As part of the Kiith Federation Expeditionary Force's efforts to modernize its fleet to full fourth generation status, the carrier-launched vessel known as the Heavy Strike Craft Type 42 ("A" variant) "Advanced Raptor" Gunship has been scheduled to be phased out in favor of the Bloodhound-class Escort Frigate. In the interests of bolstering the resource allocation of Kiith interstellar transit infrastructure projects, the Daiamid has authorized a selloff of the HSC-42A.
The HSC-42A has several advantages over the earlier HSC-42 that make it ideally suited to serve on the front lines of other navies. Chief amongst these changes are the conversion to full drone operation (although optional pilot pods are available) and fully modular weapon systems. The swap from immutable to modular was aimed at allowing the HSC-42A to have greater upgrade capability, however it will also allow foreign militaries to install their own brand of more easily servicable weaponry.
During its lifetime, the HSC-42 and HSC-42A were nearly unmatched in strikecraft engagements and served exceptionally well as anti-missile picket interceptors. While its incredible amount of off-axis firepower and lack of n-buoyancy gel tank made the piloting of the Raptor difficult, those that mastered it claimed it to be the greatest strike craft ever constructed in the Feazanthian Dominion. The numbers, however, speak for themselves. With its ability to engage nine seperate targets at once (when linked with network-centric fire control) and impressive primary propulsion arrays, the Raptor racked up a kill-to-loss ratio greater than any other strike craft in Kiith history.
There are currently twenty-thousand HSC-42A "Advanced Raptor" Gunships available, with contracts available to produce new gunships if so desired.
HSC-42A "Advanced Raptor" CTE/D
Role: Escort Gunship
Developer: Sponson Industries LLC
Formerly In Use By: Kiith Federation Expeditionary Force, Dominion Defense Forces
Length: 54m
Width: 21m
Mass: 250t
Minimum Crew: None (A.I.)
Maximum Crew: 1 (optional pilot pod)
Power Plant: 3G Deuterium-Tritium Polywell Fusion Reactor (Liquid Helium Cooled)
Primary Armament (ventral and dorsal centreline weapon mounts)
Four Medium Energy Weapon Arrays in Two Dual Mounts
Base: 87mm fusion-pumped gas laser arrays
Secondary Armament (port and starboard outboard weapons mounts)
Eight Light Kinetic Energy Weapons in Four Dual Turrets
Base: 35mm coil-accelerated autocannons
Guided Weaponry
Two Foreward-Mounted MRAM missile tubes with 20 missile shared magazine
Ballistic Defense
35mm "metal storm" array in aft weapons mount
Passive Defenses
4G Defense Field Generator
.5m "Ring Carbon" Armor
.75m Silicone-Impregnated Ceramic Ablator armor
Price Per Unit: 200 million
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*images taken from James O'Donnell (http://www.jamesodonnell.info), concept based on the "Khopesh" gunship from Homeworld: Point Defense Systems
