Guardian (Conventional Fighter)

This article is about the ground attack aircraft. For other uses, see Guardian.
Guardian fighter 01 TRO3026r.jpg
Guardian
Production information
Manufacturer Mujika Aerospace Technologies
Equipment Rating
Use Ground Attack
Tech Base Inner Sphere
Cost 253,293[1]
Introduced 2831[2]
Technical specifications
Mass 20 tons
Engine (Type) Rawlings 140 Air Turbine
Fuel 320 - 2 tons
Communications System XDuoteck 20
Targeting Tracking System Radcom T5
Heat Sinks None
Armament 1x SRM-6
Armor Mujika AeroShell Light
Crew 1
BV (1.0) 182[1][3]
BV (2.0) 176[4]


Description[edit]

Introduced in 2831, the cheap and easy to maintain Guardian Conventional Fighter is a close air support fighter, freeing up more costly aerospace fighter assets for other duties.[4][5][6]

With the smallest military and industrial base of any Inner Sphere power, House Liao has been known for using conventional forces to add to the capabilities of its aerospace and 'Mech forces. Cheap and easy to maintain, the Guardian exhibits traits that would be later seen in OmniMech design. All components are modular in nature, and with the proper diagnostic equipment only one Astech is needed to keep the fighter ready for combat.[4][5][6]

Powered by a Rawlings 140 Air Turbine, the Guardian features four exhaust nozzles, two on each side of the fuselage, which can be rotated to give the Guardian VSTOL capabilities. Capable of true vertical takeoff and landings only when the craft is not loaded with ordnance, even with a full bomb load the Guardian needs only 50 meters of open field to get airborne.[4][5][6]

Aside from a relatively light weapons load, the Guardian's main disadvantage is its rather minimal defensive protection, relying more on speed than the single ton of Mujika AeroShell Light armor it carries. While the Guardian's speed is more than enough to outpace any ground assets it could face, its life expectancy can be measured in seconds in combat against a true aerospace fighter.[4][5][6]

Weapons and Equipment[edit]

Merely adequate for its ground attack role, the Guardian carries a good-sized bomb load supported by a single nose-mounted Sian/Ceres Cougar SRM-6 rack supplied with a 15 reloads. While some feel a ground attack plane would be better served by carrying lasers for strafing runs, thinking which resulted in the Guardian B variant, the one-shot attack runs forced by the missile launcher better help to minimize its exposure to return fire.[4][5][6]

Cargo[edit]

The Guardian has four External Stores Hardpoints which allow it to carry bombs.

Variants[edit]

  • B 
    Created by pilot demand, the Guardian B replaces the Rawlings 140 for a 120 engine, reducing the bomb load and speed, and pulls the SRM-6 launcher for a medium laser and extra heat sinks. Considered a better close support craft than the missile carrier, it does take away from the Guardian's already poor air to air performance. BV (1.0) = 110,[7] BV (2.0) = 126,[8] 153[9]
  • C 
    A modern post–Clan Invasion variant, the Guardian C features swaps the standard missile launcher for an Streak SRM-4, offering the same average firepower as the older launcher while being considerably more ammo efficient. BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = 159,[10] 182[11]
  • D 
    Another modern variant made possible due to trade with the Draconis Combine, the Guardian D replaces the SRM launcher with an MRM-10. The intended combat role of the Guardian is well suited to the MRM launcher, boosting range and firepower while the reduction in accuracy is not too detrimental. BV (1.0) = ??, BV = (2.0) = 154,[12] 177[13]

Related Designs[edit]

  • Boeing Jump Bomber - Design to bolster the Federated Commonwealth's planetary defense forces, the Boeing Jump Bomber is shamelessly based on the Capellan Guardian, boosting speed at the cost of the SRM launcher and relying entirely on externally mounted bombloads.

Notes[edit]

  • In German products, the unit's proper name was translated to Beschützer.

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 6
  2. ↑ MUL online date for Guardian (Conventional Fighter)
  3. ↑ Record Sheets: 3039, p. 205
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Technical Readout: 3039, pp. 178–179: "Guardian Fighter Profile"
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Technical Readout: 3026, pp. 12–13: "Guardian Fighter Profile"
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Technical Readout: 3026 Revised, pp. 16–17: "Guardian Fighter Profile"
  7. ↑ AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 7
  8. ↑ Record Sheets: 3039 Unabridged, p. 279
  9. ↑ Record Sheets: 3039, p. 202
  10. ↑ Record Sheets: 3039 Unabridged, p. 280
  11. ↑ Record Sheets: 3039, p. 203
  12. ↑ Record Sheets: 3039 Unabridged, p. 281
  13. ↑ Record Sheets: 3039, p. 204

Bibliography[edit]

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