...