Free Quebec QF-1800 Yellow Jacket class Jet Fighter:

Free Quebec has never used large numbers of jet fighters and for the most part they have not needed them. This is because none of their opponents had large numbers of fighters. When Free Quebec broke with the rest of the Coalition, they did not expect huge disadvantage with their lack of fighters. Though several engagements, this has been proven to not be the case and they have lost several skirmishes due to the Coalition bringing in a large number of fighters and blitzing the battlefield. As well, several units have had problems with being bombed from high altitudes.

Not wanting to be at an acute disadvantage, Free Quebec began acquired as many fighters from independent manufactures and refitted pre-Rifts fighters. The most common modern fighter design is the Iron Heart Armament' Grey Falcon attack jet from various markets and the most common pre-Rifts fighter in Free Quebec is the Canadian version of the FA-18 Hornet. Though Canada purchased Sea Hawk multi-role fighters, all seem to be lost with the coming of the Rifts. There were attempts to make further purchases from Triax but have been unsuccessful. Because of this, Free Quebec decided to build its own indigenous VTOL capable fighter design.

The design of this fighter became a top priority and a crash program was begun. Within three months, the first prototype began testing. The prototype was hastily tested and the production design had only minor modifications. Within two months of the first prototype being completed, the first production fighter rolled off the assembly line. There are plans to make modifications in production when new engines and other systems become available. The fighter is operated from small semi-prepared fields. Like the German fighters during World War Two, pilots will often hide their fighters in forests under a camouflage tarp.

The fighter design was a combination of the two most common fighter designs within Free Quebec. Originally, the planned name for the fighter was the Gyre Falcon but a more popular name was adopted. Due to the external appearance of the fighters being very similar to the Pre-Rifts FA-18 Hornet, pilots of the fighter began to call the new fighter the Yellow Jacket. The leaders of the military caved into the pilot’s name and adopted the name Yellow Jacket for the fighter. The main feature that detracts from its similarities to the FA-18 is the fact the fighter has forward canards and as a result has some similarities in appearance to the Russian SU-37 fighter. As well, the Yellow Jacket is much larger than the FA-18 and is about the same size as the Russian fighter. The engines of the fighter are based on the engines from the Grey Falcon but are smaller and the Yellow Jacket carries two engines instead of one. The top speed of the Yellow Jacket is slightly faster than the Grey Falcon. Vectored Thrust Engines gives greater maneuverability than would otherwise be possible and the engines are protected from damage from debris. It is hoped by leaders in Free Quebec that they can steal one of the advanced Coalition fighters and copy the engines to increase the performance of the Yellow Jacket. The Yellow Jacket is well armored and is capable of withstanding a huge amount of damage. As well, the under carriage is tough and can withstand rough landings and takeoffs.

The weapon layout of the fighter is considered superior to the Grey Falcon. Having the ability to manufacture them in large numbers with no need to retool production, C-40R SAMAS Rail Guns was selected as the fighter’s main guns and two were mounted in the nose of the fighter. Instead of mounting belly mini-missile launchers, fixed wingtip mini-missile launchers are carried. The payload is just slightly less than the payload on the Grey Falcon but has the ability to carry multiple missile volleys. The fighter has two bays in the fuselage that can carry missiles and bombs. Due to the small size of the bays, no ordnance larger than a medium range missile or medium bomb can be carried. The Yellow Jacket also has eight wing hard points than can carry long range each or a larger amount of smaller ordnance. The missile hard points are partially recessed into the aircraft's wings. As a final added feature, the Yellow Jacket carries a chaff launcher copied from Triax aircraft designs.

The sensor systems of the fighter come from a variety of different sources. The fighter carries a powerful and long range radar, infra-red visual magnification, and a powerful active jamming device.

Designation: QF-1800 Yellow Jacket
Vehicle Type: Twin Engine Fighter and Attack Craft
Crew: One

M.D.C. by Location:

	Forward C-40R Rail Guns Mounts (2 - Nose)	60 each
	Wing Mini-Missile Launchers (2):	75 each
	Medium Range Missiles Bays (2 - Fuselage):	100 each
	[1] Forward Canard Wings (2):	50 each
	[2] Wings (2):	200 each
	[3] Elevators (2):	80 each
	[3] Rudders (2):	80 each
	Cockpit:	120
	[4] Engines (2):	200 each
	[5] Main Body:	380
	Landing Gear (3):	40 each

Notes:
[1] Destroying one or both Canard Wings will result in reducing bonuses to dodge by two and removing the 10% bonus to piloting the aircraft.
[2] Destroying a wing will cause the plane to crash.
[3] Destruction of both of the fighter’s rudder or one elevator will still allow the fighter to be controlled by the varying of power levels of the engines and vectoring thrusters but the fighter has a penalty of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting rolls. Destruction of both of the elevators will leave the plane uncontrollable and pilot must eject to survive.
[4] The destruction of one engine will reduce the fighter’s top speed by half and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving a 10% penalty to piloting. Destruction of both engines will cause the aircraft to crash. Pilot may attempt an emergency landing or pilot can choose to eject.
[5] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the aircraft down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.

Speed:
Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when traveling and not on a take off or landing.
Flying: The Yellow Jacket can hover and go up to a maximum speed of Mach 2.2 (1,631.2 mph /2,625.2 kph) on full output. The fighter’s normal cruise speed is about 600 mph (965.6 kph) but varies on the situation. The fighter has a maximum altitude of 40,000 feet (12,192 meters). Because the aircraft ordnance is carried in recessed hard points, performance reduction is less then might be expected. With a full load of external ordnance, Maximum speed is reduced to Mach 1.8 (1,334.6 mph /2,147.9 kph) on full output
Maximum Effective Range: Effectively Unlimited. Thrusters overheat after 10 hours of use from 200 mph (321.9 kph) to 600 mph (965.6 kph), and 4 hours of use over 600 mph (965.6 kph).

Statistical Data:
Length: 71.2 feet (21.7 meters)
Wingspan: 52.1 feet (15.9 meters)
Height: 19.4 feet (5.9 meters)
Weight: 15.5 tons (14.1 metric tons) empty and 19.5 tons (17.7 metric tons) fully loaded.
Power Source: Nuclear, 10 year fusion reactor.
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment), does not include hard points or ordnance bay
Black Market Cost: 22.5 million credits to manufacture by Free Quebec. No copied have been for sale on the Black Market but would likely cost 30 million or more on the black market. It is likely that the other Coalition States would like to get a copy of the fighter for study and would offer two or three times black market value.

Weapon Systems:

C-40R SAMAS Rail Guns (2): The rail guns are mounted in the nose of the fighter and fire forward. The Rail Guns can fire together or individually. The rail guns use power from the fusion reactor of the fighter. The weapon is used for dogfighting and for ground strafing.
Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters)
Mega Damage: 1D4x10 M.D.C. per burst of 40 rounds (Does not fire single shot) for one rail gun or 2D4x10 M.D.C. for both cannons. Single Rail gun rounds inflict 1D4 M.D.C. per round.
Payload: 3000 rounds for each rail gun (75 bursts) for a total of 6000 rounds.
Mini-Missile Launchers (2): Large capacity mini-missile pods are permanently mounted on the outside edge of each wing. The launchers are normally used for ground strafing, anti-troop, and anti-emplacement attacks. Normal missiles used are armor piercing, plasma, or fragmentation mini-missiles.
Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles only (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
Mega-Damage: Varies with mini missile types (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Each launcher can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), eight (8), sixteen (16), or twenty-four (24) missiles and both launchers can be linked with the other mini missile launcher for up to forty-eight (48) missiles as one volley (Counts as one attack no matter how many missiles in volley).
Payload: Each launcher carries twenty-four (24) mini-missiles for a total of forty-eight (48) mini-missiles.
Ordnance Bays (2): The fighter has two bays in the main body that carries a wide variety of different ordnance types. Ordnance types include missiles and bombs. Missile and bomb sizes may be mixed between different types of ordnance but an ordnance drop or launch must include the same type and size of ordnance. The bay cannot carry any ordnance larger than medium range missiles or medium bombs. Ordnance may be carried at the rate of two short range missile or two light bombs for one medium range missile or medium bomb. Both guided and unguided ordnance may be carried.
Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile and varies by altitude bombs are dropped at (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Ordnance is dropped or fired one at a time or in volleys of two to four but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley.)
Payload: 16 short range missile or light bombs or 8 medium range missiles or medium bombs per ordnance bay. Ordnance can be mixed and torpedoes and depth charges may be carried as well as missiles and bombs.
External Hard Points (8): The CF-1800 has a total of eight hard points with four hard points under each wing of the aircraft. The missile hard points are partially recessed into the wings. Each hard point may carry one long range missile or heavy bomb, two medium range missiles or medium bombs, or four short range missiles or light bombs. The hard points cannot carry mini missile pods or any other systems due to the hard points being conformal. Each hard points must carry the same type of missile but different hard points may carry different ordnance types but ordnance is normally carried in symmetrical pairs. Both unguided and guided bombs can be carried by the aircraft.
Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile and varies by altitude bombs are dropped at (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired and bombs can be dropped one at a time per hard point. Multiple hard points can be linked as one attack but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley.)
Payload: Varies by hard point - one long range missile or heavy bomb, two medium range missile or medium bombs, or four short range missiles or light bombs (see above - all ordnance on a hard point must be the same size and type of ordnance).
Anti-Missile Chaff Dispenser: Located at the very tail of the fighter are two chaff dispensers. When tailed by a missile, a cloud of chaff and other obtrusive particles can be released to confuse or detonate the enemy's attack. Rifts Earth decoys systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World missiles due to technological difference. Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (Add +20% to rolls for smart missiles.)
Effect:
Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind flying monsters that fly through cloud. They will suffer the following penalties: reduce melee attacks/actions, combat bonuses, and speed by half. Duration: 1D4 melee rounds.
Payload: Eight (8)

Special Equipment:

The fighter has all the standard features of a standard fighter (same as standard robot minus loudspeaker and microphone) plus these special features listed:

Radar: Range 500 miles (805 km), can identify and track up to 48 targets simultaneously, It is also capable of Terrain Following for low altitude flight. With Combat & Targeting Computer, the Yellow Jacket can fire missiles at up to twelve targets at the same time.
Internal Active Jamming Gear: Causes -25% to detection with radar systems but when it is active, other vehicles/ bases can detect that it is jamming, and some missiles will home in on jamming signals. Jamming also causes a -4 penalty to all radar guided weapons.
E.S.M.: Radar Detector, Passively detects other radars being operated.
FLIR: Forward Looking Infrared. Allows pilot and weapons officer to get visuals on targets at night.

Combat Bonuses:

[ Altarain TM, Bandito Arms TM, Brodkil TM, Chipwell Armaments TM, Coalition States TM, Cyber-Knight TM, Federation of Magic TM, Free Quebec TM, Golden Age Weaponsmiths TM, Horune TM, Iron Heart Armaments TM, Kankoran TM, Kittani TM, Kydian TM, Larsen’s Brigade TM, M.D.C. TM, Mechanoids TM, Mega-Damage TM, Megaversal Legion TM, Millennium Tree TM, Mutants in Orbit TM, Naruni Enterprises TM, Naut’Yll, New Navy TM, New Sovietskiy TM, NGR TM, Nog Heng TM, Northern Gun TM, Phase World TM, Psyscape TM, Rifter TM, SAMAS TM, S.D.C. TM, Shemarrian TM, Splugorth TM, Stormspire TM, Sunaj TM, Tolkeen TM, Triax TM, Wellington Industries TM, Wilk’s Laser Technologies TM, Xiticix TM, and Zaayr TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

[ Beyond the Supernatural®, Heroes Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Ninjas & Superspies®, Palladium Fantasy®, and Rifts® are registered trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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