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VA-14 Falcon Veritech Bomber (-14A, -14J, -14R, -14S, VAT-14)

I. Dimensions:

II. Type:

• Design: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Builders: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• (VA-14A, -14J) : One man all weather aerospace combat mecha, three form veritech bomber. Mass produced version.
• (VA-14S) : One man all weather aerospace combat mecha, three form veritech bomber. Squadron leader version.
• (VA-14R) : Two seat Wild Weasel defense suppression mecha, three form veritech bomber
• (VAT-14) : Two seat dedicated trainer, 3 form bomber trainer

III. Service History:

• VA-14A: Served with RDF Space Marines, Marines, Air Force, Navy, and Space Navy from 2055 until being replaced by -14J.
• VA-14J: Served with RDF Space Marines, Marines, Air Force, Navy, and Space Navy from 2062 and is still in service.
• VA-14R: Served with RDF Marines, Air Force, and Navy from 2060 and is still in service.
• VA-14S: Served with RDF Space Marines, Marines, Air Force, Navy, and Space Navy from 2055 and is still in service.
• VAT-14: Served with the RDF Space Marines, Marines, Air Force, Navy, and Space Navy from 2060 and is still in service.

IV. Propulsion:

• Engines:

(VA-14A)

• 2 x Rolls Royce FF-2055B fusion turbines each rated at 44,600 kg (437 kN) of thrust, capable of generating 620 MW of power.  The engines generate 22,270 PS during ground combat.
• 4 x Rolls Royce HMM-7 high thrust vernier thrusters, 4 on the back in battloid mode.  Each thruster is rated at 714.3 kg/sec (7.0 kN/sec).
• 20 x Pratt&Whitney LHP08 low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles, distributed around the aircraft; 3 mounted either side aft of the cockpit on the dorsal, 2 on either side of the ventral forward of the cockpit, 1 on the outer rear of either nacelle and 1 on the inner rear of each nacelle, 2 on each shoulder, and 1 more on either side of the arm.  Each thruster is rated at 143 kg/sec (1.4 kN/sec).
• Vernier vents on the wings, as part of the aircraft's space roll control.

(VA-14J, -14R, VAT-14)

• 2 x Rolls Royce FF-2055D fusion turbines each rated at 49,100 kg (481 kN) of thrust, capable of generating 650 MW of power.  The engines generate 22,500 PS during ground combat.
• 4 x Rolls Royce HMM-10 high thrust vernier thrusters, 4 on the back in battloid mode.  Each thruster is rated at 744.9 kg/sec (7.3 kN/sec).
• 20 x Pratt&Whitney LHP09 low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles, distributed around the aircraft; 3 mounted either side aft of the cockpit on the dorsal, 2 on either side of the ventral forward of the cockpit, 1 on the outer rear of either nacelle and 1 on the inner rear of each nacelle, 2 on each shoulder, and 1 more on either side of the arm.  Each thruster is rated at 153 kg/sec (1.5 kN/sec).
• Vernier vents on the wings, as part of the aircraft's space roll control.

(VA-14S)

• 2 x Rolls Royce FF-2055C fusion turbines each rated at 50,400 kg (494 kN) of thrust, capable of generating 655 MW of power.  The engines generate 22,540 PS during ground combat.
• 4 x Rolls Royce HMM-10 high thrust vernier thrusters, 4 on the back in battloid mode.  Each thruster is rated at 744.9 kg/sec (7.3 kN/sec).
• 20 x Pratt&Whitney LHP09 low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles, distributed around the aircraft; 3 mounted either side aft of the cockpit on the dorsal, 2 on either side of the ventral forward of the cockpit, 1 on the outer rear of either nacelle and 1 on the inner rear of each nacelle, 2 on each shoulder, and 1 more on either side of the arm.  Each thruster is rated at 153 kg/sec (1.5 kN/sec).
• Vernier vents on the wings, as part of the aircraft's space roll control.

• Auxilliary Powerplant:

• 2 x Pratt&Whitney APU-175 thermonuclear fusion reaction auxiliary power generators (one redundant), each capable of producing 600 MW, using the aircraft's stored fuel, with an emergency reserve of 10 lt D₂O/Li solution.

• Fuel Capacity:

• 6,000 lt 70/30 D₂O/Li solution as reactant for fusion engines in fuel tanks inside the wings.

V. Performance:

VI. Electronics

Radar tracking:

(VA-14A)

• Hughes AN/APQ-112 multi-mode navigation and attack radar system providing long range tracking and targeting of ground targets.
• Westinghouse AN/APX-18 IFF friend or foe interrogator.

(VA-14J, -14R, -14S, VAT-14)

• Phillips AN/APQ-123 multi-mode navigation and attack radar system providing long range tracking and targeting of ground targets.
• Westinghouse AN/APX-20 IFF friend or foe interrogator.

Optical tracking:

• Phillips AN/DOS-4900 multi-band digital camera system, for medium range, traversable, UV, infrared imaging and optical band detection and tracking.
• Thomson AN/LT-9 multi-frequency laser designator and ranger.

Tactical Electronic Warfare System (TEWS):

• Loral AN/ALR-33 Radar Warning Receiver (RWR)
• Loral AN/AIR-22 Infra-red Warning Receiver (IRWR)
• General Electric AN/ALQ-280(V) internal countermeasures system
• Westinghouse AN/AMJ-8 Active Missile Jammers
• Tracor AN/ALE-16 Chaff/Flare Dispensers    
• Multiple VHF and UHF antennas
• Bose Loudspeakers producing sound up to 90 decibels.
• Hughes PPBS-03 Pin-Point Barrier System: The VA-14 is equipped with a new mecha-scale pinpoint barrier system for defense. The system can generate a single pinpoint barrier that can be moved anywhere on the mecha and used as a shield against incoming attacks.

(VA-14R)

• Additional: General Electric AN/ALQ-290 multi-spectrum jammer in external centerline position.
• Head sensors are supplemented with
• Marconi Spyeye MkV broad-spectrum radiation scanners.
• Kowalczyk AN/ALQ-291 active laser jamming systems.
• Westinghouse AN/QRC-130 Infra-red Counter Measures (IRCM)
• Thomson AN/ASD-72 signal detector/receiver
• Special hardware and software for more effective battle management against active defenses. This especially increases the effectiveness of any mounted anti-radiation missiles, compared to ARM missiles mounted on a standard version, because the Battle Management System will automatically prioritize threats and lock on to them with the appropriate missile selection. This information is routinely shared with all friendly crafts' computers, warning the other pilots of possible threats to their aircraft, and the data-link allows other aircraft to serve as the launch platforms for additional AR missiles.

NOTE: Various sensor systems like Inverted Synthetic Aperture Radar, high-definition cameras, radiation sensors, motion scanners et cetera may be pod-mounted on the wing and center body hardpoints.

(VAT-14)

• Additional: Lasers on head is replaced by a Marconi Spyeye MkV broad spectrum radiation sensors.
• IBM-2055 onboard data interpretation system

NOTE: Various sensor systems like Inverted Synthetic Aperture Radar, high-definition cameras, radiation sensors, motion scanners et cetera may be pod-mounted on the wing and center body hardpoints.

VII. Armament:

(VA-14D)

• No armament standard. Dummy munitions are often carried on the VA-14D, but these craft are almost never used for combat.

Cannons:

• 2 (4 on -14S) x Oerlikon AAL-8 anti-aircraft lasers: The VA-14 mounts a pair (two pair on -14S) of lasers for use in air combat skirmishes and for defensive purposes. The lasers are mounted on the head of the mecha in battloid mode, and are located in the forward dorsal section of the main body pointed rearward in fighter and guardian modes. The lasers can only fire to the rear of the fighter in these modes; they cannot be turned to fire along another arc. Each pulse delivers 4.5 MJ at 180 times per minute.

(VA-14J, -14S)

• 6 x Mauser REB-30 fixed laser cannons: The Falcon is equipped with two sets of medium laser cannons intended for use in short to medium range combat, either against other mecha or ground forces. These lasers are mounted in a triple rotary mount on the lower chest of the mecha in battloid mode, and on the rear fuselage of the craft in fighter and guardian modes. The lasers are restricted to firing behind the mecha in fighter and guardian modes, and can only fire forward in battloid mode. Each cannon can fire a 6 MJ pulse every second.

One leg storage bay can carry:

(VA-14A, -14J, -14S)

• 1 x Hughes GU-30 105mm tri-barrel gunpod:  The main weapon of the VA-14 is the GU-30 gunpod. The gunpod is mounted on a special hardpoint below the veritech in fighter mode, and is hand-held in guardian and battloid modes. The GU-30 uses magazines of ammo each containing 200 rounds, firing at 300 rounds per minute.  Ammunition is a mix of Jidori-coated depleted Uranium Armor Piercing Spin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APSSDS), High Explosive Armor Piercing (HEAP) and tracer rounds. One spare magazines for the GU-30 are mounted in the leg of the VA-14.
• or a number of dedicated military cargoes including, but not limited to any type of gun pod (except the XS-06), various sensor and jamming pods, and cargo containers.

Missile Launchers:

• 2 x Engine nacelle mounted internal missile pallets: The VA-14's engine nacelles / shoulders each mount two pairs of missile pallets able to configured for mission objectives.  When armed, the pallet doors open and the launcher can extend from the sides allowing all missiles to be fired at once.  The available launcher payloads for each pallet include:
  • or 1 x MPM-26 Sledgehammer long range multi-purpose missiles.
  • or 2 x MPM-25 Saber medium range multi-purpose missiles.
  • or 5 x MPM-24 Broadsword short range multi-purpose missiles.
  • or 16 x MPM-23 Dagger high maneuverability mini-missiles on a specialized MER.
• 2 x Leg mounted internal missile pallets: The VA-14's legs are each equipped with a internal missile pallet configurable for various mission objectives and able to carry several different types of missiles.  When armed, the pallet doors open and the launcher can extend from the sides allowing all missiles to be fired at once.  The available launcher payloads for each pallet include:
  • 1 x AGM-34 Claymore long range air-to-ground missiles.
  • or 1 x AGM-40 Murasame long range air-to-ground missiles.
  • or 2 x MPM-26 Sledgehammer long range multi-purpose missiles.
  • or 2 x AGM-46 Katana medium range air-to-ground missiles.
  • or 2 x MPM-25 Saber medium range multi-purpose missiles.
  • or 6 x AGM-41 Nodachi short range air-to-ground missiles.
  • or 6 x MPM-24 Broadsword short range multi-purpose missiles.
  • or 6 x AGM-33 Banshee high speed anti-radiation missile (HARM).
  • or 2 x AGM-47 Siren high speed anti-radiation missile (HARM).
  • or 1 x 1,000 lt reactant/fuel tank. Can store 70/30 D₂O/Li solution.

Six wing hardpoints (three per wing) can each carry:

• 2 x AGM-34 Claymore long range air-to-ground missile.
• or 2 x AGM-40 Murasame long range air-to-ground missile.
• or 2 x MPM-26 Sledgehammer long range multi-purpose missiles.
• or 4 x AGM-46 Katana medium range air-to-ground missile
• or 4 x MPM-25 Saber medium range multi-purpose missiles.
• or 6 x AGM-41 Nodachi short range air-to-ground missiles.
• or 6 x MPM-24 Broadsword short range multi-purpose missiles.
• or 6 x AGM-33 Banshee high speed anti-radiation missile (HARM).
• or 4 x AGM-47 Siren high speed anti-radiation missile (HARM).
• or 2 x RMS-5 Armageddon long range nuclear cruise missiles. 
• or 1 x UMM-21; Armored container with 15 MPM-24 Broadsword short range air-to-air missiles. The UUM-14 has two groups of five MPM-20s ready to be fired forward and one group of five missiles as a rear-hemisphere defense.
• or 6 x Mk 12 LDGP (Low Drag General Purpose) 250 kg (conical) or 260 kg (retard) free-fall bombs.
• or 4  x Mk.13 LDGP 500 kg (conical) or 510 kg (retard) free-fall bombs.
• or 2 x Mk.14 LDGP 900 kg free-fall bomb.
• or 6 x GBU-46 Paveway V LGB (Laser Guided Bomb) Guided Bomb Units (GBU); a Mk. 12 LDGP bomb configured to detect a target illuminated by a laser beam.
• or 4 x GBU-48 Paveway V LGB; a Mk. 13 LDGP bomb configured to detect a target illuminated by a laser beam. 
• or 2 x GBU-44 Paveway V LGB; a Mk. 14 LDGP bomb configured to detect a target illuminated by a laser beam.
• or 2 x GBU-50B/B PAVEWAY V 1000 kg LGB; Hard target penetrator (HTP).
• or 4 x CBU-12/E Sensor Fused Weapon (SFW) cluster munition; 450 kg cluster munition.
• or 4 x CBU-13/C SFW cluster munitions.
• or 4 x CBU-10/C SFW cluster munitions.
• or 4 x CBU-7/B or B/B GATOR cluster bombs.
• or 6 x Durandal airstrip destruction bombs.
• or 2 x M261 Light Weight Launcher (LWL), containing 19 ZIPPO-70 unguided rockets;
• or 3 x Mk 100 Eel lightweight anti-ship/anti-submarine torpedoes.
• or 3 x Mk 101 Marlin lightweight anti-ship/anti-submarine torpedoes.
• or 2 x ASB-100B; 1,000 kg depth bomblet cluster.
• or 2 x Mk. 105 Quickstrike; 1000 kg aircraft laid bottom shallow water anti-ship mine.
• or 2 x 1,000 lt reactant/fuel tank. Can store 70/30 D₂O/Li solution. Another version of this fuel tank features the necessary components to enable mid-flight refueling in a buddy-buddy fashion, allowing up to two mecha to be refueled from it.  This version comes with a special pylon, which includes a TV and IR camera for efficient supervision of the refueling procedure and is mounted on 2 additional hardpoints.

NOTE: The hardpoints can also carry recon and cargo pods other than the above.

Four body hardpoints can each carry:

• 1 x AGM-34 Claymore long range air-to-ground missile.
• or 1 x AGM-40 Murasame long range air-to-ground missile.
• or 1 x MPM-26 Sledgehammer long range multi-purpose missiles.
• or 3 x AGM-46 Katana medium range air-to-ground missile
• or 3 x MPM-25 Saber medium range multi-purpose missiles.
• or 6 x AGM-41 Nodachi short range air-to-ground missiles.
• or 6 x MPM-24 Broadsword short range multi-purpose missiles.
• or 3 x AGM-33 Banshee high speed anti-radiation missile (HARM).
• or 3 x AGM-47 Siren high speed anti-radiation missile (HARM).
• or 1 x RMS-5 Armageddon long range nuclear cruise missiles. 
• or 2  x Mk 13 LDGP 500 kg (conical) or 510 kg (retard) free-fall bombs.
• or 1 x Mk 14 LDGP 900 kg free-fall bomb.
• or 2 x GBU-48 Paveway V LGB; a Mk. 13 LDGP bomb configured to detect a target illuminated by a laser beam. 
• or 1 x GBU-44 Paveway V LGB; a Mk. 14 LDGP bomb configured to detect a target illuminated by a laser beam.
• or 1 x GBU-50B/B PAVEWAY V 1000 kg LGB; Hard target penetrator (HTP).
• or 2 x CBU-12/E Sensor Fused Weapon (SFW) cluster munition; 450 kg cluster munition.
• or 2 x CBU-13/C SFW cluster munitions.
• or 2 x CBU-10/C SFW cluster munitions.
• or 2 x CBU-7/B or B/B GATOR cluster bombs.
• or 1 x M261 Light Weight Launcher (LWL), containing 19 ZIPPO-70 unguided rockets;
• or 1 x ASB-100B; 1,000 kg depth bomblet cluster.
• or 1 x Mk 105 Quickstrike; 1000 kg aircraft laid bottom shallow water anti-ship mine.
• or 1 x 1,000 lt reactant/fuel tank. Can store 70/30 D₂O/Li solution. Another version of this fuel tank features the necessary components to enable mid-flight refueling in a buddy-buddy fashion, allowing up to two mecha to be refueled from it.  This version comes with a special pylon, which includes a TV and IR camera for efficient supervision of the refueling procedure and is mounted on 2 additional hardpoints.

NOTE: The hardpoints can also carry recon and cargo pods other than the above.

Other Military Cargoes available include:

• HMMP-13: An armored missile launcher carrying short range MPM-24 Broadsword missiles, the bay doors open when firing allowing all twelve missiles to be fired in one volley.  Mounted on NP-FP-14.
• NP-BP-14: This is a hull-conformal FAWT (Fuel and Weapons Tactical) booster that attaches to the back of the VA-14.  Its main engines are a pair of Nakajima +EF-2055 56,100 kg (550 kN) reaction thrusters and is equipped with three Rolls Royce HMM-8 vernier thrusters.  The PBC-24 single-barreled particle beam cannon is mounted to the front of this booster.  It also contains a probe-and-drogue retractable refueling tube mounted on the upper outboard corner of their NP-BP-14.  Teamed up with the NP-FB-14, HMMP-13, and PBC-24 systems, it forms the SSP-14 (Super Space Pack) weapons/armor/thruster suite.
• NP-BP-T14: This is a hull-conformal FAST (Fuel and Sensors Tactical) booster that attaches to the back of the VAT-14.  Its main engines are a pair of Nakajima +EF-2055 56,100 kg (550 kN) reaction thrusters and is equipped with three Rolls Royce HMM-8 vernier thrusters.  This unit cannot accept any weapons systems. Instead, it contains an additional 1000 lt of reactant. Comes with an additional booster that attaches on top of the backpack. Together with the NR-FB-T14 units, it forms the SSPT-14 armor/fuel/thruster suite.
• NP-FB-14: This is a set of thrusters and armor that attaches to the Super VA-14's engine nacelle and facilitates maneuvering in space. It is equipped with a CTB-14 conformal fuel tank (1000 lt of reactant) and has four LHP09 and two HMM-8 vernier thrusters.  The HMMP-13 missile launch tube is mounted in the middle of this booster.  Additionally the pod contains a Tracor AN/ALE-16 chaff/flare launcher with 30 flares and 15 chaffs.
• NR-FB-T14: A derivative of the NP-FB-14; a set of thrusters and armor that attaches to the VAT-14's engine nacelle and facilitates maneuvering in space. It is equipped with a CTB-14 conformal fuel tank (1000 lt of reactant) and has four LHP08 and two HMM-8 vernier thrusters.
• PBC-24: Single barreled Krupp particle beam cannon, fires 45 MJ of energy up to 60 times per minute. Mounted on the NP-BP-14 booster pack.
• RRG Mk3 Fold Booster Drive: A large cylindrical body that contains a hyperspace fold generator with a range of approx. 30 light years and enough energy to perform two hyperspace folds.

The Super and Strike versions have the following Booster/Armor configurations:

The most common payloads for various mission profile are as follows:

VIII. Armor:

The armor on the VA-14 is a low-mass lunarium tungsten composite plating that is the standard for most Terran veritech fighters. 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 Falcon provides full protection from nuclear, biological, and chemical hazards, using an overpressure cockpit environment activated by radiation and hazardous chemical sensors, or manually when biological warfare conditions are anticipated. The internal consumables supplies can provide atmosphere for one day maximum.

IX. Development:

Following the development of the first generation of dedicated purpose veritechs and the success in their trials and combat, it was decided to produce another craft to replace the VA-3 Invader.  Again the design came from Northrop-Grumman who built the original VA-3 Invader.  This craft was much faster and had more armor then its predecessor and made better use of the multi-mode functionality of a veritech.  Initial testing of the new VA-14 Falcon began in 2054 in the deserts of Eden at New Edwards Test Flight Center.  

The Falcon was a several steps beyond the VA-3 and could defend itself from many aggressors both on the ground and in the air and even managed to score consistent kills on the VF-11 thanks in part both to the agility of the design and its stealth construction similar to the VF-17.  The VA-14 is capable of high speeds approaching Mach 20 and far surpassing the aging VF-11.  The VA-14 also carried a large amount of firepower with 12 hardpoints across the craft and several internal missile launchers making the craft a walking missile launcher.  During initial testing a wing VA-14 completely decimated a platoon of the new mobile suits from long range using their huge missile payloads.  As such it was accepted by the RDF in late 2054 and first entered service aboard SDF-05 UES Megaroad in 2055.  

The history of the VA-14 Falcon is a history marked by success after success.  Even during the Fourth Robotech War (2063-2068) the VA-14 proved its worth time and again by destroying many Marduk capital ships along with ground installations and even scored some air to air kills.  However the one time it did notably fail was during the assault on the Marduk Homeworld in 2065 in which over ten thousand were destroyed across the Marduk System when they were jumped by millions of Marduk soldiers.  While the Falcons fought valiantly against the aggressors, they were simply outnumbered.  Despite this the VA-14 Falcon has proven to be one of the most effective veritech designs ever.

Layout adapted from Robotech Reference Guide

Content by Jeffrey R. Spillner, Ron Ferrara, Charles Jesse Casimir
Copyright © 1998-2001 Jeffrey R. Spillner,  Ron Ferrara, Charles Jesse Casimir 

Page Last Updated on January 21, 2001 @ 01:00 GMT