Strakha

Strakha
Type	Stealth Fighter
Primary User	Kilrathi Empire
Introduction	2650s
General Characteristics
Length	17 meters
Crew	1 (Pilot)
Performance
Maximum Yaw	4 dps
Maximum Pitch	4 dps
Maximum Roll	4 dps
Acceleration	Poor k/s2
Velocity
Cruise	200 kps
Maximum	320 kps
Armament
Guns
2 Laser Cannons
Components
Cloaking Device	Yes
Jump Drive	No
Defense
Armor
Front	4 cm
Side	2.5 cm
Strakha Stealth Fighter Target Identification, circa 2656-2667

History

The Strakha, meaning "Hidden strike" in Kilrathi, was a stealth fighter in service with the Kilrathi Empire Imperial Fleet.

First deployed in the 2650s, the Strakha was at the time the latest technological innovation of the Kilrathi. Designed to field a highly-efficient cloaking device, the Strakha was a swift and nimble fighter that could quickly overcome its Human opponents by means of stealth, jumping in and out of visibility when least expected. They were often deployed in groups, leading unfortunate Human pilots to stray in the midst of a pack of phantoms that could pick them off at any time.

By far, the Strakha's most infamous action was the destruction of the TCS Tiger's Claw in 2656. While en route to destroy the Kilrathi Enigma Sector HQ at K'tithrak Mang, the Claw was ambushed by a wing of Strakhas which led to a bombing run on the vessel, destroying it with all hands. One of the few survivors of the attack, Colonel Christopher Blair, managed to record evidence of the stealth fighter on his fighter's data-disk before it was stolen by the Mandarin traitor who had leaked the carrier's location to the Kilrathi. Without evidence to support his claims of stealth fighter attack, Blair was made a scapegoat and would spend the next decade relegated to service on a space station.

During that same year, Crown Prince Thrakhath nar Kiranka destroyed the shipyards at Ghorah Khar, a Kilrathi colony that sought to secede from the Empire, in an effort to defend the Strakha's technology. This attack put the development of Strakha and Thrakhath's plans for conquest of the Enigma Sector on hold for several years.

By the 2660s, the Strakhas reappeared in the Enigma Sector and their existence was eventually exposed by Blair, who was serving aboard the TCS Concordia during this time.

The Strakha continued to serve on the front lines through to the end of the Kilrathi War, and went through a radical redesign by 2669. For all their technological innovations, they were still no match for an experienced Human pilot, who could quickly take advantage of the fighter's weak shields & armor and poor acceleration.

Images

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  Redesigned Strakha Stealth Fighter, circa 2669.

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  Strakha Stealth Fighter Target Identification, circa 2669.

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  Strakha flown by Marjakh 'Stalker' nar Kur'u'tak, circa 2669.

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References

• Wing Commander Collectible Trading Card Game - Fang Friend-or-Foe Missile
• Wing Commander Collectible Trading Card Game - Improved Tac Computers
• Wing Commander Collectible Trading Card Game - Torpedo Mount

Behind the Screens

Appears in Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi and its expansion packs, as well as the spin-off Wing Commander Academy.

A different design appears in Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger, and this model is used in the Collectible Trading Card Game.

A Strakha appears in the Academy episode "Invisible Enemy", with an angular design reminiscent of its Wing III appearance.

Wing Commander: Fleet Action includes references to Kilrathi "stealths", although the Strakha is not mentioned by name.