Planetlifter
Sarna News
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| Planetlifter Air Transport | |
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | Imstar Aerospace |
| Equipment Rating | |
| Use | Miliary Transport |
| Tech Base | Inner Sphere |
| Cost | 343,833[1] |
| Introduced | 2761 [2] |
| Technical specifications | |
| Mass | 50 tons |
| Engine (Type) | GM 200 Turbine |
| Fuel | 320 - 2 tons |
| Armament | External hardpoints only |
| Armor | Riese Reliable |
| Crew | 1 |
| BV (1.0) | 189[3] |
| BV (2.0) | 143 |
Description
A typical example of the conventional support aircraft available to planetary garrisons and militias across the Inner Sphere, the Free Worlds League produced Planetlifter is able to quickly transport combat elements more cheaply than a DropShip flight. [4]
Armament
Befitting its role as a support aircraft, the Planetlifter features no integral weaponry, with its external wing-mounted hard points rarely used for this purpose.[4]
Cargo
The Planetlifter features an internal cargo capacity of twenty and half tons, able to divide this bay with removable bulkheads to suit various cargoes. Where the Planetlifter differs from other similar aircraft of its size and role is its unique separating fuselage. While Combat Vehicles and Infantry can boards via normal cargo ramps at the nose and tail, the Planetlifter can use its variable landing gear to lower itself onto the ground and then detach the lower half of its fuselage and cargo bay. After rolling away, the now exposed cargo bay floor is highly suitable for carrying either of the humanoid pair of the Bug 'Mech trio, the Wasp and Stinger, who merely lie down after which the Planetlifter returns and reconnects, the combined aircraft loaded and ready for take-off in under fifteen minutes. This feature makes the Planetlifter highly attractive to buyers, with a large number of air-mobile milita and front-line 'Mech units in the Free Worlds League utilizing it, with "Load Contests" held every few years to see which crew can load them the fastest. [4]
Variants
- SuperPelican - Nicknamed the Waddle, this variant was produced under license in the Federated Suns until Imstar revoked it during the Fourth Succession War. Intended for close air-support it mounted an one-shot SRM-6 in nose, and two Autocannon/5 under wings. [4] BV (1.0) = 344[5]
- Support Aircraft - This experimental variant uses Vehicular Stealth Armor and an Angel ECM Suite to hide from enemy forces. The Support version also mounts an Arrow IV launcher to provide fire support. For tactical coordination, the Planetlifter Support Aircraft carries a Look-Down Radar and a Cockpit Command Console. Unfortunately the designers had to remove the VSTOL equipment from the standard version to make room for all this equipment, and the armor is still limited by the conventional airframe. Simulations show that once enemy AeroSpace Fighters know that the PSA is in the area, it is quickly destroyed. BV (2.0) = 475[6]