| Efate's main fighter, the F4 Kestral, was a compromise design: an atmospheric fighter with limited space capability and carrying an anti-ship missile. A recent strategic review concluded that specialised fighters were the way forward. To this end the F4 is being phased out in favour of the F5 Rapier (space defense) and the F6 Starfire (air superiority). The Rapier is optimized for short range and short duration orbital or deepspace combat, although it is occasionally used in a support role as an atmospheric fighter. Noteworthy for its fusion gun main armament, the Rapier is somewhat sluggish due to the mass of the power plant required to support it. Much of the cost of the craft (over 60%) is due to the installation of the extremely capable Model 7 computer, which gives the Rapier a reasonable chance of taking on and damaging much larger ships. Originally designed by TrinTechnics, the Rapier is now built under license primarily by LSP at Lunion and Strouden, and in the Vargr Extents. |
| CraftID: | Fighter, TL13, MCr82.9 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Hull: | 18/45, Disp=20, Config=1SL, Armor=40F, Unloaded=543.7tons, Loaded=546.3tons | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Power: | 6/12, Fusion=810Mw, Duration=3.5days | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Loco: | 4/8, M-Drive=7 (Thrust=2600, TrueMaxAccel=4.76 ... TopSpeed=1000kph, Cruise=750kph, NOE=170kph), Agility=4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Commo: | Radio=System, MaserComm=System | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sensors: | EMM, JamEMS=FarOrbit, ActiveEMS=FarOrbit, PassiveEMS=Interstellar, Neutrino=100kw, Densitometer=LowPen/50m, ActObjScan=Rout, ActObjPin=Rout, PassObjScan=Diff, PassObjPin=Diff, PasEngScan=Rout, PassEngPin=Diff | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Off: |
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| Def: | DefDM=+13 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Control: | Computer=7 x3, HoloHUD x1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Environ: | BasicEnv, BasicLS, ExtendedLS, GravPlates, InertialComp | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Accomm: | Crew=1 (pilot), Seat=ExtOccRoomy x1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Other: | Fuel=37.8kliters, ObjSize=Average, EMLevel=None | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Design by Robert S.Dean |
