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This is actually part of a longer entry about Azu Squadron, but it's also the only part currently ready for vetting. Plus it might add to the Roughriders
discussion. Comment @ will. --Mal



==== VVS Factory Ga-15 "Fearless" ====

{{ ships:x-15.jpg?x285 |Ga-15 in factory thermocoat}}

^ Registry Number: | AZ01#### |

^ Base Hull: | North American X-15 |

^ Drive Type: | Fusion torch x1 |

^ Drive Rating: | peak velocity 0.179c |

^ Owner of Record: | Soviet Air Force, LLC |

^ Flag of Record: | People's Republic of Freedonia |

^ Home Port: | [[gazetteer:places:earth:Gagaran Crater AFB], Luna |

^ Purpose: | Point-defence interceptor |

^ Launched: | 7 August 2013 |

^ Crew: | 1 pilot standard (AI or human) |

^ Supplementary Crew: | n/a |

^ Faction: | [[gazetteer:factions:Soviet Air Force] |

^ Status: | **Active** |

=== History ===

//"Hey, Mal."//




//"Yeah, KJ?"//

//"I've been thinking."//

//"Oh yeah?"//

//"Well, you know those rocks we've staked out? They're mostly iron and nickel."//

//"Sure, 's why we staked them out in the first place. Thinking of going into the stock business?"//

//"Nah, but we've got all the ingredients we need to make Inconel alloy. And..."//

//"And?"//

//"Well... remember why Rhodes wanted the '71 in the first place?"//

//"Because it's the fastest airplane ever built."//

//"Yeah, but... it just happens that there was something made back in the late 50s that went faster than the '71 in atmosphere. And it happened to be
mostly Inconel."//

//"..."//

//"If you know what I mean."//

//"There's no way. We'd never get one. There's only two, and they're in museums. No way in hell."//

//"Granted! But blueprints are available."//

//"A new production run?"//

//"Sure. If nothing else, they'd be something to one-up the Blackbird fanboys."//

//"Damn. Do we have the manufacturing ability? I mean, unless we want to spend the next three years in the hangar we'd need something to automate the
process."//

//"Tools to build tools and all that? Well, even mundane manufacturing's come a long way, and we **do** have all that spare cash lying around. I'm
sure somebody would sell us a few."//

//"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"//

//"Hell yeah."//

//"Just checking. Damn. Damn! Let's do this thing!"//

The **Ga-15** (NATO reporting name "Fearless") was designed during a marathon Central Committee planning session shortly after the beginning of the
Boskone War. Specifically, the meeting happened around the time when [[gazetteer:factions:SOS-dan] pilot [[chars:Benjamin Rhodes] obtained the SR-71 airframe
that would eventually become the [[Magnificent Midnight].

The Ga-15 is a moldline copy of the North American Aviation [[http://en.wikipedia.org/X-15|X-15 research aircraft],
the fastest airplane ever flown. The airframe is made of Lunar titanium, with a skin composed of a handwashed nickel alloy trademarked as "Battle
Inconel." Internal components are not too different from other high-performance fen spacecraft, consisting of handwaved Earth hardware. The XLR-99 engine
of the original was replaced with a reverse-engineered copy of the Russian RD-0210.

The Fearless's cockpit was specially redesigned to fit the needs of X-COM. The original cockpit was removed and replaced in the block 1 aircraft with an
ejectable CPU module, allowing X-COM's group of AI pilots to fly the fighter. This cockpit module can be hot-swapped out for a standard cockpit should a
humanoid pilot wish to take the controls.

For offensive weaponry, the Ga-15 can be equipped with either a 35mm linear accelerator cannon (the "Rifleman" model) or a phased-array indigo laser
(the "Zappy" model). All Ga-15s currently in service are Rifleman models. The original X-15's underwing tank hardpoints have been repurposed as
variable weapons hardpoints, capable of handling large missiles, multi-missile launchers or experimental weapons such as X-ray lasers, phased plasma weapons or
relativistic kinetic guns.

The prototype aircraft first flew from [[gazetteer:places:earth:Gagarin Crater AFB] on 16 June 2013, and after a series of tests (see "Trivia"
section below) the design was approved for full use on 20 July. The initial run of Ga-15s were assigned to Squadron A, where they served with distinction
during the Boskone War.

=== Class Quirks ===

* //Thirsty Little Bugger// - The Ga-15 burns through a fuel supply incredibly fast by Fenspace standards, blowing through a full tank after only a few hours.

* //Captain Obvious// - The Ga-15 is not a subtle aircraft. At all. On full throttle, the exhaust plume rivals some comets. The Fearless is //not// something
sent in during deniable ops, it's sent in when a target needs breaking and the entire galaxy needs to know X-COM did it.

===== Trivia =====

* The Ga-15 is either the second or third fastest vehicle in Fenspace, depending on who's telling the story, coming in behind the //[[Magnificent
Midnight]// and/or the //[[Virgil Samms]//. The Fearless prototype //Hypervelocity Hurt Machine// reached a record velocity of 19.96% light speed during
flight trials, at the cost of ruining the engine and significant airframe damage.
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"
Ooooooohhhhhhh... An X-15...

If Mal mentioned the VVS' plans to build this to Noah, he would have volunteered (a) his connections with Boeing and Airbus to get any needed manufacturing equipment faster, (b) his connections with Rockhounds to get any needed rare metals faster, and (c) the services of both Sora and Kohran. (Which would explain why, when Sora left Stellvia later, she went to the VVS...)
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
Nah, X-COM projects are kept within the family to the maximum extent possible. Security issues, y'see.
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"
My hat's off to you, Man. I didn't think anyone else around here was going to think of that particular bird. Smile
EDIT: Message from Rhodes to KJ, riffing on similar message between Patton and Rommel:
KJ, you beautiful bastard!  You read my book! Wink

KJ

Man, do you know how long ago it was when I had that brainstorm? I sure don't, but I have a long-standing obsession with the things. It was sort of the
origin of the idea of having our own little manufacturing operation.

That and I can't imagine most commerical aviation equipment is suited to titanium and inconel structures. Kind of specialty stuff.

Also, Mal? The RD-58's kind of a dog. Surely we can get ahold of an RD-0205, RD-0210 or something to copy? They're a lot closer in size and thrust to
the XLR-99.
Heh. Little things like this make for great bits of side conversation in the middle of stories.
re: the RD-58, I was looking for an engine that a) had roughly the same size as the XLR-99, b) had maybe a little more thrust, c) was obviously Russian (OG
represent, yo!) and d) would actually be available from the manufacturer without having to dig through museums and/or junkyards. The RD-58 seemed to fit all my
criteria on the Google search, so... *shrug*
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"

KJ

That was what I was thinking. RD-58's about 2/3rds the mass, a third of the thrust, and the 4th stage for some Proton boosters. RD-0210 is 300 pounds
heavier, but almost double the thrust, and the 2nd stage for almost all Proton boosters.

But this is me having gone and poked around a lot. I realize it doesn't really *MATTER* because it's being handwaved, but... [Image: wink.gif]
Well, in that case let's go with the RD-0210, then. *edits*
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"
Hmmm... I propose a friendly play policy between Azu Squadron and The Roughriders. Any assistance that one side needs will be lent by the other side with a
wave and a smile. I imagine that this will happen quite frequently with the Peacemakers because they'll be making frequent patrols through The Belt (and
God DAYUM that is some firepower).