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| "Aero-Space Craft" is generally defined as small air and spacecraft unable to operate independently of a larger ship or ground station support. This vague definition of course leaves much to be desired; After all, the advent of grav pod technology means that most (though not all) tanks "fly" based on the exact same principles as all aerospacecraft (though for some, like most Warbirds, use their grav pods as a secondary flight system). Also, some aerospacecraft are more capable than some "true" spacecraft- For example, the C-130 is capable of carrying more cargo or firepower than the RIOL TILVU-Class Assault Shuttle. However, the conventions of the definitions are applied based on the general mission profiles. NOTE: Veritechs are listed on their own page. | Non-Combat Support Aero-Spacecraft Combat Support Aero-Spacecraft Militry Helicopters Standard Aerial Fighters, Bombers, And Attackers. Aero-Space Fighter, Bombers, And Attackers Space Fighter, Bombers, And Attackers Guardian Aero-Spacecraft Non-Standard Aero-Space Warbirds Uglies | ||||
 Civilian Aero-Spacecraft | |||||
| These craft are intended for civilian use; Some have police and fire fighting applications, others do not. | |||||
Hunter Aero-Tech FJ-21 and 22 Fan Jet | CivCraft-1 & -2 | ||||
 Non-Combat Support Aero-Spacecraft | |||||
| The UGC has several non-combat support craft, designed specifically so that they can NOT enter battle directly; The most important of these is the MC-31 Angel Air Ambulance, which takes wounded troops to hospitals and hospital ships. Also, the ES-101 Gullwing Surveillance craft has proven useful in long-range topical survey work, far in excess of it's original mission profile. The Gullwing is NOT, however, transatmopheric. | |||||
Britten-Norman BN-3 Islander ES-101 Gullwing Surveillance Craft | KC-200 Caprica Refueler | ||||
Combat Support Aero-Spacecraft | |||||
| In addition to combat craft, the UGC has various types on combat support craft; Generally, these craft were not ORIGINALLY designed to go into battle themselves, but support combat craft in various way, including refueling, intelligence, and etc. Most are in service with the various RDF's or National Guards; County Militias or City Guards don't as they are too expensive to justify. The God's Eye operations have, on occasion, been contracted to observatories, which the RDF's use as a training opportunity. | |||||
C-130 Hercules S/EA-6B Prowler EC-66 "God's Eye" AWACS CSS-228 Raptor Combat Shuttle | XA-11 Skyhawk Attacker XTNDER II Observation Pod Low Altitude Assault Transport INT-4 Interceptor | ||||
UGC Militry Helicopters | |||||
| The UGC utilizes medium-armor, moderately armed, platforms which are still referred to as helicopter for a wide array of missions; However, the two most common uses are hot LZ insert/extract and for scouting missions in support of armored units, finding enemy forces and, when necessary, stalling advancing enemy armor. NOTE: The lack of these types of platforms, in preference to Guardian Attackers, is considered a "contributing factor" in the UGC's defeat during the FBX 21555320 uprisings. | |||||
HH-65A Dolphin | UGC Comancherro | ||||
Standard Aerial Fighters, Bombers, And Attackers. | |||||
| Since the pre-Global Civil War days, the REF has had need of non-transformable, fixed-wing combat aircraft. These aircraft have serve the REF well for many centuries, and, though topically surpassed in some areas, continue to be a vital element of the UGC's Defense Department. These aircraft are NOT transatmospheric, even though they are not necessarily air-breathing machines. The UGC prefers to keep aerial and space craft separate; However, for trans-atmospheric defense, the UGC does have several types of Guardian fighters, and continues to produce the original VF-1 (though only in the Super and Strike Veritech configurations) and both the VAF-6 Alpha Fighter and VBF-7 Beta Bomber/Attack. Most of the aircraft herein listed date all the way back to the GCW and some even beyond; The A-10 Thunderbolt II (or "Warthog", as it is VERY affectionate affectionately known) is currently the "King of the Air", the oldest continuing design in the air. The F/A-18 Supra-Hornet, is the "Queen of the Air," the oldest continuing fighter design still in service. (Note that it is a REAL bad idea to call a Supra-Hornet pilot a "Queen", even when meant respectfully; Even the female pilots will knock your ass flat. Warthog pilots don't even get away with it.) Just because the UGC has Guardians and Destroids and even Veritechs doesn't mean is doesn't have a use for Fighters; In fact, Guardians number only about 1 in 100 of all combat aero-space craft; Veritechs 1 in 1,000. It is the Space Fighters that go after incurring warships, and aerial fighters that pummel incurring raiders who manage to land. The reason to keep fixed-wing, mostly standard-tech fighters is COST; One Guardian Fighter costs as much as 3 to FIVE standard tech fighters. Even in cash-flushed systems, this cost/benefit ratio is an INCREDIBLE consideration, especially as standard aero-space doctrine holds that the majority of combat between fighters are near planets, where Destroids and Tanks slug it out under the protection of their respective Attack aircraft, who depend on their Fighters to cover them. | |||||
F/A-18 Hornet Series | A-10 Thunderbolt Attack/Bomber | ||||
Aero-Space Fighter, Bombers, And Attackers | |||||
| The REF has recently realized a need for full aero-spacecraft. Though the Guardians are more effective, their expense doesn't justify using them for minor duties. Leading the charge for these craft was the UGC Spaceways Patrol and Enforcement Service, which needed quick-reaction platforms for High Interest Assets escorts (escorting large ships through established spaceways), as Ator Malconts routinely prey on these vessels, even in the ultra-secure Terra System (Earth's home). Supporting this effort was the various subordinate forces, especially the off-world Colonial Militias, which simply don't have the money for Guardians. There are currently only a few combat craft that the REF has approved; The ASF-14 Viper Starfighter, ASS-14 Laura Starfighter, ASB-601 Cylon Aero-Space Bomber, SA-43 Hammerhead, S/A-6E Intruder, B-104 Galaxy Bomber, GS-8 Neopolis, and the new ASF-21 Sholagar Fighter; Under the par down principles of UGC philopsphy, the Sholagar is expected to take over all REF Aero-Space roles quickly, relgating the rest to RDF duties, then to local militias, and eventually to no duties (full retirement). | |||||
ASS-14 Laura Starfighter ASB-601 Cylon Aero-Space Bomber SA-43 End-ex Aero-Spacecraft (aka the Hammerhead) S/A-6E Intruder GS-8 Neopolis B-104 Galaxy Bomber | T-95 X-Wing Fighter T-96 Airspeeder Attack AFZ-95 Headhunter Colonial MkIIa Starfighter ASF-21 Sholagar Fighter | ||||
Space Fighter, Bombers, And Attackers | |||||
| The UGC has had a continuing need for reliable, dependable weapons platforms in space; The increasing regularity of Fehran Malcontents in some Milky Way systems has raised alarms to previously unheard of levels. Worse, the Steiner Sector has had a sudden outbreak in local malcontents, purportedly birthed form the grandchildren of Steiner Consortium military personnel who surrendered at the end of that war. Only the Spacer II, FBS-115 Gunstar, and Scimitar Assault Bomber have been given the overall UGC blessing; However, many individual systems have locally-designed space fighters, and the REF has largely turned a blind eye to it, as the systems can't afford better platforms and the REF can't be everywhere at once. The S/A-06 Flyjt Attacker is operated as a support craft, the SF-^^! Starfighter is solely operated by the Steiner Directorate. The TIE Fighter, TIE Interceptor Fighter, and TIE Drone are either used by malcontents or local forces (RDF and otherwise), though the TIE/d may be brought on-line as an unmanned or semi-autonomous system in the near future. | |||||
UGC FBS-115 Gunstar Space Fighter/Bomber S/A-06 Flyjt Attacker Steiner Directorate SF-^^! Starfighter | TIE Fighter TIE Interceptor Fighter TIE Drone | ||||
Guardian Aero-Spacecraft | |||||
| The UGC has maintained a love-hate relationship with Guardians since the introduction of the FG-8 Phantom III Guardian Aero-Space Fighter. Cheaper and simpler to produce than Veritechs, but not QUITE as flexible, the Guardian has mostly taken over a the primary aero-space weapons platform of the UGC. However, the Veritech has a lot more public appeal, and publicly, remains the backbone of the REF. Each Guardian cost ROUGHLY 1/10th to 1/4th an equivalent Veritech; And takes at most 1/2 the time to produce. This makes it ESPECIALLY popular with hard-pressed R.D.F. forces around the galaxies. The Veritech/Guardian debate continues, of course, but for the mean times, the Guardians have the upper hand due to cost of manufacture, maintenances, and training. The current baseline-models available are: | |||||
-A/FG-36 Hornet II- -A/BG-20 Thunderbolt V "Thud"- -A/FG-44 Raptor III- | -EAG-81 Malcorn Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System STARS)- | ||||
| Not every option available in the UGC has been accepted to mainstream militry service; Although not all of these could ever be listed, at least a few of the more common ones are. | |||||
Warbirds | |||||
One thing that HAS come up is dodging; When a pilot of a Warbird tries to dodge with his/her propeller spin direction, the plane practically folds through the air; Even the best of the best have trouble keeping up with that. Additionally, "dive dodging", or dropping down out of the sky as fast as possible, is easier with the Warbirds, due to the lower power of the engines. Equal to equal, Warbirds stand NO chance against jets or Guardians, but they can still hold the line against some incursions, and are an ideal stalling force. Automated versions are also available (see "Combat Bonuses; Automated Version" for each aircraft). History: The P-51 Mustang was, in truth, the inspiration for the whole Warbirds series- And it wasn't Caminorian. It was T'sentraedi. | |||||
P-38 Lightning Fighter P-40 Warhawk P-51 Mustang F-82 Twin (Double) Mustang Fighter Reisen (Zero) Fighter Hawker Hurricane/Tornado | F-4U Corsair Fighter B-25 Mitchell III Bomber A.S.6/Me-600 Bussard de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito DH-4 Liberty Fighter/Bomber | ||||
Uglies | |||||
| An Ugly is any type of aero-spacecraft that had been cobbled together out of parts that had been switched around from military surplus aero-spacecraft. They are predominantly used by pirates, smugglers, and other groups that lacked the resources to purchase or build conventional aero-spacecraft. After the advent of the UGC's enforced peace, the various Defense Forces snatched up these craft as quickly as the could; The three biggest collections were the TIE/In, X-Wing, and Y-Wing. The Z-95 Headhunter even came back on-line for the Z'Ceptor. Previously, every Ugly was a one-of-a-kind, and had wildly varied performance traits; Now they have standardized designs, but generally most still tend to be a poor match for a modern conventional military-built fighter, as they typically end up with more of the weaknesses than the strengths of their component parts. They are used by gangs who fly them against each other more often than they do militry forces. It is perhaps ironic that now just about every faction of the Rakatan Galaxy use purpose-built Uglies; The most common variants are the Chir'Daki and X-Ceptor, with the Z'Ceptor gaining popularity with anti-governmental factions in equal numbers to those used by RDF's; More than one battle has occurred with Z'Ceptors being the ONLY craft in the air. As by definition no two groups produced any Ugly exactly the same way, all stats should be used as a guideline, not a final product; however stats given are those used by REF-Allied groups unless otherwise stated (such as the Z'Ceptor). | |||||
Y-TIE Ugly X-TIE Fighter | Z'Ceptor Chir'daki ("Death Seed") | ||||
