Copyright 2000 by Brandon Cope
 

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Unlimited Aeronautics AH-9D Deva light attack helicopter (TL8)

This is a fast attack helicopter, suitable for use by a megacorp or the military of a small (or financially limited) country. Richer nations may also find it useful as a scout or second-line attack helicopters, or issue it to reserve units.

A "stripped" version is also available: down-grade the structure to cheap, replace the AESA with a 25 mile radar and the PESA with a 25 mile thermograph, drop basic stealth and IR cloaking. Cost plummets to $453,059 and free lift drops to 32 (!) lbs. Maintenance interval is 30.4 hours. This version is more common with small megacorps, small fortified towns and very poor countries.

 Subassemblies: rotors, three small wheels, limited rotation (chin) turret
 Body Features: fair streamlining
 Propulsion: one 885 kW TTR drivetrain
 Weaponry (turret): 25mmC chaingun, 1600x25mmC APDS rounds or 1000x25mmC APEX shells
 Weapon Accessories (turret): full stabilization
 Weaponry (each stub wing): 2x400-lb hardpoints, 1x500-lb hardpoint, 1x200-lb hardpoint (typical stores are 4xATGM-152s or 1x500-lb laser-guided retarded bomb, plus 1xSidewinder II)
 Instruments and electronics (body): scrambled long range radios x2, IFF x2, military GPS, small computers x2, terminals x2, HUDWAC, AESA (25 mile, Scan 19), PESA (25 mile, Scan 19), optical bombsight, digital camera, terrain-following radar, advanced radar/laser detector, laser spot tracker
 Miscellaneous: fire extinguisher system (body), one discharger and 5 reloads (each stub wing)
 Controls: Computer
 Occupancy: Short
 Passengers: None
 Crew: Pilot and gunner in normal crewstations
 Environmental Systems: 12 man/hours limted life-support
 Power: two 450 kW gas turbine, each uses 24.75 gph, 1 rE-cell
 Fuel: two self-sealing fuel tanks (two 60-gallon tanks body), 120 gallons diesel
 Access, Cargo and Empty Space: body: 24.21 cf access, 4.65 cf empty, no cargo; each wing: 4.5 cf empty, turret: 0.36 cf empty
 Volumes: Body 160 cf, each Wing 8 cf, wheels 8 cf, Turret 8 cf, Rotors 3.2 cf; Surface Area: Body 177 sf, each wing 36 sf, wheels 24 sf, turret 48 sf, rotors 39 sf, Total Area 410 sf
 Structure: medium frame, expensive materials
 Structural Options: sealed, basic stealth, basic IR cloaking, folding rotors
 Hit Points: Body 265, each Wing 54, Rotors 59
 Armor (body/turret): PD 4 DR 100 advanced composite
 Armor (stub wings): PD 4 DR 25 advanced composite
 Armor (rotors): PD 4 DR 20 advanced composite
 Statistics (full payload): Loaded Weight 8,497 lbs (4.25 tons), Volume 195.2 cf, Size Modifier +3, Loaded Price $1,283,505, HT 11, can lift 353 more lbs
 Air Performance (Hardpoints Loaded): Stall Speed 0 mph, drag 265.1, Top speed 200 mph, aAccel 3, aDecel 20, aMR 10, aSR 5, can hover
 Air Performance (Clean): Stall Speed 0 mph, drag 205.1, Top Speed 228 mph, aAccel 3, aDecel 20, aMR 10, aSR 5, can hover

New Weapons
25mmC chaingun: one long barrel, electric heavy automatic (105 lbs, $23,000, 1.2 kW)
solid ammo: Dam 11dx2, Malf Ver, SS 20, Acc 14, 1/2 Dam 1400, Max 5900, ROF 12
APDS ammo: Dam 6dx6(2) Cr, +50% Ranges, $10 and 0.33 lbs per shell
APEX ammo: 11dx2(2) Cr + 2d[2d] Exp, $10 and 0.5 lb per shell

Sidewinder II (127mm short-range AAM):
IIRH, normal HEPF-ABF warhead, Dam 6dx128 [20d] Exp, Skill 19, Max 25,000 yards (14.8 miles), Speed 2000 yds/sec, 195 lbs, $29,800

Laser-Guided, Retarded 500-lb bomb:
SALH, 'normal' 273mm HE warhead, Dam 6dx1140 [12d], Skill 13, 492 lbs, $7,250
[This is a slightly modified TL7 US MK82 bomb; only skill and cost were derived from VE2. Considering that this is less effective than under VE2 rules, it probably isn't abusive]

AGTM-152 (152mm fire-and-forget AT missile):
IIRH, modest 152mm HEAT warhead, Dam 6dx30(10), Max 5200 yrds (2.93 miles), Speed 385 yds/sec, Skill 19, 45 lbs, $11,100
[Despite the name, there is no reason it cannot be used against helicopters and slower aircraft (those travelling less than 770 mph, which covers most ground attack aircraft)]