Lightning Fighters in attack formation
The Lightning Fighter is a military jet aircraft in use by Khalite, a design imported from another nation.
Statistics[]
Chassis: Lightning Fighter Crew: Pilot Powerplant: 2x F100-XB Afterburning Turbofans Weight: 10 Metric Tons empty Length: 10.8m Wingspan: 13.75m Height: 3.4m with landing gear down Max Speed: 2,400kph Operational Ceiling: 36,000 Meters with jet engines Operational Range: 8,000 kilometers Main Armament: 2 x wing-mounted Heavy Bolters, 1 x ventral-mounted long barreled Autocannon Secondary Armament: 4 missiles Main Ammunition: 800 rounds Secondary Ammunition: 4 ordnance
The main role of the aircraft is to engage enemy craft and establish air-superiority over a battlefield, with a secondary mission of providing air escort for Marauder Bombers. For this reason they are often based on orbiting ships or forward air bases, where their rocket booster allows them to quickly take off and engage enemy air forces. Ground-based Lightnings can also benefit from hydraulic "fast-launch" ramps which, in combination with their rocket booster engine, provides better acceleration and faster take-off time than conventional VTOL craft. Standard practice has three to four Lightnings poised in a constant state of readiness. Although not their primary function, Lightnings may also act as a ground attack aircraft, with free license to attack targets of opportunity.
The Lightning uses a swept-wing design and twin F100-XB afterburning turbofans to give it superior speed and better rate of climb and dive compared to the Thunderbolt, although it is lighter, less rugged and more demanding on maintenance crews