Firebird

Firebird asf.jpg
Firebird
Production information
Manufacturer Mujika Aerospace Technologies[1]
Production Year 2400[2]
Model FR-1
Class Light aerospace fighter
Tech Base Inner Sphere (Primitive)
Technical specifications
Mass 45 tons
Structural Integrity 5
Frame Mujika Aerospace Type 4
Power Plant Rawlings 165-F
Armor Mujika AeroPlate
Fuel 240
Armament
Communications System Endicott Type 20
Tracking & Targeting System Dwyerson Mark IX
Heat Sinks 10 single heat sinks
BV (2.0) 403[1]

Description[edit]

The Firebird was built on Capella as an early, Age of War-era aerospace fighter design. Underpowered and lightly-armored, it did not fulfill the expectations of the CCAF. Though it carried enough fuel to achieve good velocity in space it was not very maneuverable, with its low speed and sluggish handling in atmospheric flight combined with its weak rear armor and lack of aft-mounted weapons made it easy prey for even the lightest conventional fighters. Notably, two of them were lost to a Bullfrog.[1]

With the rapid development of aerospace technologies, the Firebird quickly became obsolete and was taken out of CCAF service and scrapped in 2420. The Taurian Concordat used some units captured during the Rim War but retired the last of them in 2437.[1]

Weapons and Equipment[edit]

Realizing their design could not handle dogfights, the developers equipped it with long-range weapons to stay as far away from enemies as possible. Two Zeus LRM-10 launchers mounted in the wings and an Imperator-D AC/2 in the nose, each with one ton of ammunition, met those requirements and gave it a potent punch for hit-and-run strikes.[1]

Variants[edit]

Due to its short service life, no variants were known to exist.

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Era Digest: Age of War, pp. 27-28, "Firebird Profile"
  2. MUL online date for the Firebird

Bibliography[edit]