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By AARON SKETCHLEY (aaronsketch@HOTdelete_thisMAIL.com)

Ver 1.4 2015.07.12

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Official Setting information is in darkgreen. Extended Universe information is in steelblue.

Northrom QF-3000E Ghost

• 1.0 BACKGROUND
• 1.1 MDC BY LOCATION
• 1.2 SPEEDS
• 2.0 STATISTICAL DATA
• 3.0 WEAPON SYSTEMS
• 4.0 FAST AND SUPER PACKS
• 5.0 STANDARD EQUIPMENT
• 6.0 COMBAT BONUSES

BACKGROUND

The QF-3000E is designed to operate in all regimes, and includes guidance thrusters and control fins on its surface.

The controlling AI is situated in a reinforced cockpit bay, behind the main sensor. The AI controls all of the fighter's functions, and receives updates from its supervisor, based either in a ground base or in an UN Force's ship or fighter. The supervisor is able to monitor and direct numerous QF-3000E Ghost Fighters at once; fighter based supervisors can control a maximum of 4 QF-3000E Ghosts. The supervisor transmits new mission parameters, orders and target data to the Ghost Fighter, as long as they are within communications range. If the QF-3000E moves beyond communications range with its supervisor, it will automatically attempt to return to communications range, unless if it has been specifically instructed otherwise.

As the Ghost Fighter series (QF-2000, QF-3000, QF-4000) are unmanned and do not endanger human life in (piloting) operation, they are a favoured craft in the UN Forces arsenal, as well as in research and emigration fleets, and on colonies. The QF-3000E is also about a third cheaper to manufacture and operate than a VF-1. The QF-3000E was the favoured combat vehicle on ARMD class Space Carriers, Macross SDFN class emigrant ships, the Space Colonie Clusters [Bunches], the L₅ Manufacturing Station and Apollo Moon Base. FAST pack equipped QF-3000E were often also dispatched on multi-month patrols through the solar system.

Post Space War 1, the was used in numerous roles, . The QF-3000E Ghost continued providing a lot of the services that other aerospace craft could provide well into the late 2050s, with some air and space forces on colonies and emigrant ships being compossed entirely of Ghost fghters.

The QF-3000E is eventually replaced in the late 2040's by the QF-4000 Ghost.

RPG STATS

Customer: UNS

Design Features: Blended lifting body, canard wing, overfuselage air intake, forward-looking main sensor, six large-bore cannons, internal missiles.
Landing Gear: Retractable tricycle undercarriage. One steerable nosewheel and twin coupled mainwheels retract rearward into fuselage. One arresting hook mounted under rear central fuselage.

Variants:

• QF-3000E Standard Version
• QF-3000T Long-range Patrol Version with FAST packs containing detection and electronic equipment for reconnaissance missions.
• F-3000E Manned Version

MDC BY LOCATION:

NOTES:
• (1) Depleting the MDC of the Main Body will destroy the fighter.
• (2) Destroying one engine nacelle will reduce the flight speed of the fighter by 50% in atmosphere; destroying both nacelles will render the Ghost immobile. Destroying the rocket nozzle will prevent the Ghost Fighter from being able to fly to orbit.
• (3) Destroying the Reinforced AI Cockpit will destroy the Artificial Intelligence controlling the fighter. The fighter will automatically shutdown.
• (4) Destroying the main sensor will destroy all optic systems and the laser targeting (reduce strike bonus by 1). FLIR is uneffected.
• (5) Optional attachments that offer additional fuel and sensors. Whenever the fighter takes damage roll 1D6. On a result of 1-4 the FAST packs take damage before the fighter's main body does. Alternatively, if the pilot makes a successful parry roll the FAST additions automatically take damage first.
  Explosive: unless otherwise noted, a FAST pack will explode violently when its MDC reaches 0. If the computer is functioning it will automatically eject the damaged part. If it is not, the pilot has one melee action to eject the FAST module before it explodes. Modules that explode do 1D6x100 MD. Deduct damage first from the part covered by the FAST pack, and then any remaining damage from the main body of the fighter.

SPEEDS:

Operational Underwater Depth: N/A

STATISTICAL DATA:

EMPTY MASS: ? Kg

PHYSICAL STRENGTH: N/A
CARGO: N/A

POWER PLANT: Thermonuclear engine.

WEAPON SYSTEMS

1. LARGE BORE CANNONS (6):

• PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault
• SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-Aircraft
• RANGE: 1,100 m
• DAMAGE: 1D4x10 M.D. (Per Cannon) 6D4x10 MD for fire-linked cannon blasts.
• RATE OF FIRE: 4 times per melee.
• PAYLOAD: Effectively Unlimited.

2. MISSLE LAUNCH BAYS (2):

• PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault
• RANGE: 1.6 km
• DAMAGE: 1D8x10 M.D.
• RATE OF FIRE: One, two, three or four per launch bay.
• PAYLOAD: 8 missiles per launcher, 16 missiles total.
• COMBAT: 2 attacks, +2 strike (+0 to strike ground targets) (in most cases, the missile will use one attack to get to the target. The missile usually only has two when fired from the chasing plane in a dog fight.)

3. COUNTERMEASURE DISPENSERS

Combined chaff, flare and squib dispensers mounted on them that are useable in all modes. When used, they fire a burst of 6 flares, 1 exploding chaff container or one parachute squib per 1 unit listed in the stats. Chaff, flares and squibs are each unique in their means of countering attacking missiles.

• PRIMARY PURPOSE: defence
• SECONDARY PURPOSE: distraction
• RANGE: GM's arbitration. Squibs effect a 1 km cubed spherical area.
• BONUSES: +3 to dodge. Roll to dodge after rolling on the following per missile:
  01-40 Missile distracted - explodes harmlessly in the countermeasures.
  41-80 Missile distracted - it loses track of its target. Depending on the missile type and its remaining fuel, it could reacquire you, or another target in the area.
  81-00 No effect.
  Optional: +5% per every additional countermeasure deployed after the first. For example: 3 countermeasures changes the table to 01-50, 51-90, and 91-00.
• RATE OF FIRE: unlimited. (Author's recommendation: maximum of 4 per attack to better reflect their fallibility.)
• PAYLOAD: 8 bursts of flares, 8 chaff pods and 4 parachute squibs per dispenser.
  DESCRIPTION:
  • CHAFF pods explode roughly 2 seconds after being deployed. They fill the area with a plethora of small, highly reflective metal pieces that distract radar-seeking missiles (only!)
  • FLARES are fired in bursts of six to eight per unit. They only work against heat-seeking missiles. Flares can also be used as a signal at night or in space or to blind an opponent at close range who is relying on visual type sensors.
  • SQUIBS create an ECM field effecting a 1 km cubed spherical area for 1D4 melees. They affect only radar-seeking missiles, but are less effective than the chaff pods. (-15% on the chart.) The ECM field prevents the targeting radar from locking on if either the opponent or the deploying vehicle, or both, and possibly others, are in the area of effect. Also, it is impossible for a radar broadcasting from the outside of the area of effect to detect on the direct opposite side of the area of effect. ECM squibs are effective in covering a retreat.
    Note that ECM (and the related ECCM) will broadcast where the deployer is located. (When a big chunk of the radar return gets distorted, one knows roughly where the ECM emitting craft is and the most likely place the enemy forces will be.)

4. HAND TO HAND COMBAT

FAST AND SUPER PACKS

These FAST packs are used only in space and are never used in an atmosphere due to their lack of aerodynamics.

1. DORSAL SENSOR PODS:

• RADAR: 750 km Range. The radar can detect and track up to 288 targets simultaneously and can record position, speed, and direction of motion for all targets tracked. The QF-3000E's onboard computer can only track 96 of these contacts simultaneously, but the telemetry from the radome can be transmitted via laser communications to a command ship for further analysis. The radome also contains electromagnetic and visual spectrum sensors for detecting spatial disturbances in the immediate area, such as incoming or outgoing folds or cloaked ships (85% chance of detecting a ship protected by passive stealth, 60% chance with active stealth).
• ELECTROMAGNETIC SENSORS: Range Active: 60 km; Passive: 30 km. The sensor array can take detailed structural readings of an object and detect power sources, weapon ports, transmitters, and other valuable statistical data. These sensors give the QF-3000E and anyone else receiving the information a +20% to Intelligence and Detect Ambush/Concealment rolls, provided they make a successful Read Sensory Instruments roll (otherwise they misread/misinterpret the sensor readings). When used in active scanning mode the sensors are 200% greater range, but the QF-3000E will stand out like a sore thumb on enemy targeting sensors (+1 to hit for anyone attacking the QF-3000E Ghost).
• COMMUNICATIONS ARRAY: Transmission Range: QF-3000T have impressive communications arrays for their time. The communication system is effectively solar-system wide; though it can only transmit only 1 MB of data every second, and there is a greater delay the further the transmission travels. It takes 1 second to travel approximately 30,000 km. (Rough guides: 1.25 seconds between the Earth and the moon, 8.19 minutes between the Earth and the sun.) The system can be boosted indefinitely by using satellites or other spacecraft to relay communications.
  The communications array can intercept any radio signals or other electromagnetic transmissions (but not laser communications) and retransmit them to a command center for analysis. This does not necessarily mean that the receiver will be able to understand the communication (coded transmissions will still be received in code). Alternatively, the transmitter can generate a blanket "white noise" on a limited number of frequency bands, disrupting ALL radio transmissions on those frequencies within 960 km. Laser communications is unaffected by this jamming.

2. VENTRAL FUEL TANKS

STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THE QF-3000E Ghost

• AI PILOT: The QF-3000E Ghost is piloted and controlled by an Artificial Intelligence which controls all of the fighters functions. It can be updated by a controller within communications range either from the ground or a ship, updating it with new target data or mission parameters. If the QF-3000E is outside of communications range it will continue with its present mission. If that mission has been completed the Ghost fighter will return immediately within communications range for further orders.
• AOA DETECTOR: detects the angle in which the wings meet the airflow. If the angle is increased, so is lift; however a stall can occur if the angle is too steep.
• FCS (FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM): is the control equipment designed for use with a weapon or group of weapons. The QF-3000E's FCS is designed for air-to-air (space-to-space) combat, and has only limited air-to-ground capabilities. The FCS automatically takes aim after target acquisition with the radar and calculates the optimal firing solution. It can store and analyze data during combat with hostile forces, and transmit the date to home base for further analysis. In air-to-air combat, the FCS is capable of tracking and identifying specific enemy targets, up to 48 targets in the air and 12 targets on the ground, while simultaneously devising and executing fire control solutions on up to 4 air targets, or 1 ground targets. The FCS has a database of over 1,000 images stored in memory.
• HEAT AND RADIATION SHIELDS: Special shielding prevents the penetration of life threatening heat and radiation. A radiation detection and alarm system are linked with the shields and will sound an alarm if there is a rupture in the shields and what the levels of radiation are.
• HOMING SIGNAL: The QF-3000E is equipped with a homing device that enables rescue teams to locate a disabled craft. The range of the signal is 640 km. Most UN Spacy ships and variable fighters can locate and track homing signals, and the onboard computers will automatically notify their pilots if such a signal is detected.
• IFF ANTENNA: the associated systems receives codes from other aircraft and identifies them as either friend or foe. This eases in targeting and tracking your enemies, without hitting your allies with "friendly fire".
• IFF/UHF DATALINK ANTENNA AND TACAN/UHF ANTENNA: Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) provides radio (UHF) navigation information such as bearing, identification and distance information. It is located in the dorsal section.
• (Internal Navigation System) INS / AUTOPILOT): The QF-3000E Ghost is equipped with an auto-pilot, which reduces the AI's workload by up to 80%. The AI can even "sleep" during long voyages to conserve power. The auto-pilot can be programmed with a single destination or a complex flight plan involving multiple speeds, directions, and destinations. The onboard computer will alert the AI when the fighter is near its destination, and can also be set to automatically signal when sensors detect objects near the mecha.
• LANDING GEAR/CATAPULT HOOK: the QF-3000E features a catapult hook, on the front, retractable tricycle undercarriage, for Carrier launches. For Carrier landings, the QF-3000E has twin arresting hooks mounted on the rear undercarriage.
• LASER TARGETING SYSTEM: Range: 5.0 km. It is not possible to use this system for laser communication.
• OPTICS - FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared): Range: 610 m. A passive optical heat sensor that detects infrared radiation projected by warm objects and converts that data into a false-color visible image. The system enables the pilot to see in the dark, in shadows, and through smoke, fog, haze, and other atmospheric obscurants. FLIR adds a +10% bonus to pilots using a tracking skill. This system is also known as Thermal Imagers and Infrared Cameras. Two forward-looking infra-red (FLIR) sensors are located in recessed emplacements in the leg-joint nacelles below and the fore of the canopy.
• OPTICS: HYBRID SENSOR/TV CAMERA SYSTEM: mounted in the main sensor. It provides standard visuals with x100 zoom functions (can zoom in to see 1 m square at 1,000 m.)
• RADAR: mounted in the nosecone is an AWG-20 radar. It can detect targets as low as 15 m and as high as 24,384 m, at ranges over 370 km.
• RADIO/VIDEO COMMUNICATION: Long range, directional, line-of-sight communications system with satellite relay capabilities. Range: 960 km or can be boosted indefinitely via satellite relay. Uses both the UHF and VHF antennas.
• RETRACTABLE EC (Electronic Countermeasures) and VHF ANTENNA: it provides protection against surface to air missiles and air to air missiles' radar, by jamming. A radar warning receiver allows the pilot to know when they are in a radar-guided threat environment. The Very High Frequency antenna transmits and receives tactical, operational, and administrative information in the VHF range. It supports line-of-sight communications. It is located in the vertical stabilizer.
• SELF-DESTRUCT: To prevent capture of a variable fighter by the enemy, the pilot can activate the QF-3000E's self-destruct system, which will cause the fighter to explode after a delay of up to 60 minutes (time is set by the pilot). The explosive damage is contained within a 6 m area and inflicts 1D6x10 M.D. to everything within the radius of the explosion. All internal systems are obliterated.
• UHF ANTENNA: The Ultra High Frequency antenna transmits and receives tactical, operational, and administrative information in the UHF range. It supports line-of-sight communications.
• VHF ANTENNA: The Very High Frequency antenna transmits and receives tactical, operational, and administrative information in the VHF range. It supports line-of-sight communications. It is located in the vertical stabilizer.