Designation: AF-2 Chimera Escort Fighter

I. Dimensions:

II. Type:

• One seat aerospace heavy escort craft.

III. Service History:

• Served with the Southern Cross' Tactical Space Corps from 2018 until the Invid invasion.

IV. Propulsion:

• 4 x Pratt & Whitney JG100B fusion turbines, max. output 267 kN each.
• 1 x micronized SCRR mk10 protoculture generator.
• Assorted auxiliary and maneuvering thrusters.
• Fuel Capacity: 10.1 liter D₂0 reactant for fusion engines.

V. Performance:

• Maximum speed : 6432 kph @ 45km (Mach 6)
• Delta-v capacity : 12.5 kps
• Generator endurance: 8 years

VI. Electronics:

While the electronics suites of these vehicles differed with their respective dates of operational service, all electronics were regularly updated, and during the Second Robotech War the following standard was in use:

Radar tracking:

• Westinghouse APG-145 X-band pulse-Doppler omni-directional radar.

Optical tracking:

• Phillips AllView II multi-band omni-directional digital camera system, for medium range all attitude infra-red imaging, optical and ultra-violet band detection and tracking
• Thomson LT-5 multi-frequency laser ranger and designator.

Tactical Electronic Warfare System (TEWS):

• Elettronica Radar Warning Receiver (RWR)
• OlDelft Infra-red Warning Warning Receiver (IRWR)
• Selenia Sky Warrior active/passive sensor jammers
• Chaff dispenser
• Flares.

VII. Armament:

Cannon:

• 1 x Mauser EU-10. Weapon fires a 35MJ laser beam up to 50 times per minute and is mounted off center in the nose.

Missile Bays:

The Chimera mounts three weapon bays: two on the upper sides, and one on the bottom. Each bay can mount:

• 9 x Cobra missiles. These missiles can reach speeds of Mach 3 and ranges of 80 km.
• or 3 x RMS-2 "Angel Of Death" Nuclear stand-off missile. Reaction warhead (200 kT) mounted on a long range (293 km) Mach 4.0 combined multi-spectrum imager and active radar homing missile. Customized for anti-starship operations. Maximum delta-v in space is 5 kps.
• or 3 x Firebird missile. A conventional warhead mounted on the frame of a RMS missile with a range of 234 km and a speed of Mach 6.5 guided by inertial guidance, IIR, and active radar/home-on-jam. Maximum delta-v in space is 4 kps.

VIII. Armor:

The skin of the Chimera is composed of an advanced titanium-steel alloy. The armored skin stops all small arms fire, provides good to excellent protection against heavier infantry weapons, such as a 12.7mm machinegun round, and fair to good resistance to light mecha-mounted weaponry, such as the Zentraedi 22.3mm HE autocannon round. The Chimera provides full protection from nuclear, biological, and chemical hazards, using an overpressure cockpit environment activated by radiation and hazardous chemical sensors, or manually when biological warfare conditions are anticipated. The internal consumables supplies can provide atmosphere for three days maximum.

IX. Development:

While the infant REF Navy chose a refit of the RDF Spacy's Vulture space fighter as its main heavy strike fighter, the ASC Tactical Space Corps chose a different set of criteria for the fighter that would fill this role on its warships. The TSC did not feel that the fighter's main gun need be as powerful as the Vulture's EP-100, and preferred a somewhat smaller installation. Missiles, on the other hand, were considered more essential to the fleet-defense duties by the ASC-TSC than the REF Navy, especially because the REF Navy expected to have less access to resupply and manufacturing facilities at this early date in its campaign. Finally, the TSC desired a greater autonomy for their fighter, meaning a greater delta-v capacity.

Essentially, the craft chosen that met these criteria was a very large, fusion-powered trans-atmospheric flying missile battery. As a strike fighter, the AF-2 Chimera could even surpass the REF's Beta, and served like the Legioss (Alpha/Beta pair) as fleet escort aircraft. However, because of its non-transformable nature, its historical importance is often overshadowed by the Veritechs. In addition to its load of no less than 27 heavy missiles, the Chimera carried a laser cannon in the nose.

The AF-2 Chimera was introduced in 2018, and served the TSC faithfully for a decade and a half, both in space, and to a limited extent, in the atmosphere. It was never officially withdrawn from service by the Southern Cross, and many remained in hiding during the Invid occupation at the moon bases. Almost all action seen by this spacecraft was against the Robotech Masters. Especially when armed with reaction missiles, the Chimera often heralded death for their assault carriers and the lighter capital ships.

It is uncertain if any of these craft engaged the Invid, as insufficient records of the Invid's initial attack survive to describe those fateful hours, though it is reasonably likely if the remaining Southern Cross fleets had any warning of the attack whatsoever.

See additional design notes.

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