Project Phoenix (3020)
Sarna News
- HEXTECH Wave 9 Review - Winding Rivers, Tall Walls, and Underground Tunnels
- Hired Steel and Making MechWarrior 5: Clans Cinematics with Constantin & Bernhard of TMC
- Your BattleTech News Round-Up For December, 2024
- Community Outreach - Caterwauling On CamoSpecs With Matt "00Dawg" Frederiksen
- HEXTECH Wave 8 Review - Autumn Colors, Canyons, And Slums
- Read more →
- This article is about the Federated Suns research project from the 3020s. For Vicore Industries' BattleMech refurbishing program from 3067 and for other uses, respectively, see Project Phoenix (3067) and Phoenix.
Description[edit]
Somewhat inaccurately called "the first serious research into 'Mech technology in almost a century", Project Phoenix was the codename for a research project carried out by Federated Suns at the Friden Aerospace Park research facility on Hoff from approximately October 3020 up until the site came under attack on 13th May 3022.
Project Phoenix yielded two new BattleMech designs: Over the course of eighteen months, a team of scientists and engineers including Dr. Jorge Belasco had devised the 25-ton Super Wasp and the 60-ton Super Griffin here, evolutions of their classic namesake designs. They had also constructed three functional prototypes of the former and one of the latter design.
Concurrently with the new 'Mech designs, experimental Double Heat Sinks had been developed (although it is unclear whether this was also part of Project Phoenix, or an independent project) which were included in the new Super Griffin design, and were also dealt out as refits to the local defenders. These double heat sinks were notable because, unlike regular double heat sinks, they could be combined with regular heat sinks.
Hoping to capture new technology, the Draconis Combine attacked Hoff supported by the mercenary unit Wolf's Dragoons in April 3022. On May 13th, elements of the Black Widow Company pushed through the defenders and attacked the research facility while it was being evacuated. The existing Super Wasps and the Super Griffin were deployed as a last line of defense, and were destroyed in the fighting.[1]
Aftermath[edit]
After the sacking of the Friden Aerospace Park, the Federated Suns found that they lacked the industrial capacity to restart the project elsewhere, and could not themselves manufacture the prototype double heat sinks anymore. Regarding the heat sinks, the alliance with the Lyran Commonwealth allowed the Federated Suns to approach Lyran firms to produce prototypes no later than 3026, though a significant share of the items was siphoned off at Kincaid Defiance Industries and illicitly sold to the Capellan Confederation.[2]
Since the Hatchetman was hailed as the first completely new BattleMech design to enter production in the Successor States (entering production in 3023) it can be assumed that the Super Wasp and Super Griffin never entered regular production, at least not officially. However, the Federated Commonwealth launched Project Trapdoor in 3042 which sought to produce BattleMechs that were surreptitiously upgraded with cutting edge technology, hiding the upgrades behind an unchanged outer appearance of well-known designs.[3] Both the Super Wasp and the Super Griffin from Project Phoenix meet these criteria, and the results from Project Phoenix might thus have become part of Project Trapdoor.
Notes[edit]
It should also be noted that the first totally new 'Mech to be produced in the Inner Sphere in over a century was actually the Merlin, which entered production in 3010 in the Outworlds Alliance.