| VF-0 Phoenix | |
|---|---|
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Manufacturer |
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Type |
General Purpose Variable Fighter |
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Generation |
1st Generation |
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Known Operators |
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Developed from |
YF-X |
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Developed into |
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Known Pilots |
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Numbers produced |
587 |
The VF-0 Phoenix is a first generation, transformable, general purpose fighter jointly developed by L.A.I, Stonewell Industries, and Grunder Industries under a UCR military initiative for the research and development of transformable aircraft dubbed "Variable Fighter". Originally developed as a test-bed machine meant to experiment and research key technologies, it was pressed into service during the New Dawn Conflict, leading to the rapid development of newer models and the rise of the Variable fighter.
Technologies and Combat Characteristics[]
The VF-0 was the first aircraft-mecha hybrid of it's time, pioneering the famous three mode variable transformation system that granted it unparraled capabilities over conventional fighters. Through this mode it was able to shift from fighter mode, to the walker-like Gerwalk (Ground Effective Reinforcement of Winged Armament with Locomotive Knee-joint) mode that gave it VTOL like performance, to the humanoid Battroid (a portmanteau of Battle android) mode that allowed it to fight on the ground or other surfaces like the older Destroids with limited flight capabilities. The VF-0 also pioneered the first literation of the Energy Conversion Armor (ECA) system, which diverted power generated from the engines and into the frame of the craft to strengthened the hull to withstand the stress taken when transforming, but was later valued for it's defensive capabilities that rivaled the more heavily armored destroids in combat. The first Active Stealth System was also used on the Phoenix, which was a new type of stealth system that utilized out-of-phase signal of equal wavelength and amplitude in response to incoming detection system, making it's signature harder to pick up to becoming nigh invisible to scanners.
Despite this the fighter was never envisioned to go into combat, and was only equipped with two overtuned conventional engines, which limited the fighter's operational time to the amount of fuel it carried compared to the later thermonuclear reaction engine equipped fighters. This also had the downside of the Phoenix incapable of generating enough power to run ECA in fighter mode, while in Gerwalk ECA was only capable of providing half the strength of what it's capable of in Batroid mode.
Specifications (VF-0A Phoenix)[]
- Crew
- Length (Fighter): 18.69 meters
- Wingspan (Fighter): 15.72 meters (fully extended)
- Height (Battroid): 14.0 meters
- Powerplant: 2 x EGF-127 custom overtuned conventional turbofan jet engines
- Armament (Standard):
- 1 x Mauler ROV-15 laser cannon (800 pulse per minute)
- 1 x GPU-9 35mm gatling gun
- 4 x Hardpoints for 12 x standard missiles (optional)
- 4 x 8-tubed micro missile launchers (optional)
- 2 x HAIM-95A medium-range maneuverability missile launcher pods (optional)
- Armor: Energy Conversion Armor Mk.I
- Additional Avionics/Features:
- 1st generation active stealth system
- Countermeasures system
- AA/AS/SF-02 Unified Sensor Matrix
- Head mounted-Compound sensor cluster
- Optional Equipment:
- 2 x external atmospheric combat super parts/conformal fuel tank FAST Pack with 24 x Erlikon GH-30B I/IR-guided micro-missiles each (mounted one per leg/engine nacelle);
- 1 x standard gun pod spare magazine stored in super part
- 2 x augmentative pylons for optional attack/assault specification
- 1 x Attached QF-2000A Ghost Fighter equipped with five micro missile launchers.
- Armored Pack system comprised of reactive armor section and built in missile launchers and one hand held composite shield. Pilot is able to purge the system for reduced weight.
History[]
Variants[]
- VF-0A: Single seat production version equipped with one mauler head laser. Assigned to Air force and Navy units.
- VF-0B: Two seat production version of the A variant. Features one mauler head laser, and was primarily assigned to training units for the air force and navy.
- VF-0C: Single seat production variant with a delta wing configuration in place of the variable swept wing A and B variants. Like the first two it features one mauler head laser and was primarily used by UCR Marine aviation units.
- VF-0D: Two seater version of the VF-0C with enhanced strike capabilities. It also featured one mauler head laser, and was primarily used by UCR Marine aviation.
- VF-0S: Limited production single seat variant assigned to squadron commanders and aces. Featuring two mauler head lasers the S variant also featured increased performance due to deactivated limiters. Assigned to Air Force, Navy, and Marines.
Gallery[]
