Front [Pg 01-02]

Illustration by Hidetaka Tenjin*

* Translator's note: illustration changed

VF-25F Messiah
Humanity's "Messiah" that crosses the limits of manned aircraft and opposed the Vajra.

Aircraft Explanation:
The greatest shackle imposed on manned aircraft is said to be the pilot, but the VF-25 Messiah (used by the Civilian Military Provider SMS) sails past those limitations thanks to several technological breakthroughs. The Extended Gear System, a new type of piloting system, improves both piloting and survival ability by using ISC (Inertial Store Converter), popularly known as the "Inertial Buffer," which reduces the effect of Gs on the cockpit. Because of the limits of the pilot's body, it has always been nearly impossible for a fighter to reach its full potential. This problem, as addressed by the AVF Development Project in 2040, has finally been overcome. Moreover, the power output, armaments, sensors, and so on have all been completely integrated, resulting in greatly enhanced performance. Even the VF-171, the primary fighter at the tail end of the 2050's, lacks teeth in comparison. Keeping with tradition, the S Type is for commanders, and it features more powerful communication systems, as well as an on-board AI equipped with battle tactic command programs for assistance, and it bequeathed great military gains in the Vajra conflict.*

* Translator's note: originally was "Keeping with tradition, the S Type is for commanders, and it features more powerful communication systems, as well as an on-board AI equipped with battle tactic command programs for assistance."

Data: *Data is when it is in Fighter form
Affiliation: S.M.S.
Overall Length: 18.72 m
Height: 4.03 m (not including main landing gear)
Width: 15.50 m (when main wings are fully extended)
Empty Weight: 8,450 kg
Airframe Design Maximum Load: 27.5+ G
Engine: 2x Shinsei Industry / P&W / RR made FF-3001A Stage II Thermonuclear Turbine Engine
Maximum Thrust in Space: 2x 1,620 kN
Maximum Speed: Mach 5.0+ (10,000 m altitude)
Standard Armament: 2x interchangeable 25 mm machine gun (Remington ES-25A) or 25 mm beam gun (Mauler ROV-25), 2x 12.7 mm beam machine gun (Mauler ROV-127C), 1x new model 58 mm Gun Pod (Howard GU-17A), complete set of SWAG Energy Conversion Armour, complete set of Active Stealth System, multipurpose discharger (MDP/S-02)

Development Chart:
VF-19 > YF-24 > VF-25

Main Pilot:
Ozuma Lee

Size Comparison:
VF-1J, VF-25S

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Reverse - Left [Pg 03]

Operation Record
The VF-25 is an aircraft that was originally developed by the L.A.I. Co. and the Shinsei Industry Armoury within the Macross Frontier Fleet, based on the YF-24 Evolution, which was jointly developed by Shinsei Industry and General Galaxy. Aircraft developed from the YF-25 also exist in other emigrant fleets, and this aircraft is referred to correctly with the VF-25/MF25 model number. In 2057, the prototype aircraft carried out its first flight on the Uraga class Space Carrier "Shanghai II", based in orbit around the third planet Messiah 025 of the M55 star system.* In 2059, the VF-25's test run was advanced by S.M.S., which was stationed in the Frontier Fleet. In the same year, when the Frontier Fleet encountered the Vajra, this aircraft formed such units as Skull Squadron and was invested into combat.**

* Translator's note: originally was: "In 2057, the prototype aircraft carried out its first flight on the Uraga class Space Carrier "Shanghai II", based in orbit around the third planet Messiah 025 of a star system within the M55NGC6909 Globular Cluster."

** Translator's note: following removed in the Revised Edition: "The S model especially bequeathed great military gains as the squadron leader's aircraft."

Caption: The VF-25 is used by Skull Squadron leader Major Ozuma Lee, which forms the core of the S.M.S. squadron.

Caption: The VF-25S is frequently equipped with an Armoured Pack (APS-25A/MF25), because it is the command type.

Armaments
Mauler ROV-127C 12.7 mm Beam Machine-gun
The monitor-head block in Battroid form is equipped with twin beam machine-guns. Although their firing angle is limited, the guns can be fired in Fighter mode, and in addition to being used for such things as rear-defence, they also function as a Laser Communication Device. The S-type has four barrels, the G-type has a single barrel, and the other types have two barrels.

Howard GU-17A New Style 58 mm Gun Pod
The primary armament that has been adopted by the VF-25 is the new type of Gatling gun-pod manufactured by the Howard Corporation. Compared to the previous gun-pods, it is larger, but the design of the front armour plate covering the barrel has evolved in order to increase the firing time. Also, it is placed under the body between the engine nacelles in Fighter form, enabling it to be used by either arm. Later, as the battle against the Vajra continued, it is switched out for the upgraded GU-17V, which is fitted with MDE shells.

AK/VF-M9 Assault Knife
For close combat operations, the VF-25 is equipped with a Garber OTEC Co. Assault Knife (length: 1.65 m, commonly stored in the shield block). Constructed of super-hard alloy, it can be used together with the aircraft's pinpoint barrier.

Fighter Mode
The VF-25's Fighter form draws from the same well as the VF-1's, in that it uses a blended-wing body structure, where the wings fold back after transformation. Also, one can say that it has superior aerodynamic performance because, even if it loses its wings, it can still fly at subsonic speeds. In addition, this form, which aims at highly mobile combat, is the form that most strongly receives the benefits of the ISC Unit (TO21), and can maintain an abatement of a maximum of 27.5 Gs of acceleration for 120 seconds. During that time, the VF-25 has mobility that rivals that of an unmanned aircraft.

Caption: Many parts of the Fighter's body have high-manoeuvrability thrusters with variable nozzles on mobile axes. The VF-25 has excellent agility because of them.

Right: There is an integrated Radar AA/AS/SF-06 Unit in the tip of the nose, and the ISC Unit is built into the avionics bay in front of the cockpit. The ISC Unit, being the most closely-guarded secret of the fighter, is fitted with a self-destruction device.

Up: The slits on the front of the Fighter's body take in air and can also act as a Boundary Layer Control system, which lightens air resistance on the wings and body.

Left: The special characteristic of the X-shaped vertical tail and ventral fins is that even if one is lost, the plane can still fly with the remaining three. The rear section of the vertical tail fins also contain various antennae and radar.

Left: The fixed gun mounts in the wing roots can be equipped with Beam Machine-guns or Gatling Auto-cannons. Also, the undersides of each main wing have 3 pivots that can be fitted with variable pylons for additional armament.

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Reverse - Right [Pg 04]

GERWALK Mode
The integrated flight computer loaded into the VF-25 allows the fighter to be controlled by Extended Gear. It can gauge the unconscious movements from the nerve impulses in the pilot's muscles, and it can allow the fighter to be controlled by a continuous link to the pilot's thoughts (the concept is similar to to the YF-21's BDI system). Because of the complex operations and aerodynamic control needed to transform even one part of the fighter mentally, there are a number of advantages in using only GERWALK mode, especially in cases where manoeuvrability is most important.

Caption: During close combat with the Vajra, Ozuma performed the advanced skill of changing from Battroid to GERWALK as an evasive manoeuvrer against a point-blank attack.

Caption: The characteristic function of GERWALK mode is hovering just above the ground at high speeds, with a greater level of control than fighter mode can provide. Of course the VF-25 can easily handle that.

Up: In this form, the shield on the right arm can be used. The skull mark on the back is Ozuma's personal mark.

Up: Even though the VF-25's GERWALK form has an orthodox configuration, which resembles the VF-1, the founding VF; the interior has greatly advanced, such as the methods of controlling the aircraft.

Battroid Mode
The newly developed variable mechanism, which is referred to as a linear actuator, has been used in the airframe. This is an improved system, which replaces the majority of the transformation drive system with a contact-less electromagnetic system, and the time required to transform is shortened to 2/3 that of per-existing aircraft. Also, many of the more fragile mechanisms have been abandoned, resulting in fewer malfunctions and less maintenance time. This is also connected to an improved durability for the Battroid mode. As a result, because the VF-25 battroid has a high capacity for hand-to-hand combat, it has been equipped with the aforementioned assault knife, and has been spotted actively engaging in close-combat operations. In truth, battles against the Vajra are often hand-to-hand, and the two are evenly matched.

Caption: There are many cases where the pilots wrestling when fighting with the Vajra, and hand-to-hand combat in Battroid is frequently confirmed.

Translator's note: originally was "There are many cases where the pilots become obsessed with fighting the Vajra, and hand-to-hand combat in Battroid (the so-called grappling) is frequently confirmed."

Caption: When it became clear that some weapons had become ineffective against the Vajra, Ozuma in his Skull Squadron VF-25 confronted the Vajra alone with only a single assault knife.

The Palms When In Battroid

Left: The VF-25 has not only traditional defensive systems, but it also uses Anti Optical-Weapon Vapourization Armour, and it excels in its comprehensive defensive capabilities.

Down: When in Battroid, the rear of the torso folds up into the back, and the majority of the main wings are stowed and protected by the wing gloves.

Up: Priority is given to the protection of the cockpit and avionics (especially the ISC unit) in this form, and it has taken on a structure where the cockpit block, where the electronics are concentrated, is stowed in the torso.

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© Aaron Sketchley