DI Multipurpose VTOL

DI Multipurpose VTOL
Production information
Manufacturer	Defiance Industries
Production Year	3097
Mission	Gunship, Infantry Transport , Reconnaissance
Type	VTOL
Technical specifications
Mass	25 tons
Armor	Durallex Guardian Heavy Ferro-Fibrous
Engine	Edasich 85 Light Fusion Engine
Speed	151 km/h
Communications System	Xilex-2342
Targeting Tracking System	N&D Pinpoint with TAG and Beagle Active Probe
Heat Sinks	10 single
Armament	1x light PPC
BV (2.0)	542

Description

The DI Multipurpose VTOL was the end result of a design process hampered repeatedly by requirement bloat. Originally designed by Defiance Industries to meet a request by the Quartermaster Corps of the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces for a gunship, Defiance had gone as far as designing and building a prototype when the LCAF changed the requirements. This happened more than once as the LCAF continued to add more capability requirements and functions to their shopping list.

Defiance finally responded by taking control of the process, preempting further design changes by submitting their own design for a single multirole helicopter that met all of the previous requirements while remaining a cheaper option through having been designed as a multipurpose platform from the outset.

The LCAF accepted the Defiance proposal, and with perhaps a touch of irony Defiance named the finished design the Multipurpose VTOL. The finished design incorporated features from all three major designs that preceded it – the chin turret and the five and a half tons of heavy ferro-fibrous armor were products of the gunship design, while the infantry compartment was a legacy of the infantry transport design and the TAG and active probe electronics systems were drawn from the scout design.

Defiance used a light fusion engine to power the Multipurpose VTOL, enabling it to reach speeds in excess of 150 km/h, and further augmented the electronics systems from the scout program by installing the Xilex-2342 communications package, a system noted for being able to burn through many jamming systems. The Multipurpose VTOL proved to be a success for Defiance, selling in quantity not just to the LCAF but across the Inner Sphere and the Periphery.

Weapons and Equipment

The DI Multipurpose VTOL mounted a single Defiance 250 light particle projector cannon in the chin turret; while the Defiance 250 only inflicted moderate damage on enemy targets, the combination of not needing ammunition and considerable range allowed the Multipurpose VTOL to operate at range for extended periods. While many infantry transports mounted a four-ton infantry compartment, what made the compartment in the Multipurpose VTOL stand out was the ease with which it could be reconfigured; not only can it be adjusted to easily transport squads of foot infantry or battle armor, the seating could also be removed quickly, allowing the compartment to serve as a cargo compartment when needed.

Variants

• Gunship 

  The design originally called for by the LCAF was also produced directly for sale by Defiance; the Gunship variant lacked the infantry compartment, TAG and Beagle Active Probe of the Multipurpose VTOL, instead mounting an MML-7 on the front of the Gunship. BV (2.0) = 711.

Design Quirks

The DI Multipurpose VTOL APC was subject to the following Design Quirks:

• Improved Communications
• VTOL Rotor Arrangement (Co-Axial)

Bibliography

• Record Sheets: 3145 Unabridged
• Technical Readout: 3145 Lyran Commonwealth