F-57 Sabre
| F-57 Sabre | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type | Heavy Attack Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Terran Confederation |
| Primary User | Terran Confederation |
| Additional Users | Free Republic of the Landreich Union of Border Worlds Society of Mandarins |
| Length | 23.6 meters |
| Mass | 22 metric tonnes |
| Max Velocity | 400 KPS |
| Cruise Velocity | 220 KPS |
| Max Afterburner Velocity | 1200 KPS |
| Acceleration | Excellent |
| Max Y/P/R | 8/8/8 DEG/S |
| Guns | Mass Drivers (2), Particle Cannons (2), Neutron Guns (2) |
| Missiles | Standard Loadout Image-Recognition Missiles (4), Friend or Foe Missiles (2), Dumbfire Missiles (2) |
| Turrets | Dual Mount Neutron Gun (1) |
| Armor | 16 cm fore/aft 11 cm sides |
| Shields | 10 cm |
| Decoys | 3 (Chaff Pods) |
| Cloak | None |
| Jump Drive | None |
| Crew | 2 (1 Pilot, 1 Gunner) |
| Devices | Tractor Beam |
History
The F-57 Sabre was a heavy attack fighter in the service of the Terran Confederation.
The F-57 Sabre was a widely-used Confederation fighter that served in a variety of roles throughout much of the Terran-Kilrathi War. Built on a heavy chassis with a large weapons load-out, the Sabre was a formidable dogfighter that could engage multiple Kilrathi fighters for a prolonged period of time. Capable of carrying torpedoes and other forms of heavy weaponry, it could also act as a bomber, dealing severe damage to enemy warships and installations. It was also equipped with a rear turret manned by a gunner for basic defense. All of this, along with its maneuverability, made the Sabre a formidable all-purpose fighter in the Confederation Space Force.
The Sabre engaged in numerous combat operations throughout the Kilrathi War, ranging from patrols to enemy interception to bombing runs against enemy vessels. Many carrier groups were equipped with Sabre squadrons, including the TCS Concordia.
Sabres were involved in many notable operations against the Kilrathi. In 2658, Sabres participated along with Broadswords in Operation Lamplight, Confed's big push into the Deneb Sector. During the operation, a large group of Kilrathi Troopships were moving to assist Kilrathi forces when Sabres, Broadswords and Cruisers intercepted them. The Kilrathi force had minimal escort and was destroyed with limited difficulty. In 2667, the Concordia launched a force of Sabres to destroy the Heaven's Gate Starbase as part of their failed attempt to capture the system. During this assault, Confederation pilot Mariko Tanaka was killed in action after a traitor planted explosives on her vessel, killing her gunner and forcing her to conduct a kamikaze attack on the starbase, destroying it. Later, Christopher Blair flew solo in a Sabre in an attempt to destroy the Kilrathi Sector HQ at K'tithrak Mang. The attack was a resounding success and shattered the Kilrathi's hold on the Enigma Sector.
Sabres also took part in numerous defensive actions during the Kilrathi War. Several Sabres took part in the defense of Pembroke Station and the separatist Kilrathi colony of Ghorah Khar.
Many Sabres made their way into the hands of other factions, including pirates and mercenaries, and were used extensively by the Society of Mandarins, a network of Human traitors loyal to the Kilrathi. Surplus Sabres were also sold to the Union of Border Worlds and the Free Republic of the Landreich. Some took part in the action of the Border Worlds Conflict.
