An-305 Aviamatka / An-305 Corral Airborne Mothership

Force projection is a vital ability for any world power. During the 2nd Cold War the Russian federation was faced with a sizable force projection gap, unable to compete with the Fleets of Aircraft carriers and networks of forward bases maintained by the other world powers. Although new construction began to correct this issue, the head start possessed by the other superpowers drove the Russian Federation to seek alternative means. one solution was found in the convergence of the past with new technologies. During the early days of the Soviet Union, experiments with Airborne mother-ships were carried out. Fighter aircraft were slung under the wings of a larger bomber aircraft configured for long range flight. the combination allowed the fighters to conserve their fuel for combat and the return trip, extending the effective combat range. The combination was deployed during the second world war successfully, before being retired due to improvements in aviation technology and later the development of in flight refueling. The success of aircraft carriers and in-flight refueling made the concept obsolete until the development of the indirect cycle nuclear-thermal turbojets and turbofans. A nuclear powered jet could remain in the air indefinitely, limited only by the endurance of it's crew and it's supplies. married to the concept of the Airborne Mother-ship (Aviamatka, in the Russian language), it promised the ability to deliver fighter and strike aircraft anywhere in the world, regardless of access to the sea or forward bases. Experimental tests using modified cargo aircraft and fighters proved the feasibility of the concept with modern aircraft.

Realizing that the development of the mother-ship and it's fighters would need to be done concurrently, the concept was made a priority for the entire Experimental Design Bureau (OKB), with design teams from each of the major design teams participating in creating the family of systems required. To simplify the design of the largest and most complex component, the mother-ship itself, the OKB selected an existing airframe, the An-225 Mriya (NATO name: Cossack), and modified it to meet the role, such as extended and thickened wings to handle four fighter docking stations and thermal transfer systems between the nuclear power plant and the over wing engines. As the design took shape, additional features were added to enhance the capabilities of the Mother-ship. Inflight refueling, inflight rearmament for suitably equipped fighters, and the addition of AWACS and theatre defense laser systems to make the mother-ship a more multi-role support unit. The first deployment of the An-305 was in the Himalayan conflict between India and China. The first three Mother-ships were deployed in support of Russian Federation 'Advisers' in Su-85/T-90 fighters, which covertly engaged Chinese targets. These Mother-ships allowed the Russian Fighters to operate for longer periods without returning to base than conventional squadrons, although the non-stealthy nature of the mother-ship restricted deployment. The first Western information about the aircraft was obtained during the third Sudanese civil war, when a Squadron of AN-305's was deployed with the Russian Federation force. In a move intended to emphasize the Russian Federation's military capabilities, this squadron and their docked fighters flew to Sudan non-stop, passing through India and over the Indian Ocean. This course took them close to several western allied nations, giving them close looks at the cutting edge of Russian Aviation. It is believed all the An-305's were caught on the ground during the great cataclysm, although such conclusions can never be proven for certain.

Type: An-305 Aviamatka / An-305 Corral Airborne Mother-ship

Class: Fighter Mother-ship/AWACS/Tanker

Crew: 30. three shifts of 10 flight crew (2 pilots, radio operator, sensor operator, flight engineer, 2 flight controllers, and 2 payload specialists.) an additional 12 passengers can be carried in cramped quarters.

M.D.C. by Location:

[1] Wing (2) - 250 each

[2] Tail assembly - 350

Engine (6) - 90 each

[3] Main Body - 600

Fighter Docks (4) - 50 each

*Laser Domes (6) - 30 each

*Radar Systems (4) - 10 each

[1] Destroying a wing will cause the plane to crash.

[2] Destruction of the Tail assembly will unbalance the aircraft causing it to crash. Destruction of the engines will reduce maximum and cruising speed by 25% per engine, and impose a -15% penalty on all piloting rolls. Destruction of 4 or more engines will leave the aircraft with insufficient power to remain airborne, but will retain sufficient power to make a controlled landing.

[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the aircraft down completely, rendering it useless, and causing it to crash if in flight.

* small targets. require a called shot at -4 to strike.

Speed:

Flying: 620 mph (1,000km)

Max flight Altitude: 36,100 feet (11,000m)

Range: effectively unlimited due to nuclear power-plant.

Special: the AN-305 is so large and heavy that it requires 11,500 feet (3,500m, roughly 2.1 miles/3.5km) or more runway to take off.

Statistics:

Length: 262 feet 6 inches (80m)

Wingspan: 288 feet 9 inches (88m)

Height: 59 feet 4 inches (18.1m)

Empty weight: 628,315 lbs (285,000kg)

Max weight: 1,433,005 lbs (650,000kg/650 tons)

Cargo: up to 300 tons. Aircraft carried by the mother-ship do count towards this total.

Power system: one high output nuclear reactor with six nuclear-thermal high bypass turbofan engines on over-wing mountings.

Cost: 200 million credits pre-rifts. no known examples exist post-rifts. The New Sovietski could reconstruct these aircraft, but have no desire to build, maintain, and operate such large aircraft.

Weapons:

1.) Free Electron Laser: The An-305 mounts 6 powerful laser turrets for self defense, fed from two Free Electron laser systems within the aircraft. This weapon uses Powerful 'wiggler' magnets to cause electrons in the charged space between them to oscillate, generating laser light. This process allows the frequency of the light generated to be selected and altered based on the settings of the magnets, creating a 'tune-able' laser system. the AN-305 uses an array of mirrors to channel the laser into one of 6 different ball turrets mounted on the aircraft. one on the nose, one on the tail, two on the upper fuselage, and two on retractable turrets on the lower fuselage. these turrets are equipped with advanced optical focusing and aiming systems, providing superior range.

Primary Purpose: Anti-Aircraft

Secondary Purpose: Ground attack

Damage: 1D6x10 M.D.

Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee. only two turrets can fire each melee round.

Effective Range: 6 miles (4.8 km)

Payload: Effectively unlimited.

Bonuses: The frequency of the laser can be varied to adjust for atmospheric conditions and target protection. Against armor that reduces the damage of a laser attack (such as that used by the USA-G10 Chrome Guardsman Powered Armor), the weapon will adjust it's frequency until it finds the correct one to overcome this protection. The system can tune the laser to hundreds of frequencies across the optical spectrum, and on board analysis software can capture and examine the impact flash of the laser to determine the best frequency to use. after 1d4+1 shots the weapon will have tuned itself to the enemies vulnerable frequency. The system comes with preset frequency options effective against most (Pre-Rifts) laser reflective armor types. The weapon can also be set to "blue-green" frequencies, providing full range against submerged targets (atmospheric range is halved in Blue-Green mode)

2.) Fighter Conveyance system: Under each wing the An-305 has two docking systems for fighter aircraft. These docking systems use telescoping clamps to dock with specially equipped fighters, and retract them under the wing. While attached to the aircraft, these fighters can shut down their engines and be carried along by the mother-ship (reduce maximum speed by 25mph/40kmh for each fighter, no penalty if the fighter leaves it's engines on), giving them greatly increased operational range. When the fighter needs to be released from the mother-ship, the fighter can restart it's engines and the docking system will move it away from the mother-ship’s wing and release it.

Sensors and systems: all standard robot systems plus;

1.) Airborne Warning and Control System: The An-305 mounts a powerful AESA radar system, comprised of 4 arrays in the aircraft’s nose, side and tail, tied into a battle management computer. this system allows the aircraft’s sensor operator and flight controllers to detect enemy aircraft and direct friendly aircraft. the system has a 360 degree coverage area, with blind spots only above and below the aircraft. the system has two operational modes, which can be used simultaneously.

A) Radar: can identify and simultaneously track 384 targets. range of 200 miles (320 km). it operates in a directional multi-beam and multi-band mode that is -20% to read sensor instruments for other aircraft to detect it, and reduces enemy jamming effectiveness by 50%.

B) Jamming: the jamming mode effects every enemy aircraft and missile within a 100 mile (160 km) radius of the fighter. While the jamming signal makes the aircraft easier to detect (+10% to read sensory instruments to detect), it makes it more difficult for enemy missiles to target and strike. (-20% to the enemies weapon systems skill for lock-on's, and enemy missiles are -6 to strike.)

2.) In Flight Refueling and Rearmament System: the docking stations on the AN-305 include a fuel transfer system designed to refuel aircraft. each fighter can be completely refueled in 5 minutes, and the mother-ship contains enough on-board fuel for 8 complete refuelings. the refueling system also has 2 deploy-able 'hose and drogue' refueling stations per wing, allowing older aircraft not equipped to dock with the mother-ship to refuel. built into the wing on either side of the docking stations are in flight rearmament systems. when the fighters have docked, the fighters open up their over-wing missile bays, which are rearmed by automated systems. the system can be adjusted to load specific missile types and combinations, allowing the weapons load to be tailored to specific missions. the mother-ship can carry up to 80 missiles, of multiple types.

3.) Expert system: The avionics of the AN-305 are programmed with an Expert system, a form of crew assistance program designed to monitor the aircraft in flight and automate much of the complexities of employing the aircraft’s sensors and systems. while not a true Artificial Intelligence system, this program makes the aircraft simpler to operate. the Expert system provides a +10% bonus to the following skills; Read sensory instruments, Weapon systems, Navigation (air, land, sea), Pilot jet, Electronic Countermeasures, and Radio Communications. the Expert system cannot however perform any skill other than to serve as an autopilot (pilot jet fighter 60%). it is merely creative programming which simplifies the pilots tasks.

4.) Flare launchers: This system ejects two dozen flares and chaff packets on either side of the aircraft, which has the advantage of confusing missile guidance systems. (this system can be activated as a free action. it provides the equivalent of a +2 'auto-dodge' against missiles. +3 if the missiles are employing only IR tracking methods.)