SF-101U Black Eagle Medium Starfighter "Fleet Upgrade" (CAF):

When introduced, the Black Eagle was considered an incredible design in many respects. The fighter’s acceleration was greater than any other medium fighter and was available with a faster than light drive. Due to problems in production, the number of fighters entering service were less than planned which caused large number of Katana fighters to be procured by the Consortium. The biggest weakness in the fighter is that even though it is an incredible dogfighter, the fighter is not armed to deal with any long range threats. The "Storm Eagle" is officially designed to deal with such threats but is only in small numbers in the fleet.

The Human Alliance Military and several independent nations have also adopted the Black Eagle as their main fighter. The numbers which both fleets have managed to purchase lag behind the Consortium Armed Forces due to need to fill the major contract first. Most of these militaries also like the fighter although they find the lack of being able to engage enemy craft at long range to be a telling weakness as well. One advantage which the smaller militaries have over the Consortium is to make modifications to their equipment. Generally, the Consortium Military has to go through a huge amount of "red tape" to get any modification.

There is an extremely simple modification to the fighter to address the biggest weakness. This is simply to replace the capitol missile hard points with the same hard points as is carried on the Katana fighter which supplements the Black Eagle already. This gives the fighter the ability to carry long range and medium range missiles in addition to the huge capitol missiles. As well, the fighter’s frame is strong enough to be able to support an additional two missile hard points easily, raising the number of missile hard points from two to four. This enables a modified Black Eagle fighter to carry four capitol missiles, eight long range missiles, or sixteen medium range missiles. A mixture of ordnance can also be carried such as four long range missiles and eight medium range missiles. This modification is comparatively simple, taking only a relatively few man hours to complete. Some reprogramming of the fire control systems are also required although nothing major.

This modification is becoming so popular among independent forces that almost all Black Eagles operated by them have this modification done to the fighter. As well, the modification has been done to a large number of Human Alliance Armed Forces fighters. If not official, many commanders will have it done on their own. A number of Consortium senior officers would like to have the same modification initiated on their Black Eagle fighters although this role is officially suppose to be performed by the Storm Eagle. A small number of Consortium captains have, on their own initiative, had their own Black Eagles modified to this configuration. This is where it gets its unofficial nickname of "Fleet Upgrade."

Otherwise the "Fleet Upgrade" version of the Black Eagle is almost unmodified. The two mini-missile launchers are retained due to requiring a much greater amount of work to modify. The high intensity lasers and gravity rail guns are also retained. The modified version of the fighter retains the standard space acceleration of a Black Eagle even though slightly heavier when fully loaded. The only place where the fighter suffers in performance is in an atmosphere where the missiles create some drag. Both standard versions of the Black Eagle and version mounting faster than light drives can be upgraded in this manner.

This starfighter design uses modified starship speed and weapon range rules. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World / Three Galaxies for more details.

(Note: Some of the weapons that the fighter carries that are identical to the standard Black Eagle Starfighter have been modified. At GM option, these modification can be applied to all Black Eagles or the modification can be discarded and these weapon systems can be considered the same as on the Black Eagle. The power system has also been changed from anti-matter to fusion because the author’s opinion is that anti-matter is to dangerous to be used in vehicles that may be used in an atmosphere. If the ship was to detonate in an atmosphere it would cause huge planetary damage if it is anti-matter powered. At GM option, this can also be applied to all starfighters or this fighter can be changed to anti-matter.)

Model Type:	SF-101U	Standard Fighter
	SF-101U-LR	Long Range "FTL" Fighter

Vehicle Type: Medium Fighter
Crew: One and can accommodate two passengers (One often operates as a sensor operator / electronics warfare officer)

M.D.C. By Location:

	Pilots Cockpit/Escape Pod:	120
	Laser Cannons (2, built into body):	100 each
	Nose GR-Cannon:	40
	Missile Pylons (4, on the Underside):	10 each
	Mini-Missile Launchers (2, on sides):	80 each
	[1] Main Body:	800
	Pilots Compartment:	120
	[2] Variable Force Field:	200 per side (1,200 total)

Notes:
[1] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the fighter out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
[2] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (60 M.D.C.) per melee round.

Speed:
Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.
Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship to travel up to 40 percent of the speed of light. Fighter can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 1.6 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is Mach 7 (5,190 mph / 8,352.8 kph), can enter an atmosphere because flight system is using contra grav. Missiles on hard points reduces performance to Mach 5 (3,707.3 mph / 5,966.3 kph) in an atmosphere.
Stardrive: The SF-101U-LR has a Gravitronic Drive system which allows the ship to reach a maximum of two light-years per hour.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by drive system but only has supplies for pilot for six weeks (Two crew for three weeks or three for two weeks)

Statistical Data:
Length: 45 feet (13.7 meters)
Height: 14 feet (4.3 meters)
Width: 32 feet (9.8 meters)
Weight: 12 tons (10.9 metric tons) unloaded and 14 tons (12.7 metric tons) fully loaded.
Power System: Advanced Fusion with a 40 year lifespan.
Cargo: Utility closet (4x4x4 feet /1.2x1.2x1.2 meters) for personal effects / emergency supplies.
Market Cost: Upgrading the Black Eagle (Costs 45 million for standard model and 75 million for faster than light model) costs 4 million.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Two (2) HI-Laser Cannons: These laser cannons are identical to those carried on the standard Black Eagle Starfighter and can be used simultaneously or can be fired individually. They can also be combined with the GR-cannon when the GR cannon is forward for greater damage if both are in range.
Maximum Effective Range: 5 miles (8 km) through atmosphere and 500 miles (800 km) in space.
Mega-Damage: 2D4x10 per single blast or 4D4x10 per double blast (can be combined with rail gun at still the cost of one attack).
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
One (1) Gravity Rail Gun: The Rail gun is mounted in a turret under the nose of the starfighter and is the fighters primary weapon system. Weapon is mainly used as an anti-starfighter, anti-missile, and strafing weapon. When used in space, projectiles are fired from rail guns at a significant fraction of the speed of light in space and when used in an atmosphere are fired at a slower but still at hypersonic speeds. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities. The gravity rail gun uses a 25 mm projectile. The turret can angle up to 90 degrees down and can rotate 360 degrees. When forward, weapon can be combined with laser cannons if laser cannons are also within range
Maximum Effective Range: 10 miles (16 km) through atmosphere and 1,000 miles (1,600 km) in space.
Mega-Damage: 30 round burst inflicts3D6x10 M.D. (can be combined with laser cannons at still the cost of one attack).
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: 6,000 Rounds (200 Bursts).
Mini-Missile Launchers (2): These are two packs of mini missiles mounted in the "wings" of the starfighter that can be used against ground targets, infantry, and against starships. Missile has a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 2% of light per turn (slightly faster than any starship except if it is exceeding it maximum safe acceleration). Mini-Missile in the Phase World setting are normally guided.
Maximum Effective Range: Mini-Missile range is 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere and 100 miles (161 km) in space.
Mega-Damage: Varies with mini-missile type (See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), eight (8), or twelve (12)
Payload: Twenty-Four (24) each launcher for a total of Forty-Eight (48) mini-missiles total.
Missile Pylons (4): Replacing the two cruise missile hard points, on the underbelly of the fighter are four missile racks that allows the fighter to carry one cruise missile, two long range missiles, or four medium range missiles. Individual pylons must carry all the same type ordnance but each pylon may carry different types of ordnance. Cruise missile are normally carried when on an anti-capital ship role and long and medium range missiles when fighting other starfighters. Cruise Missiles have a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship.) Long Range Missiles have a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (faster than any starship.) Medium Range Missiles have a top speed of Mach 15 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 6% of light per turn. Whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launcher, and missile. When drive goes dead, missile will continue to travel in a straight line unless set to self destruct but has very low odds of hitting starships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missile, when unpowered, is at -25% to be detected.) Cruise missiles have penalties to hit small targets but are all considered smart missiles. Missiles can be launched on multiple targets simultaneously.
Maximum Effective Range: Cruise Missile range is 8,000 miles (12,875 km) in an atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds) in space, Long Range Missile range is 3,400 miles (5,470 km) in an atmosphere and 1,800,000 miles (2,897,000 km/9.7 light seconds) in space, and Medium Range Missile range is 160 miles (257.5 km) in an atmosphere and 80,000 miles (128,750 km/0.43 light seconds) in space.
Mega-Damage & Properties: See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details (Cruise Anti-Matter inclicts 4D6x100 M.D.C. each and Long Range Fusion warheads inflict 2D4x100 M.D.C. each.)
Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), three (3), or four (4) missiles (any type)
Payload: One (1) Cruise Missile, two (2) Long Range Missiles, or four (4) Medium Range Missiles per pylon.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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