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VC-27 Hercules Light VTOL Cargo Transport Aerospace Plane (VC-27A, -27B)

I. Dimensions:

II. Type:

• Design: Airbus Industries
• Builders: Airbus Industries
• Two flight crew light tactical military VTOL transport aircraft.
• There are a number of configurations for this aircraft:
  • Troop transport - 25 troops
  • Cargo - 20 metric tons of cargo
  • VIP - 40 passengers and  5 metric tons of cargo

III. Service History:

• VC-27A: Served with RDF Air Force and Spacy from 2049 until being replaced by -27B.
• VC-27B: Served with RDF Air Force and Spacy from 2052 until being replaced by VC-39.

IV. Propulsion:

Engines:

(VC-27A)

• 2 x Shinnakasu FF-2050 Fusion plasma-air/reaction mass intermix turbines. Max thrust, 474 kN each.
• Assorted small reaction thrusters and gyroscopes for all-environment maneuvers, attitude adjustment, and stability.

(VC-27B)

• 2 x Rolls Royce RR-2000 Fusion plasma-air/reaction mass intermix turbines. Max thrust, 504 kN each.
• Assorted small reaction thrusters and gyroscopes for all-environment maneuvers, attitude adjustment, and stability.

Powerplant:

• 1 x RRD-2 Miniaturized fusion-cell energizer providing electrical power to the mecha.  Maximum output, 1400 kW each.

Fuel Capacity:

• 12 Standard canisters of reaction mass
• 486.3 liters of D2O reactant for fusion engines.

V. Performance:

VI. Electronics

Radar tracking:

• Hughes AN/APG-152 X-Band, spherical pulse-Doppler, providing long-range detection and tracking of targets at all altitudes.
• Westinghouse AN/APX-16 IFF friend or foe interrogator.

Optical tracking:

• Phillips AN/DOS-3200 multi-band digital camera, for medium range, traversable, UV, infrared imaging and optical band detection and tracking.

Tactical Electronic Warfare System (TEWS):

• Loral AN/ALR-26 Radar Warning Receiver (RWR)
• Loral AN/AIR-15 Infra-red Warning Receiver (IRWR)
• Westinghouse AN/ALQ-266(V) internal countermeasures system
• Tracor AN/ALE-16 Chaff/Flare Dispensers    
• Westinghouse AN/AMJ-6 Active Missile Jammers
• Multiple VHF and UHF antennas

VII. Armament:

• No armament standard.

VIII. Armor:

The armor on the VC-27 is a low-mass lunarium tungsten composite plating that is the standard for most Terran mecha. Aside from the good protection provided against projectiles, missiles, and other kinetic weapons, this armor is also resistant to plasma globes (annihilation discs), lasers, and fair against, particle guns too, owing to the fact that the armor can flake off and evaporate in layers under fire from such high-energy weapons, taking much of the weapon's energy and converting it into the latent heat of sublimation in the armor. The armor stops all small arms fire, and has good resistance to all weapons commonly mounted on combat mecha.

The Hercules provides full protection from nuclear, biological, and chemical hazards, using an overpressure environment activated by radiation and hazardous chemical sensors, or manually when biological warfare conditions are anticipated. The internal consumables supplies can provide atmosphere for six days maximum.

IX. Development:

Layout adapted from Robotech Reference Guide

Content by Jeffrey R. Spillner
Copyright © 1998- 2001 Jeffrey R. Spillner

Page Last Updated on November 13, 2001 @ 03:00 GMT