Lackland Station herself.	TR-2A Black Manta (B-2 Spirit E/C variant).		Lackland Station herself.
The aero-space craft dubbed TR-3A Black Manta was in fact a United States Air Force B-2 "Spirit" Stealth Bomber modified for hyper-specialized intelligence work- Looking for rogue nuclear weapons. It was also armed with a long-range, JDAMS equipped hyper-explosive missile; TR-3A Black Manta (B-2 variant). Production Information: Model Type: Tactical Strike. Crew: 2 to 4. Passengers: NONE. EVER. Top Speed: Mach 08.2. Height: 22.1 feet. Wingspan: 58.3 feet (the wings can NOT fold up). The B-2 Spirit Bomber “Arti-Choke” herself (after modification). Length: 35.2 feet. Weight: 40 tons. Cargo: Only the pilot's emergence supplies can be carried. Power System: Quad JER-m11 Hydro-Cell Jet Engines (33,000 pounds each engine). Flight Systems: Grav Pods; Normal Aero-Foil effect and Hydro-Cell Jets. Thrust Systems: TD-001 Traction Drives; Twin JER-m11 Hydro-Cell Jet Engines. Weapons Systems: Ball Turret Laser: MRM Launchers. A USAF TR-3A Black Manta in action during the Global Civil War. Her mission at the time is unknown due to a security delete. Though conventional in nature, the explosives package of the weapons equaled the destructive power of a nuclear bomb, but for a MUCH shorter blast area (1 SQUARE mile). This was to be used in the event a rogue nuclear weapon was detected; The existence of these weapons was known, but they were easy to track once the joint US/USSR (later the Russian Federation) learned how. The original plane, which her crew dubbed "Arti-Choke" (in hopes she would caused Iraqi SCUD missile artillery crews to choke), was a First Gulf War veteran, having been retro-fitted one night to hunt a specific weapons facility in Iraq and destroy it- The facility being a mobile biological weapons factory disguised inside a tanker truck (which, ironically, had been destroyed the night before, having been mistaken for a SCUD launcher). The TR-3A Black Manta, when they were officially built as such, were also designed for stealth. The design was so whisper-silent that you could stand next to the wall of her hanger, with her engines on low-idle, and leave to doors OPEN and not hear her. This was due to her hyper-advanced anti-gravity assisted flight dynamics; She took off and landed on these pods, but they had to be turned OFF for certain types of intelligence work, at which point the crew would begin very WIDE circles in the sky, dropping down to earth slowly like a kite coming home (a technique called "kiting"). This saved fuel, as the engines could be reduced to low-power, and the noise generated was minimal. However, eventually the plane had to be brought back up for continued flight (this was the source of "some" pre-GCW UFO stories, though not all). That's not to say that the plane couldn't fly on pure engine power and wing lift; It's just she didn't usually do so. The TR-3A Black Manta has been operational since then, though they did not see service during the GCW (for reasons no one wants to discuss). The Black Manta has been upgraded with both the Chameleon System and Space-Drop Re-Entry Shield. Name: TR-3A Black Manta Model Type: Tactical Reconnaissance Model Number: 3A Crew: 2 to 4. Passengers: NONE. EVER. MDC By Location:
Fuselage- Cockpits (2)- Engines (2)-	5,000 2,500 each 4,000 each	Wings (2)- Variable Thrusters (2)- Tailerons and Rudder (2 each)-	4,000 each 800 each 1,000 each
Speed and Statistical Data:
In the air: Mach 8.2. Range in the air: 50,000 miles. Can be refueled in the air. On the ground: 02 MPH Range on the ground: 10 miles. Height: 22.1 feet Wingspan: 58.3 feet (the wings can NOT fold up) Length: 35.2 feet Weight: 40 tons Cargo: Only the pilot's emergence supplies can be carried. Power System: Quad JER-m11 Hydro-Cell Jet Engines (33,000 pounds each engine). Flight Systems: Primary: Grav Pods. Secondary: Normal Aero-Foil effect and Hydro-Cell Jets.		Thrust Systems: Primary: TD-001 Traction Drives. Secondary: Twin JER-m11 Hydro-Cell Jet Engines (33,000 pounds each engine) Note: During certain types of intelligence gathering, the grav pods and traction drives must be shut down, as they create electro-magnetic and electro-gravimetric waves which interfere with the hyper-sensitive electronics. Cost and Availability: Each cost 100 million credits to build; Currently 4 wings are available. Black Market Cost and Availability: An equivalent jet or nuclear powered system COULD be made available, but it would be VERY rare, and would not have anti-grav capability, for an estimated cost of between 250 million and 10 billion credits, depending on buyer and seller.
Weapons Systems:
1. Ball Turret Laser: A retractable ball turret used to discourage blind-side attacks. This is EXACTLY like the one used on the SR-71, except that the TR-3A Black Manta has TWO of them, one dorsal, one ventral. Purpose: Defense/Anti-Aircraft/Missile MD: 4D6 per blast. Rate of Fire: Per gunners attacks per melee. Payload: Unlimited.		2. MRM Launchers (2): A ventral-mounted MRM Launcher is used to add to the crafts combat capabilities. This was originally the bomb bay of the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, therefore no changes were made (the Spirit didn't actually drop bombs, they dropped missiles). Purpose: Anti-Ship/Aircraft MD and Range: Varies by type used. Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 3, 4, or all 5 per pilots attacks per melee. Payload: 5 MRM's. A second and THIRD bank of missiles are kept on board, and automatically load when the previous bank has been used.
Features:
Stealth: Gives the aircraft the radar cross-section equivalent to that of a hummingbird, hides the infrared signature to that of a bad cough, and minimizes other radiation from the craft to essentially nil. The acoustic signature also has been minimized using various techniques. Chameleon System: Pleizio-ceramic tiles darkened or lightened as necessary to render the craft invisible. Minimum effective distance: 2 feet. ESM: Radar Detector. Passively detects other radars being operated. Radar: Combat grade radar. Range 100 miles, can track up to 50 individual targets. 95% reliability (24% against unfriendly stealthed vehicles). Blue Force Tracker: Identifies friend from foe. Overlays the information on both the radar and HUD, ensuring that friendly forces are not accidentally targeted. GPS: Standard tracking device. Ties into the Blue Force Tracker. Anti-Jamming System: Reduces Electronics Countermeasure by ¾ (decrease skill level appropriately). HUD: Displays maps, radar, targeting information, and any OTHER information the wearer wants directly in front of the user. FLIR/SLIR: Forward and Side Looking Infrared. Allows pilot to get visuals on targets at night. AJP: Active Jamming Pod. Causes -25% to detection but when it is active, other vehicles/bases can detect that it is jamming, and some missiles will home in on jamming signals. Jamming also causes a -4 penalty to all radar guided weapons. The jamming pod is only mounted inside the port taileron. AMC/FD (2): Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispensers. Actually launches a glob of burning magnesium/aluminum alloy to confuse both radar AND heat sensory systems. Fires off 04 chaff/flares each time it is activated. The system is KNOWN to work on all KNOWN radar and infrared systems, but concerns continue that somewhere out there their MIGHT be a system that will be totally unaffected by the system. Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (add +20% to rolls for smart missiles). Effect: 01-50 Enemy missile or missile volley detonates in chaff cloud- Missiles are all destroyed. 51-75 Enemy missile or missile volley loses track of real target and veers away in wrong direction (may lock onto another target). 76-00 No effect, missile is still on target. Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind nearby heat sensors (and optically based sensors at night) for 1 melee. They will suffer the following penalties: Reduce melee attacks/actions, and combat bonuses by half. Duration: 1D4 melee rounds. Payload: 60 chaff/flares. Each time the system is engaged, the system fires off 04 chaff/flares. Virtual Map: Displays a continuously-updating map of local terrain for the pilot. Takes data from and gives data to other friendly units in the area. Effective land navigation of 85% as updates come. Good to 500 miles. Specific range can be adjusted in 1 mile increments. Video Camera: Records from the HUD. 50 hours of recording available.		Full range optic sensory suite: Infrared, ultra violet, Magnification, night sight, color filters, thermal imager. Range is about 200 miles for MOST sensors. LDP (4): Launched Decoy Pods. Located on the ventral side of the fuselage, the bomber carries advanced decoy drones, specially designed radar lure that creates a radar image to mimic the satellite. The drones are launched and fly off in various directions away from the satellite. Each is a specially. The decoys self-destruct at random times (multiples of 30 minutes, i.e. 30 minutes later, 60 minutes later, 90 minutes later, etc). This system has been successfully deployed against SEVERAL alien radar-type sensors (including one that works off of sound), but not against Invid Protoculture sensors. (They will sometimes attract Invid, however, at -50%). MDC: 5 Effects: The decoy has a 98% chance of fooling ordinary non military radars and non smart guided missiles, and a 90% chance of fooling military grade radars and advanced smart missiles. Range: Released to go wherever it wants. Can fly independently for about 30 minutes. Rate of Fire: 2 every melee. Payload: 16 Decoys each pod. Survival Pack: A pack of simpler emergency survival supplies: Pup tent, sleeping bag, black light, GPS, first aid kit (bandages, gauze, bandage tape, pads, antiseptic/analgesic), plasma torch (for small repairs and starting fires), repair kit (with MDC Repair Spray), sewing kit (a small spool of thread and 5 needles), 7 star flares (250 foot apogee), 2 white parachute flares (1,500 foot apogee), 100 feet of black or brown parachute cord (150 lbs tensile strength), 2-5 days rations, 2 gallons water, water purification kit- good for about 10 gallons. Sensory Systems: The craft is equipped with sensors the likes of which no one has ever before imagined; Laser sensors that can listen in on spoken conversations, in crowded and noise-filled places; Cameras that can read the seconds on a digital wrist-watch in the dark; Signal interceptor systems that can not only eavesdrop on laser-secured radio systems, but in fact can even JAM them, causing a totally worthless signal to be received; Even a EMP-based dampening system that can tap into computers, copying all the data and leaving a blank computer in it's wake (unfortunately this does not work on hardened circuitry); Magnetic Resonance Imaging systems that can tell not only when one object is hiding amongst others (such as a power armor hiding in thick foliage with it's power plant off), but even near-alike objects intertwined (such as two different types of plants growing together); All from the edge of space. Smoke dispensers (8): Throws out smoke flares capable of obscuring IR and heat sensors, and defeats visual tracking of the vehicle. Mostly used to cover landings and takeoffs. Chameleon System: Pleizio-ceramic tiles darkened or lightened as necessary to render the craft invisible. Minimum effective distance: 2,910 feet. Space-Drop Re-Entry Shield: Essentially a modified DS-2 Full-Force Barrier Field which protects the underside of the craft during reentry. Once the craft is inside the atmosphere, the grav pods keep it aloft.
Combat Bonuses from TR-3A Black Manta Combat Elite: 3 additional attack per melee. One additional Attack Per melee at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 with any additional bonuses for the pilot. +4 Initiative +5 Strike +4 Roll +2 Dodge
			A UGC TR-3A Black Manta; Mission profile is classified, but REF-ASF spokesmen will confirm it was during the “war” with the Steiner Consortium.