A-61 Mantis

Overview

The A-61 Mantis Gunship is a multi-role, vector thrust exhaust aircraft of human design in service with the Systems Alliance as well as dozens of other militaries and private corporations across the galaxy since it was first rolled off the assembly.

Design and Development

Design by Hahne-Kedar Industries, the A-61 Mantis first hit the open market in 2170. The aircraft stands apart from other aircraft due to it's flexible and modular design. The Mantis is primarily designed as a low altitude gunship. Fulfilling a close air support role for friendly ground units. Though it can also function effectively as a high altitude bomber, a fighter and even a single stage surface-to-orbit space plane. Capable of engaging enemy aircraft around a planet or space station. The only role it can't perform is that of a true deep-space fighter as it lacks FTL capabilities.

The aircraft is only crewed by a pilot and copilot. However, it can hold an additional 4 personnel standing, if necessary. Giving the aircraft limited troop transport capabilities.

The aircraft is 15.5 meters long, 5 meters tall with an 8 meter wingspan. With a mass of 27 metric tonnes.

As it's capable of exo-atmospheric flight, the Mantis is airtight, with it's own oxygen supply and CO2 scrubbers.

Fuselage

The Mantis uses a variet of ceramic composite armour plating called Ceramic-12.

Due to it's trans atmospheric nature, the fuselage is capable of handling transonic, supersonic and even hypersonic velocities. As well as the vacuum of space and the immense heat of atmospheric re-entry.

The fuselage has a thin, almost knife-like appearance. With it's two person cockpit accessible through a hatch at the back. The aft section of the fuselage contains the bomb bay as well as the various systems and the thruster nacelle pylons, each mounting an anti-proton thruster. The bomb bay is also located in this section.

Kinetic Barriers

Along the exterior of the ship's hull are hundreds of tiny kinetic barriers emitters. An object of a significant mass travelling above a certain velocity will trigger the barrier's reflex system. Generating a localised repulsive mass effect field to deflect it. Kinetic barriers do not make the ship indestructible. They do not block heat or radiation.

Propulsion and Power

The Mantis is powered by a hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell, consisting of two electrodes -- a negative electrode (or anode) and a positive electrode (or cathode) -- sandwiched around an electrolyte. Hydrogen is fed to the anode, and air is fed to the cathode. A catalyst at the anode separates hydrogen molecules into protons and electrons, which take different paths to the cathode. The electrons go through an external circuit, creating a flow of electricity. The protons migrate through the electrolyte to the cathode, where they unite with oxygen and the electrons.

The primary component of the Mantis powered by the fuel cell is it's small, yet powerful, Element Zero Drive Core. The Drive generates dark energy by running an electric current through the Element Zero at it's heart. This dark energy flows to the mass effect field generators which convert the raw energy into fields for practical use. This powers the shields and the gravity plating inside the Gunships. It also powers a mass reducing field, which when combined with thrusters, allows the Gunship to achieve lift and exo-atmospheric flight with minimal effort.

The Kodiak receives propulsion through the use of a vectored antiprotons thruster nacelle mounted onto a maneuvering pylon on each side of the Gunship. Allowing for a 90 degree rotation forward and back for propulsion and a 60 rotation outward and a 40 rotation inward for strafing maneuvers.

Antiprotons thrusters work by injecting antiprotons into a chamber of hydrogen. The resulting matter-antimater annihilation provides unmatched motive power. This is an expensive proposition method typically only employed by military organisations. Most privately owned Mantis Gunships have gone through a stage of modification. Replacing the military-grade antiproton thrusters with commercial Helium-3 Deuterium fusion torches. As the craft was never designed for such a modification, it's common for mercenary or paramilitary Gunships to crash from over stressing the propulsion systems.

Armament

The primary armament of the A-61 Mantis is it's chin-mounted M-350 Microscale Mass Accelerator turret for low altitude air support.

It can also be equipped with two forward facing rocket pods, each containing 4 Inferno Precision Kill Rocket (PKR) launchers. for anti-vehicle purposes.

The bomb bay can carry a variety of ordinance based on mission specifications.