Directorate Officer
Intent: To provide an assault-oriented superiority starfighter for the Republic
Image Credit: I modified an image of the ME 262 HG III model (Antares brand)
Development Thread: N/A
Manufacturer: Lucerne Labs (design) /manufactured by various Galactic Republic subcontractors
Model: LLS-8 Monsoon-class Starfighter
Affiliation: Galactic Republic
Modularity: Warhead Loadout
Production: Mass
Material: Durasteel frame, Durasteel Plating, typical starship components
Classification: Starfighter
Role: Multi-role Starfighter
Height: 2.5 Meters
Width: 8 Meters
Length: 11 Meters
Power Core Generator/Reactor: Fuel Cells
Hyperdrive Rating: Class 1
Minimum Crew: 1
Optimal Crew: 1
Armaments:
3 Stutter fire-capable laser cannons
2 M-G-2 General Purpose Warhead Launchers (4 Concussion Missiles, 3 Proton Torpedoes, 2 Heavy Rockets, or 1 Space Bomb each)
1 PLEX-2M (6 Arakyd 313 missiles or other equivalent)
Squadron Count: 12
Special Features:
Basic Warhead Countermeasures Launcher (10 Chaff bursts or 7 Flares)
Communications Array
Standard Deflector Shield Generator
Standard Back-up Deflector Shield Generator
Standard Life Support Systems
Standard Navigational Systems
Standard Sensor Array
Standard Targeting Systems
Can Enter Atmosphere and Land
Speed Rating: 2
Maneuverability Rating: 2
Strengths:
-Front is unusually heavily armored
-Easily repaired and field maintained due to old construction style
-Missile launchers can carry a variety of warheads
Weaknesses:
-rear is unusually lightly armored
-Inefficient fuel use due to old construction techniques
-Unusually reliant on ordinance, which deplete throughout an engagement, for effectiveness
Passenger Capacity: none
Cargo Capacity: 10 kilograms
Consumables: 1 week
Who Can Use This: Galactic Republic
Description: The LLS-8 Monsoon is the latest offspring of atmospheric-based starfighter design that traces it lineage to the first swept-wing Z-95 Headhunters. Originally designed as a planetary defense fighter, the design prioritizes smooth, flowing lines for optimal atmospheric performance that many observers find to be graceful.
But that beauty is only skin deep.
The Monsoon relies on construction techniques that date back past the original Headhunter, making it some ways inferior to even that ancient design. The fuselage is constructed using Warren truss box girders using mechanical fasteners and flexsteel cables to keep the various sections of the predominantly durasteel fuselage together: this means that there is little welding or advanced metalwork involved deep within the fuselage itself, allowing easier repair in the field and easier construction/assembly even with primitive industrial facilities not meant for starship work. In order to match the durability of conventional construction, more supports had to be incorporated into the design, making it heavier and thus more fuel inefficient than conventional craft. This makes the starship ill-suited for long-range missions using sublight drives. The Monsoon’s nose and front-leading wing edges are also more heavily armored than many of its counterparts, at the cost of having weak armor in the vessel’s stern. This makes the Monsoon more durable in head-on assaults, but also particularly vulnerable to being attacked from the rear.
The Monsoon is powered by a pair of fusial thrust ion engines mounted in its wing-roots, granting it typical starfighter performance, augmented by various microthrusters and etheric rudders included within the wing and swallow-style tail. This engine arrangement was not chosen for pure performance reasons, but rather to emulate the older Narra-class Interceptor, thus giving it similar handling characteristics to the older craft to aid in pilots adapting to flying that starship. Likewise, the basic controls and layout were also copied from that craft for the same reason. This allows pilots who are experienced in flying one craft to easily adapt to flying the other as needed: a boon for organizational and flight training purposes.
The Monsoon’s three stutter fire capable laser cannons are mounted in the nose of the craft, allowing the pilot to easily aim them even if the targeting computer is damaged or sensors are being jammed by purely visual means. The belly of the craft contains three antiquated by highly adaptable warhead launchers. Two of them are copies of SFS’s M-G-2 General Purpose Warhead Launchers, originally used on Tie Avengers by the Galactic Empire hundreds of years ago. Like the originals, each launcher can carry either 4 concussion missiles, 3 proton torpedoes, 2 heavy rockets, or 1 space bomb. This versatility allows the Monsoon to be employed as something of a multi-role starfighter, though dedicated specialty designs will outperform it in niche roles. Rather than carry the 4th laser cannon found on many superiority Starfighters, the Monsoon carries a compact PLEX-2M, typically carried by a single soldier on ground deployments. While its ordinance is significantly less powerful than most starfighter warheads, the additional smaller warheads makes it a useful ancilliary weapon. The typical proton missiles, while lacking performance against many starfighters, are useful for swarming opponents with missile fire or providing just the right amount of power for ground attacks. Like the M-G-2, the PLEX-2M can fire other ordinance as the mission dictates, including anti-vehicle shells, explosive “bunker busters”, and gas delivery systems. There are several legacy inspired systems found on the Monsoon derived from the XJ-3 X-wing, including a back-up shield generator mode and an expandable inertial compensator.
Despite their hope in the design, Lucerne Labs does not build most of the Monsoons. Rather, the company has licensed out the production of the fighter to multiple companies across the Republic. This is partly because the company is still somewhat small, but also because it was a way to increase sales without having to invest in more infrastructure.
All in all, the Monsoon is a rugged fighter well-suited to play an assault role in the Republic fleet. However, its shorter than average range, and reliance on physical munitions makes the starfighter ill-suited for prolonged engagements.
