VF-25 Messiah
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Shinsei Industry/ Macross Frontier Arsenal Original Development/L.A.I. VF-25/MF25 Messiah
Contents
Program
- Manufacturer: Shinsei Industry/ Macross Frontier Arsenal Original Development/L.A.I.
The VF-25 Messiah is one of the newest-generation variable fighters used by humans in 2059. Shinsei Industry/ Macross Frontier Arsenal Original Development/ Macross Frontier fleet's L.A.I. independently developed the VF-25 from the YF-24 prototype as the potential successor to the VF-171, the main variable fighter of the New U.N. Spacy. It has not been deployed to the New U.N. Forces yet, but has been deployed early to the S.M.S. for field testing in real combat scenarios. Its offensive weapons include a gatling gun, beam cannons, laser guns in the head unit, and a close-combat knife in its shield. It is observed to have a new model of gun pod and other features, but as a vehicle under secret development, most of its specifications are still unknown. Designed for multipurpose deployment, such as a fighter plane, an attack plane, a fighter-bomber, a reconnaissance plane and command machine for unmanned combat aerial vehicles are possible by exchanging modules. Fighters can be customized according to the pilot and characteristics of the mission.
As a special feature, it can be equipped with an EX-Gear reinforced-exoskeleton (powered suit) that connects to its cockpit. The EX-Gear system and the new Inertia Capacitor (ICS) supports and reduces the burden on the pilot, allowing more mobility and combat capability to exceed limits of manned maneuvering. Because of the limits of the pilot's body, it has always been nearly impossible for a fighter to reach its full potential. This problem, as addressed by the AVF Development Project in 2040, has finally been overcome. Moreover, the power output, armaments, sensors, etc. have all been completely integrated, resulting in greatly enhanced performance. Unlike the VF-1 Valkyrie's Armored system which is limited to Battroid-mode use only, the VF-25's Armored parts can still be mounted while transforming. The Armored pack allows it to function as a heavy-combat attack fighter and is restricted to team leaders due to high costs. A high-maneuverability Super pack is also available.
Although the VF-25 was developed based on the baseline design of the YF-24 and was a state-of-the-art multi-role Variable Fighter, it was inferior to the Vajra. Thereupon, a beam gun was installed on a VF-25, developed from the heavy quantum beam gun miniaturization technology that was brought from the Macross Galaxy Fleet. However, although the beam gun was miniaturized, when securing at a depressed angle of elevation, the huge beam gun turret negatively affected control of the aircraft. The Tornado Pack is additional equipment that was developed with the objectives of using powerful thrust to negate the deterioration in control management while bestowing high maneuverability. The VF-25 equipped with this pack was put into combat as the VF-25F/TW1 Anti-Vajra Trial Heavy Quantum Beam Gun Operating Proving Craft, or commonly known as "the Tornado Valkyrie". This data was used in the development for the YF-29 Durandal.
Variants
- VF-25A: Mass produced version.
- VF-25F: Improved Air Combat Ability version. Enhanced engines, avionics, fire-control system (FCS), and targetting systems.
- VF-25G: Version with a sniper rifle as standard equipment. Head turret mono-eye adjusted for sniping. Head turret identical to VF-25A.
- VF-25S: Version used by team leaders with enhancements to every system. Enhanced engine output. Assistance program for battalion and squadron commanders.
- RVF-25: Version with enhanced electronic warfare capabilities, equipped with large-sized radome and Aegis pack Custom AP-SF-01+. High precision sensor antennas and high-efficiency sensors built into head. Camera-eye is mounted on the outside of the head.
Design Features
ISC (Inertia Store Converter): Shinsei Industry Macross Frontier Arsenal / LAI Company self-development specification ISC/TO21. Incorporates EX-Gear. Remote control from outside the fighter by EX-Gear is possible via connect slave function. VG wing. Anchoring system (VF-25G). Enhanced communication systems, as well as an on-board AI equipped with battle tactic command programs for assistance (VF-25S). X-shape dorsal and ventral tail fins allow control even if one fin is removed and 3 remain. Newly developed linear actuator improves the transforming system so a majority of moving parts are never in contact, but shift electromagnetically, reducing the transformation time by two-thirds. Also, many of the more fragile mechanisms have been abandoned, resulting in fewer malfunctions, less maintenance, and improved durability for the Battroid mode. Normally, a VF-series' energy converting armor is not active in fighter mode while surplus energy from the engines is used in Battroid mode, however, due to the APS-25A/M25 high-capacity capacitor for the beam guns, energy converting armor is available in all modes. High capacity capacitor built into frontal section of the booster pod. Due to increased waste heat, 4 armored heat sinks (2 on the right and left with built-in Phased array radar) added to the engine pods. APS-25A/P-011 armored block for the aircraft nose exists but was waived due the opinion of Ozma Lee that visibility in close-quarter combat and emergency escape of the aircraft nose was lost. A pinpoint barrier has been centered on the nose to compensate for the lost of armor. Trial manufacture Tornado pack, for dual-use within atmosphere and outside of atmosphere, has lower air resistance than Super Packs. TW1 Tornado pack made exclusively for the VF-25 is more expensive than Armored pack. Since the flight path is reminiscent of a tornado, it was given the pet name, "Tornado". Additional Tornado pack equipment for outer-space use.
- Landing Gear: Catapult link bar for carrier launch. Thicken column to support Super parts, other equipment and the impact of carrier landings.
Powerplant
- Two Shinsei Industry/ P&W/ RR FF-3001A Stage II thermonuclear reaction turbine engine (in space, maximum thrust of 1,620 kN)
- Thrust reverser, Equipped with 3D-maneuvering nozzles.
- P&W HMM-9 High maneuverability thrusters
- In atmosphere, The air intake shutters open, functioning as an air suction system. In space, the shutters are closed and internal propellant is used. Front fuselage slit allows for Boundary layer control (BLC) by air suction as well as reducing air resistance.
- Optional fighter-size, general-purpose fold booster.
- Optional Shinsei Industries SPS-25S/MF25 Super parts (Two main boosters units with four Gobishi Heavy industries SLE-7A main booster engines, one Gobishi Heavy Industries SLE-3A sub booster engine located in the tail booster). Maximum total thrust (main booster and sub booster engines) of 2940 kN. Ten Gobishi Heavy Industries SLE-1C High-maneuverability verniers.
- Optional Shinsei Industries APS-25A/MF25 Armored pack. Four Gobishi Heavy Industry SLE-7A/A main booster engines. Maximum booster engine output of 2940 kN. Ten Gobishi Heavy Industries SLE-1B High-maneuverability verniers.
- Optional TW1 Tornado pack. Two D-30R1 Combined Jet/rocket engines are installed into each TW1-TJR Mobile Jet/Rocket Pod located on the wings. High-maneuverability verniers. Additional equipment for outer-space use. Auxiliary propellant tanks and atmospheric reentry fairings are installed into the tips of the engine pods. TW1-CFT conformal propellant tanks installed on each leg.
Accommodation
One pilot with EX-Gear. EX-Gear functions as an ejection seat. Although normally a single seat-craft, the rear is equipped with an auxiliary seat. Auxiliary seat is hidden by a cover. At time of use, the cover is pulled and the auxiliary seat rises. Auxiliary seat is a normal ejection seat.
Avionics
Built-in active stealth system antenna. SWAG Energy Conversion armor System, internal MDP/S-02 multipurpose Chaff/Flare/Smoke Discharger System. AA/AS/SF-06 integrated radar located in the nose. Various antennae and radar systems located in the tailfins. LC-212 heat-resistant compound material made by L.A.I. used for nose radome. Additional APN-2000 antennas mounted on the lower right and left of nose section. The bulge on the outside of the engine pod functions as air/dive brake and is equipped with MDP/S-02 internal discharger.
- Gunner Kit built into EX-Gear. FCF-21b FCS precision fire-control booster located in front avionics bay (VF-25G).
- VGA-14A integrated sensor located in nose radome with AE-35 Custom electronic warfare system booster unit in central avionics bay located in front of cockpit. This is part of the Aegis pack-system. (RVF-25)
- Radome located on dorsal side in fighter and GERWALK mode. Antenna located on the ventral side in fighter mode. Radome detects targets in real-time by fold waves with a maximum detectable distance is approximately one Light-day when deployed in outer space. Improved for anti-Vajra use by L.A.I. Corporation using fold quartz. It detects targets using fold waves instead of electromagnetic waves. Radome disk uses DSAF-03 electromagnetic wave/fold wave sensor and fold-wave ESF-1000 phased-array radar panel on the ventral side as the core of the system. Radome and Phased array radar panel can be jettisoned if necessary. It can identify up to 2048 targets simultaneously and can guide long to medium-range missiles at 128 targets at the same time. Because fold waves are applied to the control scheme, control of QF-4000 Ghost-series is possible at long distances without lag time. Maximum of 6 QF-4000 Ghost-series can be controlled. Fold Communication Guidance system mounted on Super parts. (RVF-25)
- Two Yashima Heavy Industries C-207 high-capacity capacitors to power beam guns, energy conversion armor and pinpoint barrier system. Armored pack uses 2nd generation-type ASWAG enhanced energy converting armor. ASSA-021A compound sensor antenna for improving command capabilities mounted on the rear fuselage with additional infrared sensors and monitor cameras equipped in the armor pack (APS-25A/M25 Armored pack).
Armament
Standard armament
- Mauler ROV-127C 12.7mm coaxial beam gun (Mauler ROV-217C 12.7mm laser machine gun used in 1st movie and 2nd movie). (One barrel on VF-25A and VF-25G, Two barrels on VF-25F, four barrels on VF-25S, none on RVF-25), located on head turret.
- Gun pod
- One Howard GU-17A 58mm Gatling gun pod. Retractable cover exposes barrels for cooling.
- One SSL-9B Dragunov semi/fully-automatic anti-armor projectile-firing sniper rifle for long-range precision shooting (VF-25G). Standard 12+1 round magazine (Drum magazine with 35 rounds is available) located on the underside near cooling fins. Built-in optical scope. Error margin of less than 10cm at a shooting distance of 20km with AI fire-control. The sniper rifle has balancers that open on the barrel during firing to assist in targeting. The barrel uses electromagnetic rails for maximum acceleration with SP-55X 55mm ultra-high-speed armor-piercing round. Muzzle velocity of SP-55X cartridge is 6,200 m/s (SSL-9B's linear driver, in addition to the chemical reaction, can increase muzzle velocity to 7,490 m/s for ultra-long-range firing in space). Ultra-hard-metal jackets on ultra-dense alloy bullets can penetrate 300-mm-thick GFS-a2 composite armor used by Destroids.
- Option of (located at the wing joint)
- Two Remington ES-25A 25mm high-speed machine gun
- or
- Two Mauler ROV-25 25mm beam machine gun
- Note: The 25 mm machine gun and gun pod are later refit with the anti-Vajra MDE warhead specification. SSL-9B later modified for anti-Vajra use with MDE high-speed cartridge.
- AK/VF-M9 1.65m Ka-Bar OTEC Assault Knife for close combat in Battroid or GERWALK mode stored in shield. Can be reinforced with pin-point barrier.
- Six underwing hardpoints for additional equipment.
- Shield mounted on center rear dorsal fuselage in Fighter mode or on lower left arm section in GERWALK and Battroid modes.
- Pin-Point Barrier system
Optional armament
- Optional packs
- Shinsei Industries SPS-25S/MF25 High-maneuverability Super FAST pack. Two Bifors CIMM-3A micro-missile launchers pods with 3 exit ports, located in main booster units. Two Remmington HMM-5A close-in micro-missile CIWS launcher pod located over shoulders in Battroid mode. Two armored intake units. Two additional armor units for main manipulator. Two additional engine block armored units. Groin/hip armor unit. Optional reconnaissance-in-force unit, beam gun, or reaction warhead missile container can substitute for micro-missile launcher pod, if necessary.
- Shinsei Industries APS-25A/MF25 Armored pack which can be used in all three transformation modes, unlike the armored systems of previous variable fighters. Two HMM-5A Mobile Remmington micro-missile CIWS launcher pod mounted on the chest and shoulders in Battroid mode with 4 CIWS micro-missile launcher pods (20 micro-missiles in each chest launcher, and 38 micro-missiles in each shoulder launcher). Four Remmington Close Range Micro-missile Launcher Pod Double Loaded Type, mounted on the legs, 2 launchers on each leg, 2 sets of missiles per launcher, 16 missiles per launcher. Two Howard 15-tube 200 mm anti-armor high-initial velocity rocket launcher pod mounted on the rocket pods on the main wings and are mounted fore of the fuselage in fighter mode. Four ROV-22 22mm beam machine guns. Two Otto/Sentinel 57mm anti-warship anti-air rapid fire swiveling beam turret (autonomous fire is possible). If necessary, it can be equipped with an additional 4 to 8 conventional or reaction warhead equipped large size anti-warship missiles. It is possible to change the Micro-missile warheads to anti-Vajra MDE warheads, as well as the rapid-fire beam gun to an MDE particle beam gun.
- TW1 Tornado pack. TW1-HPC/M25 Prototype Heavy Quantum Beam Gun Turret with reaction engine, power condenser and cooling unit. At maximum output, the beam's continuous radiating time is less than 5 seconds, and the beam generating unit's lifespan is 300 seconds [ROV-E75X swiveling/rotating beam cannon turret]. Positioned over the shoulders in Battroid mode. Beam cannon cooling hatches and FED-115R Power capacitor/refrigeration unit deploys to the rear when at low speeds in outer space. Ten Bifors BLM-02S Micro-missile launchers located on the wings with 3 launchers built into right and 3 into the left sides of the TW1-WCA Fixed Main Wing Reinforcing Units. LLM-03A Large outer-space micro-missile Pods, equipped under the wings.
Dimensions, External
Fighter mode
- Length, overall: 18.72 m
- Length, overall: 20.12 m, with cooling units extended (TW1 Tornado pack)
- Wingspan (full extended): 15.50 m
- with Tornado pack: 17.05 m
- Height (without landing gear): 4.03 m
- Height with TW1 Tornado pack (without landing gear, to the top of the turret when beam gun barrels are horizontal): 4.5 m
Battroid mode
- Height
- (without laser guns) 14.53 m
- (with laser guns): 15.59 m
Mass and Loadings
- Mass empty: 8,450 kg
- Standard operating weight (SPS-25S/M25 Super parts): 28t (includes 15t of chemical propellant and micro missile pods)
- Standard sortie weight (VF-25 with APS-25A/M25 Armored pack): 52t
- Standard operating weight (APS-25A/M25 Armored pack): 40t (15t of propellant, about 9t in missile weight. All 15t of fuel can be spent in 2 minutes at maximum thrust and about 15-20 minutes during combat maneuvers).
- Mass empty (with TW1 Tornado pack): 10,070 kg
Performance
Fighter mode
- Maximum speed:
- standard, in atmosphere at 10000 m: Mach 5.0+, on account of the fuselage heat-resistance boundary.
- Ceiling : Unlimited (Capable of launching into satellite orbit over an Earth-class planet)
- Maximum airframe design load: 27.5G at maximum acceleration for 120 seconds (When ISC operates, the cockpit is protected from high G.)
with SPS-25S/MF25 Super parts
- Maximum Initial acceleration: 15G (booster rockets + thrust of main engines) when fully loaded, Acceleration improves as more fuel is consumed.
- Instant acceleration is close to 30G when the missiles are exhausted.
with APS-25A/M25 Armored pack
- Maximum Acceleration: about 11.5+ G (including the VF-25's engines at maximum thrust. Maneuverability improves as more fuel is consumed.)
with TW1 Tornado pack
- Maximum speed:
- Mach 4.0+ although it can accelerate greater than this speed, the speed limit is due to the strength and heat-resistant limit of the beam gun turret.
Appendices
Appearances
- Debut: Macross Frontier (every episode)
Background
- Designer: Shoji Kawamori, Junya Ishigaki (cockpit)
According to Kawamori, the VF-25 is a deliberate attempt to move away from the silhouettes of current real-world fighters, which are dominated by an emphasis on (passive) stealth. He also notes that since this is the first major Valkyrie that transforms in all modes with its Armored parts still attached, he gave the unarmored fighter a slim profile. He thinks the VF-25 resembles a slimmer VF-1 Valkyrie in Fighter mode, but transforms like a VF-19 Excalibur.
The official Japanese Macross Frontier website is holding a mobile phone contest from March 10 to April 20, 2008 to name the VF-25. The winning entry will be announced on the website on May 10.
According to an article in the June 2008 issue of Kadokawa Shoten's Newtype magazine called "The Official Art of Macross Frontier", the name "Messiah" (メサイア) invokes the image of Alto's white model and the lyrics of the song "Shao Pai Lo[o]n" ("Little White Dragon") from The Super Dimension Fortress Macross.