Golden Age Weaponsmiths F-16 Fighting Falcon:
In several Air Nation Guard Armories, explorers have found F-16 fighters
alongside A-10 attack aircraft. Many of these were found by Golden Age
Weaponsmiths themselves or were sold to them. Golden age found that by
refitting these aircraft, the old fighters are the equals in most respects
of the newer Iron Eagle fighters. These fighters end up costing a fraction
of the cost of the much newer fighter. Golden Age has found that these
fighters sell almost as quickly as they can refit them and with the Coalition
taking over Iron Heart Industries, they believe that they will be unable
to keep up with production. They are even considering full scale manufacture
of the Falcon due to its popularity although the Super Hornet is the most
likely aircraft for Golden Age to produce. Other aircraft under consideration
for full production are the A-10 Thunderbolt and the F-14 Tomcat.
Between this aircraft and the FA-18, which aircraft had the better performance
was always debatable and the refitted F-16 fighters have about the same
combat performance as the FA-18 that they found in the naval bunkers although
the F-16 cannot carry as large a payload and cannot land on carriers. The
refits were also about the same. Golden Age replaced much of the outer
skin with MDC armor to enable the fighter to survive MDC combat. Because
of the outdated nature of the original missiles and bombs, the F-16 was
fitted to carry the equivalent. Likewise, the gun pod has been fitted to
use ramjet rounds identical to the FA-18. These rounds are shared by several
Golden Age fighters including the F-111, F-14, and the planned F-15 refits.
Model Number: F-16C and F-16D
Vehicle Type: Single Engine Fighter-Bomber
Crew: F-16C; One F-16D; Two
M.D.C. by Location:
| [1] Wings (2): | 70 each |
| Elevators (2): | 35 each |
| Rudder: | 35 each |
| Cockpit: | 80 |
| [2] Engine (1): | 90 |
| Landing Gear (3): | 5 each |
| [3] Main Body: | 130 |
Notes:
[1] Destroying a Wing will cause the plane to crash
[2] Destruction of the fighter's engine will cause the aircraft to
crash. Pilot may attempt an emergency landing or pilot can choose to eject.
[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.
Speed:
Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and
landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when
traveling and not on take off or landing.
Flying: The Falcon can reach a top speed of Mach 2.0 (1539 mph/2476.8
kph) on full afterburner (the fighter can only last a few minutes at that
speed). The fighters normal cruise is about 600 mph (965.6 kph) but varies
on situation. The fighter has a maximum altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240
m)
Range: 1,100 nautical miles (1,265.9 miles/2,037.2 km) with
no external ordnance load. The fighter can carry up to three fuel tanks
(center and outer middle hard points) that extend range by about 195 nautical
miles (225 miles/362.1 km) each Reduce aircrafts range by 15% if partially
loaded (Over 2 long range missiles, 4 medium range missile or 8 short range
missiles) and by 25% if fully loaded. The Falcon can be refueled in the
air.
Statistical Data:
Height: 16 feet (4.8 meters)
Wingspan: 32 feet, 8 inches (9.8 meters)
Length: 49 feet, 5 inches (14.8 meters)
Weight: 15,586 pounds (7,070 kg) empty, 23,810 pounds (10,800
kg) lightly loaded, and 35,400 pounds (16,057 kg)
Power System: Conventional, One Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200/220
(23,770 / 23,830 lbs thrust) or General Electric F110-GE-100/129 (27,600
/ 31,600 lbs thrust) turbofan engine with afterburner, uses aviation fuel
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment), does not include
hard points
Black Market Cost: 3.1 million credits (Can sometimes sell for
double that price)
Weapon Systems:
- 20mm MK-61A1 Vulcan cannon:
This is the original Pre-Rifts
cannon mounted in the side of the fighter. It is also the same cannon design
as is carried on the F-14 Tomcat and the FA-18. They have replaced the
standard ammo with mega damage, armor piercing ramjet ammunition which
allows the aircraft to hold it own against other Rifts aircraft. The gun
mount is controlled by the fighters pilot in both the single seat and two
seat variants.
Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).
Mega Damage: 1D6x10 for a burst of 30 round, 2D4 for each round.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of
the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: 480 rounds (16 bursts)
- Hard Points (9):
The F-16 has nine hard points for ordnance
(The aircraft has 2 additional hard points but those are for electro-optical,
infra-red, and terrain following pods which have been replaced by new equipment).
Below is a list of hard points and the loads that they can carry. Missiles,
rocket packs, and bombs can be mixed or matched but all ordnance on a hard
point must be the same type.
Central Hard Point: Fuel Tanks, Towed Decoy, ECM Pod, or Bombs
(1 heavy, 2 medium, or 4 light)
Inner Wing Hard Points: Fuel Tanks, Towed Decoy, Rocket packs,
or Missiles/Bombs (1 Long Range Missile /Heavy, 2 Medium Range/Medium,
or 4 Short Range/Light)
Middle Wing Hard Points: ECM Pod, Towed Decoy, Rocket packs,
or Missiles/Bombs (1 Long Range Missile /Heavy, 2 Medium Range/Medium,
or 4 Short Range/Light)
Outer Wing Hard Points: Towed Decoy or Missiles only (1 medium
range missile or 2 short range missiles)
Wing Tip Hard Points: Towed Decoy or Missiles only (1 medium
range missile or 2 short range missiles)
- Bombs and Missiles:
The only restriction is that a hard point
must carry all the same type of missiles or bombs. Both unguided and guided
bombs can be carried. In two pilot versions, short range missile racks
are controlled by either the pilot or the weapons officer.
Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile
and varies by altitude bombs are dropped at (Go to
Revised
bomb and missile table).
Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (Go to Revised
bomb and missile table).
Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired and bombs can be dropped
one at a time per hard point. Multiple hard points can be linked as one
attack but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of
ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley)
Payload: Varies by hard point (see above - all ordnance on a
hard point must be the same size and type of ordnance)
- Mini-Missile Pod:
Large capacity mini-missile pod. The mini
missile pods are normally carried for ground strafing, anti-troop, and
anti-emplacement attacks. Normal missile used are armor piercing, plasma,
or fragmentation mini-missiles. In two pilot versions, mini missile pods
are controlled by the pilot.
Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles
only (Go to Revised
bomb and missile table).
Damage: Varies with mini-missile types (Go to Revised
bomb and missile table).
Rate of fire: Each pod can fire one at a time or in volleys
of 2, 4, 8, or 16 and can be linked with other mini missile pods for greater
number of missiles (Counts as one attack no matter how many missiles in
volley)
Payload: each pod carries 16 mini-missile.
- Active Jamming Pod:
Pod takes place of all ordnance on the
Hard Point. Causes -25% to detection but when it is active, other vehicles/
bases can detect that it is jamming, and some missiles will home in on
jamming signals. Jamming also causes a -4 penalty to all radar guided weapons.
- Towed Decoys (4):
The pod takes place of all ordnance on
the Hard Point. The aircraft can carry a special pod that carries four
advanced towed decoy drones. These drones are dragged about 328 feet (100
meters) behind the aircraft on a thin cable. Each is a specially designed
radar lure that creates a radar image to mimic the aircraft. If decoys
are not destroyed, they can be recovered and repaired. Rifts Earth decoy
systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World weapons due to technological
difference.
M.D.C.: 5
Effects: The decoy has an 65% chance of fooling ordinary non
military radars and non smart guided missiles, the decoy has a 35% chance
of fooling military level radars (like those of the Coalition), and the
decoy has a 10% chance of fooling advanced military radars (Like those
of the New Navy and Triax) and smart missiles.
Range: Not Applicable although the decoy is deployed 328 feet
(100 meters) from the aircraft
Rate of fire: One can be deployed at a time and requires 15
seconds to deploy (Reel Out) another decoy
Payload: 4 Decoys each pod.
- Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispenser (1):
Use the same effects
as the TRIAX model. However, each time the system is engaged, the system
fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares. Rifts Earth decoy systems are assumed
to not operate against Phase World missiles due to technological difference.
Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (Add +20% to rolls for smart
missiles.)
Effect:
01-50 Enemy missile or missile volley detonates in chaff cloud - Missiles
are all destroyed
51-75 Enemy missile or missile volley loses track of real target and
veers away in wrong direction (May lock onto another target
76-00 No effect, missile is still on target
Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind flying monsters that
fly through cloud. They will suffer the following penalties: reduce melee
attacks/actions, combat bonuses, and speed by half. Duration: 1D4 melee
rounds.
Payload: 20 chaff, 40 flares. Each time the system is engaged,
the system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares.
Special Equipment:
The equipment of the fighter has been upgraded but many of the original
systems are still on the fighter. Consider the fighter to carry all standard
equipment that robot vehicles carry (not including loudspeaker and microphone)
plus the following extra systems:
- APG-68 Radar: Medium range radar capable of tracking both air targets
and ground targets. The radar system also has terrain following capacity.
The fighter can track up to 10 targets simultaneously and can target and
fire on up to ten targets simultaneously. On the FA-16D variant with, with
a crew of two, the weapon officer frees the pilot from controlling the
missiles so he can retain his full attacks. Range: 69 miles (60 nautical
miles/ 111.1 km)
- E.S.M.: Radar Detector, Passively detects other radars being operated.
- FLIR: Forward Looking Infrared. Allows pilot and weapons officer
to get visuals on targets at night.
Combat Bonuses:
+1 to Strike with 20 mm Gun and Mini-Missile Launchers.
+2 to dodge
+5 to dodge while traveling over 250 Mph
[Golden Age Weaponsmiths, Wellington Industries, and TRIAX are trademarks
owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and
Palladium Books Inc.]
Image drawn and copyrighted by Lou Drendel (mentor29@mail.idt.net).
More of his artwork at Artwork by Lou Drendel
By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune ).
Copyright © 1998 & 2001, Kitsune. All rights reserved.
