The VF-5000 Star Mirage is a Variable Fighter.
Technnology & Combat Characteristics
When the aerospace engineering divisions of VF-1 co-developers Stonewell/Bellcom and Shinnakasu Heavy Industries merged in 2012, their first project was a program to improve on the VF-1 through the adoption of Zentradi overtechnology. The end result of that project was the VF-5000, a lightweight support and air superiority variable fighter, though its roles expanded to include aggressor and trainer assignments after mass production ended. The VF-5000 served as the atmosphere-specialized counterpart to the VF-4 Lightning III during the 2020s, supplanting the VF-1 and VF-5, before being replaced by the VF-11 Thunderbolt in the 2030s.
After the introduction of the VF-11, many Star Mirages were sold into the colonial defense market. The most famous user of the VF-5000's export variants was the allied world of Zola, whose police forces were equipped with VF-5000G Star Mirage units armed with non-lethal adhesive-firing weaponry.
Specifications
'Unit type: 'general-purpose lightweight air superiority variable fighter' Manufacturer: 'Shinsei Industry' Empty mass: '8300 kg' Powerplant type: 'Shinsei/P&W/Roice FF-2015RB thermonuclear reaction turbine engine x 2' Powerplant output: '12500 kg each' Vernier thruster type: 'P&W HMM-3A' Armament: 'anti-aircraft pulse laser cannon x 1, gun pod x 1, micro-missile launcher x 4' Optional armament: 'shock gun pod x 1' Optional equipment: 'air/space booster pack and weaponry system, FAST Pack system, atmospheric-escape ramjet booster pack system' Crew: '1 pilot Pilot: Liza Hoyly Mechanical designer: Shoji Kawamori
Fighter mode: Overall length: '14.03 meters' Maximum atmospheric level speed at 10000 meters: 'Mach 2.85' Maximum atmospheric level speed at 30000+ meters: 'Mach 4.73+