VF-3000 Crusader

Stonewell Bellcom/Shinnakasu VF-3000 Crusader

Program

Equipment type Variable fighter
Government United Nations
Manufacturer Stonewell Bellcom/Shinnakasu
Type Variable fighter
Customers Various national factions within the United Nations (planned).

Remodeled version of the Stonewell/Bellcom VF-1 Valkyrie offered as an ability improvement unit in the development plan of the VF-1. This unit aimed at enhancing performance and equipment improvements by enlarging the VF-1 while simultaneously eliminating its shortcomings base on extensive operational data. As a result, this unit's performance surpassed the VF-1's but mass production was passed because adoption of the VF-4 Lightning III, where development was pushed forward, occurred during the same time. [Intended to be licensed by independent national factions within the United Nations with proprietary technologies incorporated by each. Because the design had a stretched elongated body compared to the VF-1 Valkyrie, the joints tended to slip slightly.] As a result, only a few units were produced. Stonewell Bellcom (the division formed from the later merger of Stonewell and Bellcom) and Shinnakasu developed the VF-5000 from the VF-3000 design, and produced the VF-5000 after the companies' aerospace development divisions merged to form Shinsei Industry.

Development of the VF-3000 started as one of the ability improvement units for the VF-1 development plan at a time when the issue of a successor to the VF-1 emerged. However, it remained out of full-scale mass production because adoption of the VF-4, as the successor to the VF-1, and small number were produced for testing. Operation data of the testing units were reflected in the development of the VF-5000 Star Mirage and a few testing units were deployed with the special operations unit "Dancing Skulls" (around 2020).

Variants

VF-3000B: Bomber variant. Tail assembly combines horizontal stabilizer and vertical tail fin to the rear fuselage. Long, sharp nose in fighter mode. Similar forearm and legs to the VF-3000 yet different battroid torso and has a slender appearance. (Advanced Valkyrie)*

Design Features

VG wing; VTOL capability. Features extensive improvement to body structure and transformation mechanism from the VF-1. Battroid silhouette reminiscent of the VF-1 but aims to improve defensive abilities of the multiple armored cockpit block and radome.

Flying controls

Enlarged tail fins form X-shape.

Powerplant

Two 22,500 kg (maximum thrust in outer space) Shinnakasu/P&W/Royce FF-2450A thermonuclear turbine engines.
Auxiliary nozzles above engine nacelles and in the aft center in fighter mode.

Accommodation

(Two. Although the plane is double seated, it can be operated with only one person {Advanced Valkyrie version}*).

Armament

Two Mauler ROV-22 anti-aircraft laser machine gun, mounted on the left side of head turret in battroid mode.
Large-bore laser gun, mounted on the right side of head turret in battroid mode.
One Howard GU-11 55mm Gatling gun pod.
Six under-wing hard point weapon stations.

Measurements

Length, overall: 15.5 m
Width, overall: 16.1 m

Mass and Loadings

Mass, empty: 11,950 kg

Performance

Cruising speed, at 10,000 m: Mach 3.1+

Appendices

Appearances

Debut Macross M3

Background

Designer Shoji Kawamori
Designation inspiration Dassault Mirage 2000

Note: Shoji Kawamori initially developed the VF-3000 in 1985 for the Advanced Valkyrie project, a Bandai model series that never saw mass production. At the time, Kawamori insisted that the project was not part of the Macross universe. However, he did say after its cancellation that the VF-3000 could be included in the Macross universe, if he could modify and finish its design first.