User:Fenyx/Sandbox

Fenyx/Sandbox

Manufacturer:

Appearances

2654
Guns:	2 MK. 25 Laser Cannons, 2 MK. 40F Neutron Guns

2701

Guns:	Whatever it had in WCA

2654

Guns:	Whatever it had in WC1

The F-44 Rapier II is a medium fighter introduced in 2654. The Rapier's sleek lines and famous silhouette have become synonymous with the might of the Confederation military - and will remain forever enshrined in the minds of a generation of young men and women who grew up dreaming of top gun heroics. A disproportionate number of the top twenty aces from the Terran-Kilrathi War served with Rapier II squadrons.

History

The Rapier II first saw combat aboard the TCS Tiger's Claw: a pair of YF-44s were assigned to the carrier for active duty testing during the invasion of the Gimle System. Major Michael "Iceman" Casey and Captain Jeannette "Angel" Devereaux of the Star Slayer Squadron credited the fighter's first kills during a three point patrol mission. The prototypes performed magnificently and the same carrier soon received the first batch of production models, which Black Lion Squadron would fly during the battle for Kurasawa. By the invasion of Venice, Rapier II squadrons were assigned to both the Tiger's Claw and the Kyoto.

Within a year, the F-44A had been replaced on the assembly lines by the F-44B, which boasted a larger missile load-out and a limited-use jump drive. A combination of cost and technical issues would force the removal of the jump drive from future iterations - making the F-44B unique among the Rapier IIs lineage until after the Terran-Kilrathi War. A and B model Rapier IIs served with distinction during Operation Thor's Hammer, the assault on Jakarta and the defense of Firekka. A pair of F-44As even flew from then-Colonel James Taggart's intelligence ship, the Bonnie Heather.

In the late 2650s, the Rapier II went through a significant redesign of its space-frame, reducing the overall size and mass. The new design began with the popular F-44C model, which would go on to serve aboard escort carriers through the 2660s. F-44Cs flew with distinction off the TCS Tarawa during Operation Back Lash and the Third Enigma Campaign.

G and H model Rapier IIs served on fleet carriers through the Battle of Earth in 2668. The TCS Concordia's F-44G Rapier II squadron, with its distinctive lightning bolt markings on their tails, was considered to be the single finest active duty fighter unit in the Space Force.

After the Kilrathi War, surplus Rapier IIs served with both the Free Republic of the Landreich and the Union of Border Worlds and proved popular among mercenary groups. By 2701, three more variants of the Rapier II had emerged as a result of needs of the Nephilim Conflict. The Rapier II Blade is a direct update of the original space-frame, whereas the Vanguard and Cavalier added armor and other defensive abilities. The Vanguard was often used in mine laying assignments, and was at the forefront of the first offensive strike against the Nephilim in their own territory.

Variant Comparison

Stat\Variant	YF-44 (2654)	F-44A (2654)	F-44B (2654)	F-44C (2654)	F-44G (2654)	F-44H (2654)	Blade (2701)	Vanguard (2701)	Cavalier (2701)
Length:	24 meters	24 meters	24 meters	19 meters	19 meters	19 meters	19 meters	19 meters	19 meters
Mass:	13.5 metric tonnes	13.5 metric tonnes	13.5 metric tonnes	15.0 metric tonnes	15.0 metric tonnes	15.0 metric tonnes	15.0 metric tonnes	18.0 metric tonnes	20.0 metric tonnes
Max Velocity:	450 kps	450 kps	450 kps	450 kps	450 kps	450 kps	415 kps	365 kps	300 kps
Max Afterburner velocity:	1300 kps	1300 kps	1300 kps	1300 kps	1300 kps	1300 kps	815 kps	690 kps	570 kps
Acceleration:	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	150 k/s^2	150 k/s^2	150 k/s^2
Max Y/P/R:	10/10/10 deg/s	10/10/10 deg/s	10/10/10 deg/s	10/10/10 deg/s	10/10/10 deg/s	10/10/10 deg/s	90/90/90 deg/s	75/75/75 deg/s	65/65/65 deg/s
Shields:	8.5fb cm	7.0fb cm	8.5fb cm	8.5fb cm	8.5fb cm	11.5fb cm	280 cm	230 cm	280 cm
Armor:	6.5f/5lr/5.5r cm	6.5f/3lr/4.0r cm	8.5f/5.0lr/8.5r cm	6.5f/5.0lr/5.5r cm	6.5f/5.0lr/6.5r cm	7.5f/6.5lr/7.5r cm	415 cm	500 cm	550 cm
Guns:	MK 25 Laser Cannon (2), MK 40F Neutron Gun (2)	MK 25 Laser Cannon (2), MK 40F Neutron Gun (2)	MK 25 Laser Cannon (2), MK 40F Neutron Gun (2)	MK 25 Laser Cannon (2), MK 40F Neutron Gun (2)	MK 25 Laser Cannon (2), Particle Gun (2)	MK 25 Laser Cannon (2), Particle Gun (2)	Meson Blaster (2), Tachyon Gun (2)	Laser Cannon (2), Neutron Gun (2)	Ionic Pulse Cannon (2), Laser Cannon (2)
Missile Hardpoints:	1x2 Dart DF, 1x2 Pilum FF, 1x1 Spiculum IR	1x2 Dart DF, 1x2 Pilum FF, 1x1 Spiculum IR	1x4 Dart DF, 1x4 Pilum FF, 1x2 Spiculum IR	1x2 Dart DF, 1x2 Pilum FF, 1x1 MAMV	1x2 Dart DF, 1x2 Pilum FF, 1x2 Javelin HS	1x2 Dart DF, 1x2 Pilum FF, 1x2 Javelin HS	3x20 (60DF), 2x5 (10HS)	4x20 (80DF), 3x5 (15Porcupine)	4x20 (80DF), 2x10 (20IR)
Missile Decoys:	none	none	none	none	2 Chaff	2 Chaff	none	none	unlimited
Devices:	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Sonar, Shield Battery, Gun Power Core	Deployable Turret, Sonar, Gun Power Core, Gun Battery	Deployable Turret, Shield Power Core, Shield Battery
Jump Capable:	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes