Military Science > Ships > Weapon Systems

Combat Systems

Weapon Systems and Platforms

RF-42 Centaur tactical fighters
The Centaur is the premiere space superiority fighter in the Local Cluster. Designed to conduct high speed, fire-and-forget combat maneuvers, it is unmatched in its ability to engage multiple targets at short and medium distances. The primary mission of the Centaur is to provide combat patrol support for Heavy Cruiser and Atmospheric Attack Craft Carriers. It also flies tactical escort for strike fighters and conducts Suppression of Enemy Defense (SED) operations during interplanetary combat. These fighters are equipped with dual AP cannons and 2 ELS tubes which fire up to 6 OM-5 offensive and defensive kinetic kill missiles. The RF-42 can be piloted either from the cockpit or remotely from a Flight Operations Center.

RA-26 Shrike strike fighters
The Shrike is a fearsome high-speed attack craft used to support medium to long range anti-starship strike operations. Although not as maneuverable as a tactical fighter, the true advantage of the Shrike is its ability to put steel on target while avoiding retribution from hostile assets. It also provides the Group Operational Commander with the flexibility to hit the enemy from a number of angles at a tempo of his/her own choosing. The Shrike is equipped with a single AP cannon and 3 ELS tubes which can fire up to 6 PM-6 Star Arrow smart missiles. Like the Centaur, it can be controlled either from the cockpit or remotely, though the Shrike requires both a pilot and a weapons officer in either mode.

AF/A-29 Phoenix atmospheric attack craft
The Phoenix is a combined fighter/attack craft designed to operate in Earth-normal atmospheres and high-orbit. Extremely maneuverable, the Phoenix is the primary Close Air Support and long-range interdiction asset for the Lancer Corps during planetary combat operations. It is also used to clear hostile skies of tactical fighters, to clear the way for incoming Lancer drop ships and establish air dominance in advance of the main planetfall assault element. The Phoenix is equipped with dual PDL cannons and three ELS tubes capable of firing up to 6 SAPM-6III Strike Arrow missiles.

ES-115 Oracle heavy sensor/attack drones
Oracle is a semi-sentient, autonomous spacecraft that can carry up to four different modular sensor packages, all of which are based on larger shipboard counterparts. It is used to provide medium-to-long range target sensing for offensive and defensive operations, and can lead "packs" of smart missiles on search and destroy missions. In attack mode, the main body of the drone drops its sensor packages for later retrieval and accelerates at relativistic speeds toward a target. The resultant collision can produce an explosion that ranges between a few kilotons and a gigaton of destructive power.

ES-14 Janus light sensor/attack drones
Janus is similar to the Oracle drone in its mission specifications, but it is half the size and can carry only two of the modular sensor packages. The advantage of Janus is its relative speed and maneuverability, as well as the Low Observability technology it employs to disguise its position during combat operations. Because of its greater acceleration and speed, the relative mass that Janus can bring to bear in an attack can be far greater than the destructive power of Oracle. Janus is also more portable than its larger counterpart and easier to maintain, though it lacks a command and control capability for hunter-killer packs.

AES-111A Odin atmospheric sensor/C2 drones
The Odin drone re-packages the Oracle system architecture in a physical structure capable of atmospheric flight. It is used during all phases of planetfall warfare, including surveillance, reconnaissance and C2 applications. The Odin can accept smart missile control hand-off from the originating platform or another drone, and is also capable of leading hunter-killer packs on search and destroy missions. Unlike its spaceborne counterpart, Odin is not an effective choice for attack operations because of its low speed. However, the Lancer Corps records several instances where hostile troops surrendered to an Odin � even when no smart missiles or other attack assets were forthcoming. It is a testament to the effectiveness of the system and the Corps that their most reliable eye in the sky can produce victory without bloodshed.

AM9D Ung Tae drop ship
A combination armored personnel carrier, hover-tank and skiff, the Ung Tae is the foundation upon which the Lancer Corps has built its reputation. These drop ships are the primary delivery vehicles for High Guard troops on the ground, capable of all-weather operations in up to 20 Gs. Each ship carries a platoon of Lancers and their basic combat gear, plus provisions for short-term accommodations as shelter. Though slow, Ung Tae can take a tremendous pounding due to multiple layers of ablative and reactive armor. In addition, each ship is equipped with a single direct fire AP gun turret and a deployable 150mm mass-driver cannon for indirect fire support at 1200 rounds per minute. Operating in concert, an entire division of AM9D�s can coordinate mass-driver effects for simultaneous arrival on target with pinpoint accuracy.