General Galaxy VF-22 Sturmvogel II

General Galaxy VF-22 Sturmvogel II

Technical Data

Equipment Type: UNS special operations variable fighter
Government: U.N. Spacy
Manufacturer: General Galaxy
Introduction: 2046
Operational Deployment: 2046
Accommodation: pilot only in g-endurance zero/zero ejection seat (pilot wears Tactical Life Support System with upper and lower g-suits and pressure breathing); cockpit completely shielded; pressurized cockpit (external view through overhead spherical canopy, one forward panel and two side panels in cockpit hatch)
Dimensions:
# Battroid Mode: unknown, estimated height 15.5 meters
# Fighter Mode: wingspan 15.36; height 4.04 meters; length 19.62 meters
# GERWALK Mode: wingspan 15.36 meters
Mass: empty 9.55 metric tons; VF-22S variant, 9.34 metric tons
Structure: space metal frame, energy converting armor, stealth composition.
Power Plant: two Shinnakasu Industry/P&W/Roice FF-2450B thermonuclear engines.
Propulsion: 65,200 kg [x g] x 2 class (maximum instantaneous thrust in space); engines utilize air as coolant/propellant in atmosphere, but problems with cooling efficiency (attributed to exceeding output and melting the core) limit maximum thrust to 40% to 60% of thrust in space; 2 x three-dimensional independent convergent/divergent turning exhaust nozzle vanes; 4 x dorsal sub-nozzles above main exhaust nozzles; 2 x banks of pivoting slit nozzles (ventral fuselage) for GERWALK mode VTOL; many x P&W HMM-6J high-maneuverability vernier thrusters.
Performance:
# Fighter Mode: max cruise speed at 10,000 m Mach 5.06 (VF-22S variant, Mach 5.07); max cruise speed at 30,000+ m Mach 21 (VF-22S variant, Mach 22+); max rate of climb at S/L 61,900 meters/minute.
g limit: +60.0/- 45.0
Design Features: 3-mode variable transformation; conventional digital flight control system with side-stick controller; variable camber wing; enhanced version Quimeliquola Queadluun-Rau special inertia vector control system; two flight configuration modes (cruise and high speed) achieved via varying the cant of wing/tail surfaces; vertical take-off and landing (VTOL); supersonic cruise and maneuvering in region of Mach 5.0+ below the stratosphere; three-dimensional thrust vectoring with three exhaust nozzle flaps on each engine (independent pivot); capable of attaining unassisted orbital velocity over an Earth-class planet; 2 x arm shields/trapezoidal combined variable-cant tail stabilizing surfaces; internal micro-missile launchers (central dorsal section and ventral fuselage); internalized gun pod racks; fighter-scale pin-point barrier system (PPB); active stealth system; 1 x special equipment hard point station for optional 1 x Shinnakasu Industry/OTEC FBF-1000A external prototype fighter fold booster (limited to one-way, 20 light year range).
- Armament -
Guns:
# 1 x fixed high-powered converging energy cannon (mounted center dorsal section in Fighter/GERWALK mode, becomes head turret in Battroid mode)
# 2 x semi-fixed internal converging energy cannons featuring forward/rearward barrels (mounted underneath tail stabilizers in Fighter mode, lower arms in GERWALK/Battroid modes)
# 2 x Howard/General GV-17L new standard cartridge-less Gatling gun pods featuring retractable grip/stealth covers in Eight hard point weapon stations (mounted left/right internal ventral fuselage in Fighter mode or inside leg storage bay cover panels and/or manipulators in GERWALK/Battroid modes)
# 1 x fixed fighter-carried pin-point barrier system
# 2 x arm shields (tail stabilizers in fighter mode, lower arm in GERWALK/Battroid modes); function in concert with barrier system.
Bombs & Missiles:
# 3 x internal all-environment rapid-fire micro-missile launchers featuring 4 x dorsal exit ports and 4 x ventral exit ports (mounted in center dorsal section to sides of engine nacelles and center ventral section to the rear of nacelles).
Optional Armament:
# estimated 2 x exclusive internal pallets for mounting reaction warheads.

Description and History

In March 2040 the Project Super Nova Advanced Variable Fighter (AVF) competition ended disastrously for General Galaxy with the complete destruction of their second YF-21 prototype variable fighter in the "Sharon Apple Incident". The UNG military decided to adopt the YF-19 design from Shinsei Industries and mass production of the VF-19 commenced as the new main variable fighter of the UN Forces. General Galaxy however bravely continued onward with their development of the YF-21, removing the brainwave control system due to test results in the Super Nova AVF program. When finished, General Galaxy presented the VF-22 Sturmvogel II as a special operations Valkyrie. It was a successful gamble for General Galaxy and in December 2042 the decision was made to formerly adopt the VF-22 as a special operations variable fighter.

The VF-22 Sturmvogel II retained many of the advanced technologies in the YF-21 prototype fighter. The brainwave control system was replaced with a conventional control cockpit, but included many of the control innovations common to modern variable fighters. The cockpit is also redesigned with an overhead spherical canopy offering superior visibility in Fighter and GERWALK configurations. In Battroid mode the forward interior canopy is built with a large partial sphere monitor providing a 180 degree view forward. All three laser cannons on the YF-21 prototype were replaced with converging energy beam guns for the VF-22 but the production model retains the four dorsal missile launchers (in addition to 4 ventral ports) and large missile ordnance stowed in three internal pallets. As a further refinement the VF-22 features two sensor units (one mounted to the rear) in a newly configured head unit as opposed to the five sensors found on the old YF-21. The VF-22 is also armed with two gatling gun pods with retractable stealth covers and includes a pin-point barrier defensive system.

The first VF-22S fighters were manufactured by the Macross 7 fleet Three Star Factory Ship under experimental license. Two fighters were produced and flown by Max and Milia Jenius in the final stages of the Protodeviln War in February 2046.