F/A-76 Longbow

F/A-76 Longbow
Type	Bomber
Manufacturer	McCall Industries
Primary User	Terran Confederation
Length	38 meters
Mass	22 metric tonnes
Max Velocity	320 kps
Max Afterburner Velocity	700 kps
Acceleration	175 k/s^2
Max Afterburner Acceleration	500 k/s^2
Max Y/P/R	30/40/30 deg/s
Guns	Neutron Guns (2), Plasma Guns (2)
Missiles	Torpedoes (4), Friend or Foe Missiles (8), Heat-Seeking Missiles (8)
Turrets	Dual Mount Particle Guns (1)
Armor	300 cm fore/aft/sides
Shields	500 cm fore/aft
Decoys	24
Cloak	No
Jump Drive	Yes
Crew	2 (Pilot, Gunner)

The F/A-76 Longbow is a heavy bomber in the service of the Terran Confederation. It has seen action with several Terran factions during and following the Terran-Kilrathi War.

The Longbow is a Kilrathi War era design among a long line of heavy bombers, including the A-17 Broadsword and the A-18 Crossbow. Like most bombers, the Longbow is built on a heavy chassis and is specially suited to neutralize high priority targets, including warships, installations, and planetary bases. The Longbow is heavily armored and can absorb enemy fire for prolonged periods. As of 2669, it was among the most heavily-armed fighters in the Confederation, hosting several lasers, a large missile loadout, at least four torpedoes, and a rear turret for additional protection. Its heavy payload made it a lethal threat to Kilrathi warships, especially from Longbows flying in squadrons.

One of the Longbow's greatest drawbacks, though, is its poor maneuverability. Being such a large fighter with a heavy payload, it is a poor choice against enemy fighters and must often rely on its rear turret and a fighter escort to ward off its opponents.

Some variants of the Longbow also possessed jump capabilities, a rarity among Confederation fighters.

Longbows saw extensive service in 2669 against the Kilrathi. At least one squadron was stationed on the TCS Victory. One of their more notable actions took place during the launch of the TCS Behemoth. The Victory sent its Longbows to plant mines around several jump points in the Torgo System to ward off any Kilrathi pursuers who might have attempted to stop the Behemoth from reaching the Loki System, where its primary weapon would be tested.

Even after the end of the Kilrathi War, the Longbow saw extensive action during the Border Worlds Conflict of 2673. During the conspiracy to drag the Confederation into a state of war with the Union of Border Worlds, the Black Lance acquired numerous Longbows for use in their attacks on the two factions. Many of these Longbows would be destroyed at the hands of Confederation and Border Worlds pilots.

Images

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  Longbow during Border Worlds Crisis 2673.

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  F/A-76 Target Identification, circa 2673.