Tomcat Starfighter
GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Mission: Air and Space Superiority, Strike, Close Air Support
Length: 18.6 Meters
Wingspan: Wings open, 19 meters
Crew: 1 pilot
Powerplant: 3 x Dueterium Fusion Impulse Engines, 1 x Type III Warp Core.
Performance: Warp 9.975 for 1 hour, Warp 9 sustainable for 12 hours. Capable of dogfighting in a Class M Atmosphere at speeds ranging from 190 Km/H to 4,000 Km/H.
Armament: 6 x Mk. 15 Pulse Phasers, 1 x Mk. 19 Phaser Cannon, 2 x Microtorpedo launchers (45 rounds each), 2 torpedo launchers (Internal capacity of 6 torpedoes.) External weapons include Photon and Quantum Torpedoes, Various forms of 226KG, 453KG and 907KG Bombs, Mk. 1 Anti-Fighter Missiles, Mk. 3 Anti-Fighter Missiles, Mk. 1 Mod 4 Anti-Ship Missiles (Etherhawk Missile)


History

The Tomcat-class Starfighter, who's official Starfleet nomenclature is Starfighter, Aerospace Superiority, Mk. IV, 2384, was developed in the late 2370's following the end of the Dominion War. It got it's name because the design was in essence a redo of a late 20th/early 21st century United States Navy Intercepter, the F-14 Tomcat. The reasoning behind the design was simple. The fighter was large enough to carry a heavy weapons load, could be made compact enough to deploy in squadrons aboard starships larger than 500 meters, and it had demonstrably good atmospheric handling charactoristics, the latter requirement because part of it's intended mission is support of ground troops, strategically, tactically, or in close.

It's primary weapons system is the Mk. 15 Pulse Phaser cannon. This is the same weapon mounded aboard the Peregrine class which preceeded it. the six phasers, mounted in the leading edge of the wing gloves, can be fired sequentially, in pairs, in triplets, or as one. A well placed volley can badly damage a Jem Hadar Attack Ship. Secondarily, the ship carries the Mk. 19 Phaser cannon. Developed for use on the Mk. III Fighter, which was basically a combat-equipped academy trainer, the phaser cannon is designed to give extra punch to smaller craft. the cannon can fire powerful phaser energy beams that can inflict heavy damage on many military craft with defenses that are not as resiliant as those of a Defiant Class Starship.

The craft has twin microtorpedo tubes, mounted low on the nose, above the phaser cannon and forward of the cockpit. each tube has 45 rounds each, and they can fire at a rate of 90 RPM. Also integral to the Tomcat is it's torpedo tubes. Each tube has a 3-weapon magazine, for a total of six. They tend not to carry mixed loads, as the torpedoes cannot be rearranged once loaded into the magazine.

External weapons are numerous. Starfleet developed dozens of weapons for use with the Mk. II (Peregrine) and Mk. III Fighters which are still deployable aboard Tomcat. For dogfighting and exo-atmospheric strike missions, it can carry an impressive load of Anti-fighter and Anti-Ship Missiles, Booster-equiped Torpedoes, and rocket launchers. For the ground support/strike mission, it can carry torpedoes, Rockets, and various types of bombs, including cluster bombs and incindiary bombs.

The Tomcat has two warp nacelles fitted under the outboard engine/weapons pods. These are fitted on retractable pylons that extend for warp flight, and bring the nacelles close in to the hull during atmospheric and sublight space travel. this is especially useful in starfighter combat, as it reduces the number of appendages hanging off the ship.

Weapons hangers can be mounted under the hull (four), under the wing gloves (six, three per side) and under the wings (Three per side.) The Underwing hardpoints move with the wingsweep, always keeping the weapons pointed parallel to the ship's flight path.

The Swing-Wings have several settings. In normal flight mode, the wings are in the 'Closed' possition, at 62 degrees of sweep. During combat and slower atmospheric flight, the wings open to 20 degrees. For landing and storage, the wings 'oversweep' to 75 degrees, making it more compact. In an atmosphere, the wings automatically adjust to provide the optimum performance.

The Swing Wing design makes the Starfighter the most agile craft in an atmosphere, capable of out meneuvering any ship, Starfleet or otherwise.