VF-17 Nightmare

General Galaxy VF-17 Nightmare

Program

Type: UN Spacy special operations variable fighter and heavy battroid
Equipment Type: Variable Vehicles
Manufacturer: General Galaxy
Government: U.N.
Customers: UNS

Special operations variable fighter developed by General Galaxy. Pinpoint attacks on enemy positions was considered to be a difficult task for the current main fighter at the time, the VF-11 Thunderbolt. The VF-17 with standard equipment even exceeds the combat ability of VF-11 with Super parts and with various equipment. In addition, stealth performance was considered important for deployment and active stealth technology was not introduced to the airframe yet (the YF-19 and YF-21 would apply it for practical use), so the external form uses a stealth polyhedron composition. Total number of units produced is 718.

Variants

VF-17A: First mass produced version using FF-2009E engines.
VF-17C: Version with improved avionics.
VF-17D: Mass produced version currently in UN Spacy service. Two head-turret-mounted rear anti-aircraft laser guns and improved FF-2100X engines.
VF-17S: Version assigned to team leaders. Four head-turret-mounted rear anti-aircraft laser guns and improved engines with 10% greater thrust than VF-17D.
VF-17T: Two-seater trainer version.
VF-17T Custom: One VF-17T was customized by the Macross 7 Special Technologies Group with internal sound system and speaker launcher pod.

Design Features

Variable-geometry-sweep (VG) wing with sawtooth delta wing standard cruising configuration; forward underwing surface blends with forward fuselage; vertical T-O and landing (VTOL); high maneuverability vernier thrusters in clusters of three strategically placed for maximum maneuverability in space; two-dimensional horizontal thrust vectoring with two independently pivoting exhaust nozzles; option of external radome. To maintain stealth nature, armaments are internalized. Enlarged body for reserving payload. Strengthened armor in Battroid mode equal to Armored Valkyrie (forearm armor is used instead of a shield). High dog-fighting capability in Battroid mode (development knowledge of large-sized units obtained from VF-14 Vampire were utilized in the design). Improvements to Macross 7's Diamond Force units increased output by 20% and application to other VFs within the fleet were planned.

Landing Gear: Retractable tricycle undercarriage. Two steerable nosewheels retract rearward into nose and twin coupled mainwheels rearward into fuselage.

Flying Controls

Conventional digital flight control system. Minimal inclusion of atmospheric control surfaces (this fighter is primarily designed for space use); vertical inward-canted tail surfaces mounted on lower arm/weapons nacelles.

Powerplant

Two 55000 kg [x g] class (maximum thrust in outer space) Shinnakasu Heavy Industry/P&W/Roice FF-2100X thermonuclear turbine engines in VF-17D.
Two 59500 kg [x g] class (maximum thrust in outer space) Shinnakasu Heavy Industry/P&W/Roice FF-2100X Custom thermonuclear turbine engines installed in VF-17S and VF-17T Custom.
Rhomboid upper fuselage air intakes with retractable shutters in Battroid mode or space use. Auxiliary air intakes in horizontal surface under fuselage/upper leg section with retractable hatches in Battroid mode or space use.
Two-dimensional horizontal independent vectored exhaust nozzles, for enhanced V/STOL performance and maneuverability.
Over 30 P&W HMM-6B (HMM-6D in VF-17T Custom) high-maneuverability vernier thrusters in cluster of three mounted on upper and lower wing tips, vertical stabilizers, both starboard and port side of upper and lower surfaces of the nose, and other strategic points.
Option of fold booster mounted above fuselage.
Option of two space/atmospheric FAST Pack propellant tank/booster units mounted on dorsal section and two conformal propellant tanks mounted on either side of the fuselage in Fighter mode or on lower leg in GERWALK and Battroid modes.
Optional sound booster unit (VF-17T Custom).

Accommodation

Pilot only; pressurized canopy with four individually framed flat-plate windows, including single-piece windscreen. VF-17T and VF-17T Custom has two seats.

Avionics

HUD, side-stick controller (removed and customized with functioning keyboard sound sitck control mounted on gimbal-and-joint system and throttle and options control on slider for HOTAS use in VF-17T Custom), throttle lever, attached to cockpit outer frame; radar, main display, wrap-around imaging monitor screens in Battroid mode. VF-17T Custom includes sound plate system for second seat. Two sensors mounted in Battroid mode forward and one aft (upward in Fighter and GERWALK mode) in head turret (additional one facing upward in Battroid mode in VF-17S). Two sensors mounted on leading wing edge. Sensors embedded in conformal soft pads lining manipulator. Option of external radome mounted above fuselage. Optional sound booster unit with hybrid sensors and four sound energy systems (VF-17T Custom).

Armament

Fixed anti-aircraft laser gun turrets (two barrels in VF-17D, four barrels in VF-17S) mounted on head-turret.
Two fixed small-bore forward laser guns mounted on both sides of the cockpit.
Two fixed medium-bore laser beam guns (each with two opposite-facing barrels, one retractable and traversable) mounted in front of vertical stabilizers in Fighter and GERWALK mode or in forearm section in Battroid mode.
One General Galaxy MC-17A 40mm multipurpose seven-barrelled gatling gun pod (with retractable handle and fore grip, folding stock, muzzle sensors, and strap) mounted with an exit port and stealth covers in lower main fuselage in all modes or ejectible from lower leg section into manipulator in Battroid mode (one spare gun pod magazine or one gunpod beam adaptor stored in lower main fuselage in Fighter mode or in opposite lower leg section in Battroid mode).
Two micro-missile launchers with two exit ports each in main fuselage near the wing leading root in Fighter mode or in shoulder section in Battroid mode. (Internal standard equipment capable of being exchanged for other weapon packs.)
Option of two large-caliber beam gun [pulse laser gun] FAST Pack weapon units mounted on dorsal section or on the back in Battroid mode with adjustable angle-of-fire and two micro-missile FAST Pack weapon units mounted on either side of the fuselage in Fighter mode or on lower leg in GERWALK and Battroid modes.
Numerous manipulator-held options including Spiritia absorption pod developed on Macross 7 fleet after Operation Stargazer 2046 Feburary.

In order to maintain passive stealthiness, the VF-17 does not normally use any Super Parts or external weapon stations.

VF-17T Custom

External speaker-pod-shooting launcher pod mounted with an exit port and stealth covers in lower main fuselage in all modes or ejectible from lower leg section into manipulator in Battroid mode.
Two fixed medium-bore laser beam guns (each with two opposite-facing barrels, one retractable and traversable) mounted in front of vertical stabilizers in Fighter and GERWALK mode or in forearm section in Battroid mode.
Four micro-missile launchers mounted on dorsal section in Fighter mode or in shoulders in GERWALK and Battroid modes.
Underwing mountings for gunpod Gamma (called Sigma during development) with pin-point-barrier-penetrator-equipped speaker pod Gamma developed by Dr. Gadget M. Chiba for use by VF-19 Custom.

Dimensions, External

Fighter mode:

Wing span: 14.18m
- VF-17T Custom sound booster: 18.06

Length overall: 15.63m
- VF-17T, VF-17T Custom: 16.13m
  - VF-17T Custom sound booster: 15.57m

Height overall: 3.68m

Battroid mode:

Height, overall
- VF-17D (without laser cannons): 15.18m
- VF-17S (without laser cannons): 15.82m
- VF-17T Custom: 15.65m

Masses and Loadings

Mass empty
- VF-17D: 11850 kg [10100, 11750 kg]
- VF-17S: 11850 kg
- VF-17T custom: 12200 kg
  - VF-17T Custom sound booster: 9200 kg

Performance

Fighter Mode

Cruising speed
- standard in atmosphere at 10000 m: Mach 4.0+

Max Cruising speed
- at 30,000+ m: Mach 21+

Ceiling : Unlimited (Capable of launching into satellite orbit over an Earth-class planet)

Maximum rate of climb at S/L: 42500 m/min
- VF-17T Custom: 42000 m/min

Combat action radius (in atmosphere): Nearly unlimited

g limits: +33.5/-18.0

GERWALK mode

Minimum T-O/Landing run: 0 m (VTOL capable)

Appendices

Appearances

Debut: Macross 7
Other Appearances: Macross Dynamite 7

Background

Designer: Shoji Kawamori

External links