SF-11 Crossbow Space Superiority Fighter

The Crossbow is currently the frontline combat fighter of the Terran Protectorate. It is a lightning fast, one-man fighter with excellent agility, moderate range and good firepower. It is, however, very difficult to master and maintenance-intensive.

The Crossbow is generally a carrier-deployed fighter, used primarily by the fleet. However, it can be found on space stations and, less commonly, on planetside bases. While very capable in atmosphere, it is built for space combat.

The Crossbow’s standard load-out consists of two light automatic rail guns that fire bursts of 20mm tungsten darts which shred their target upon impact. Because the tungsten rounds are much lighter than a traditional bullet, the Crossbow is able to store a large payload before weight becomes a concern. Additionally, the Crossbow is armed with six medium-range missiles, giving it a first-strike range of 150 miles. These can be replaced with 18 short-range missiles. In a pinch, two long-range missiles can be added to the wingtips, but this is rare.

The Crossbow’s designers made a decision to sacrifice stealth and a reduced profile for speed and power. Its engines give off a strong energy signature that, while they do not increase the detectable range of the fighter, don’t allow for much in the way of stealth. “Loud and proud” is a common slogan among Crossbow drivers. When stealth is needed, Crossbow pilots will build up speed at long range and kill their engines. Fortunately, the two main thrusters have a nearly instant warm-up time.

The fighter has a powerful avionics package that includes an advanced combat computer that compensates for combat at incredibly high speeds by utilizing highly advanced fuzzy logic to estimate the intentions of the pilot and react accordingly. Newtonian physics in space combat are incredibly hard to master for most species, requiring them to slow down considerably during space combat in order to keep control. The Crossbow pilots are only limited by what is called the “speed of situational awareness”, meaning the speed at which the human brain can digest and react to what’s going on around them. This is combined with a high-powered inertia compensation system that allows the fighter to pull off maneuvers that would liquefy a human body under normal circumstances.
General Characteristics

Crew: One
Height: 16 feet
Length: 40 feet
Wingspan: 51 feet
Loaded Weight: 30,000 lbs.
Powerplant: One 0.5 oz. Anti-Matter Lozenge Reaction Drive

Performance
Maximum Speed: 300,000 miles per hour, roughly Mach 405 (can get from the earth to the moon in a little under an hour…or to the Sun in 13 days)
Maximum Acceleration: 12Gs
Service Ceiling: None, can achieve escape velocity on most worlds.
Range: Generally accepted range is 3.5 million miles, though can coast much further through conservative use of fuel. Has two days of consumables (air, water and food packs).

Armaments

Guns: 2x 20mm electromagnetic acceleration rotary cannons, 10,000 rounds

Missile Hardpoints: Six wing, two wingtip, and two fuselage.

Avionics
Electromagnetic Field Sensors, Mass Detectors and Radar, combined range of 100,000 miles.


Model created in DOGA-L3 and retextured in Cararra.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!