Space Fighters Long Distance



Space Fighters Long Distance

No one in the Union and certainly not the straegy and tactical planners of Fleet Command argues the effectivness of space fighters. Many of these experts even suggest that it is the use of heavy armed fast space fighters  that guarantee the military supremacy of the Union, even more than battle ships and the Translocator cannon.

Not many space faring societies have developed this kind of space warfare. Those who do however are among the most successful in military terms. Chief among them are of course the Nul and the Dai.

Space  fighters are not only deployed from carriers or Battleships but also from sationary bases to respond fast to any threat that enters a system.

Fighters have one distinct draw back and that is their range. Fighters need to be small and have little room for lots of fuel. Their engines are high performance race engines with an equal high maintenance requirement.

Union Wolfcraft figthers have a range of 10 to 20 light years at most (Twenty with less weapons and extra tanks).

Yet especially border stations and check points use fighter wings as a cheaper and faster alternative to battle ships and similar large combatants to react  to border incidents or interception tasks. However due to the  immense distances between check points, fighters are simply not able to reach a trouble spot. Other larger units are not always available and if they are not able to react with the same speed fighters can.

Another task where fighters with a longer range are useful is flyin escort for important transports, post ships and passenger ships in regions where trouble is likley.

The Small Craft development bureau called for design proposals for a Long Range Fighter with an extended range of at least 100 Light Years, but with similar combat capababilities as a Wolfcraft and not exceeding Wolfcraft sizeby 20 percent.

One of the results was the development of the Scorpion Craft (designated a Minor Space Combatant rather than a fighter). Another development was the Gazelle (A Wolfcraft based recon craft with minimal weapons)

An ancient pre astro concept of in flight refueling by tanker craft was proposed and rejected to be impractical in space.

More  than a hundred proposals and prototypes were introduced and none really performed as the Fleet specs requested.

Only a few trial models like the Attikan Anaconda have been considered and 5000 units have been ordered for trials. The design challenge remained open till the Dai joined the Union and their legendary designer

Su-Hi,  alongside Heinrich Steinmann and Steve Anderson of SII Aerospace rang in a new age of Union fighter development.

Not only the now famous Karhi-Wolfs but the lesser known SSA 12 ( the first real long range fighter ever produced with a range of almot 155 lightyears and the same firepower as aWolfcraft IV ) The SSA 12 was replaced  in 5044 when the Design Team added Nul experts producing the XON-1. Now in 5050 the XON 2 is earmarked to replace all fighters of the Union Fleet as its main fighter craft having a range of 240 light years, more fire power than the latest Wolfcraft and faster than even the

Karhi-Wolfs. The feat was possible with the help of the incredible miniaturization expertise of the Mini Terrans and the rugged dependable engine mantle design based on the Nul fighters completly redesigning Attikan high performance engines.

These new fighters carrying the SFL hull designation.