The Shattie Skyslip
"The Shattie Skyslip"
(c) 2013
by
Jordan S. Bassior
(the following was taken from a popular guidesim to Outie weapons systems published by Northam Berlds in 2290)
The Shattie Skyslip is perhaps the ultimate aerospace fighter. It is optimized for Saturnian atmospheric conditions. Massing around just 500 metric tones, and shaped something like a triangular seed pod, its hull is composed entirely of wover carbon nanofiber under a silicon nanofiber sleeve, offering only the most minimum radar signature, even with its advanced electromagnetic cloaking device turned off. The lack of significant metal in its construction greatly augments its stealth.
A Skyslip is powered by an onboard lithium-boosted dual-fuel (deuterium-tritium and deuterium-helium) nuclear fusion vortex reactor. Airscoops can suck in and an onboard purifier separate out fusion fuel in flight through the Saturnian atmosphere, rendering the Skyslip independent of fixed refueling stations. Energy can be stored in a nanobloc chemical matrix; some Skyslips have recently been fitted with positron coil batteries at the expense of some of their stealth.
Skyslips are equipped with plasma rocket engines, capable of indefinite cruising at up to 2G thrust and boost up to 5G with fusion afterburners. They are thus physically capable of attaining Saturnian orbit or even escape velocity, but are not well-suited for warfare outside the Saturnian atmosphere and hence would rarely do so in actual military operations. Their engines boast a turbofan stealth mode, workable only in atmosphere, which greatly reduces speed but results in them leaving almost no detectable drive wake. A deformable surface control system (Defscos) coupled with strategically-placed vents allowing all-aspect vectoring in forward flight (viffing) makes the Skyslip incredibly maneuverable
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