The Spacepiress of Chaos
Intent: The creation of a Non-Stygium Crystal based Stealth Starfighter for the CIS
Image Source: [HERE]
Canon Link: N/a
Primary Source: N/a
Manufacturer:
Affiliation:
- Confederacy of Independent Systems
- CIS Capital Armada
- Wraith
- Semi-Unique
- Alusteel
- Quadranium
- Duralium
- Titanium
- Madilon
- Transparisteel
- Starfighter Components
Classification:
- Starfighter
- 25 meters
- 10.5 meters
- 6.8 meters
- Moderate
(6) Solar Ionization Cannons - (2) Proton Torpedo Launchers w/ (3) Torpedoes each
Defenses:
- Average
Ion Shield Generator - Particle Shield Generator
Squadron Count:
- Very Low
(4) Starfighters
Maneuverability Rating:
- High
- High
- Average
Class 1 Hyperdrive
Ion Drive Array
(4) Heavy Power Generators
Military Grade Sensors
Military Grade Scanners
Basic Life Support System
Hypercomm Array
Basic Medical Equipment
Sensor Baffling Paint
Thrust Trace Damper - A stealth device that is used to help conceal starships from sensors. It captures exhaust gases from vessels in containment to cool the gases before expelling them into space.
Sensor Baffling Paint - These Starfighters are coated in a black paint that when coupled with their design aids in confusing sensors (much like the Stealth Bombers utilized by the US Air Force). The paint also makes it difficult to spot the vessel by eye on the backdrop of space.
Thrust Trace Damper - While the system aids in keeping the vessel hidden by capturing the exhaust gases, the system is only capable of running for a limited time before the containment areas become overheated. At max, the system is capable of running for no more than two hours before it needs to be shut off to allow it to cool down.
Non-Stygium Cloaking Device - Unlike other 'Stealth' ships, these vessels lack a true Cloaking Device based off Stygium crystals. Thus it is not a One-Hundred percent stealth vessel and can still be picked up utilizing more advanced sensors or carefully calibrated scanners.
Expensive - While not as expensive as other Stealth vessels, the Wraith Starfighter is still expensive enough that it limits its production capabilities.
Solar Ionization Cannons - Its weaponry is power hungry, causing the vessel to carry additional power generators specifically for its weapon systems. This also means that the weapon systems themselves can only be fired in quick successive bursts or risk overheating the weapons.
While many stealth vessels utilize the more expensive Stygium crystals to create a cloaking field, the Wraith Starfighter utilizes more 'archaic' technologies to ensure that it is difficult to notice. A thrust trace damper coupled with sensor baffling paint provide the stealth capabilities of the vessel - and though not capable of cloaking itself like other vessels; they mimic the 'cloaking' effect in how they avoid sensors and scanners. Even the black paint makes it difficult for the naked eye to spot these vessels on the black backdrop of space.
Many of its strengths rely upon its more advanced systems, specifically its Thrust Trace Damper, which traps exhaust gases of the vessel, allowing them to cool before releasing them into space. However it cant do this indefinitely, as eventually the containment canisters would over heat and thus render the system useless. At most the Starfighter is capable of running this Thrust Trace Damper for a maximum of two hours before it must shut the system off to allow it to cool off.
Its size, coupled with its manufacturing and the systems on board make these starfighters expensive to field; with only a handful of these squadrons being spread out among the CIS Naval Defense Force; the largest concentration of which is among the Capital Armada. Even with them being as expensive as they are, they are still useful in their capabilities; even though they are dedicated starfighters, their systems allow the vessels in many ways to act as long range scouts or advanced strike units to soften up a target before a main assault.
The major draw back of the starfighter is its primary weapon systems, a series of Solar Ionization Cannons which gobble up energy just as quickly as it unleashes a hail of fire. This means that the starfighter is forced to carry additional power generators just for the weapons; and even then, they are limited to short bursts of fire to prevent overheating of the weapons. All in all though, a capable starfighter pilot can compensate for this and still unleash a devastating salvo of withering firepower.
