Arsenal Bird
- "That beast rains missiles. That's some serious shit."
- ― Clown
The Arsenal Birds,[1][2] known officially as the Aerial Arsenal Ships (AAS),[3] were a class of unmanned aerial warships that functioned as both arsenal ships and as airborne aircraft carriers, carrying up to 80 MQ-101 UCAVs at any given time.
Two Arsenal Birds, Liberty and Justice, were developed by the Osean Federation in the 2010s to defend the International Space Elevator.[4][5] They were subsequently hijacked by the Kingdom of Erusea at the onset of the Lighthouse War, playing a pivotal role in Erusea's strategic victories early in the war.[3] After Liberty was destroyed by a reactivated Stonehenge, however, the war shifted greatly in Osea's favor.[6] The second carrier, Justice, remained in Erusean hands until its destruction during a climactic battle over Gunther Bay.[7]
Design
The Arsenal Birds were massive, unmanned aerial vehicle carriers (UAVC)[8] with wingspans of 1,100 metres (3,600 ft). While they could receive commands from air or ground-based control centers, they mostly operated autonomously using an onboard AI.[8] They were capable of carrying up to 80 MQ-101s at once. When these drones were launched, they were dropped from their holds in the carrier's wings, before flipping over and unfolding their wings to take flight. When exiting combat, the Arsenal Bird could recover its launched drones by docking them back into the same bays they launched from.[3]
The Arsenal Birds were also equipped with numerous medium-range anti-air missile launchers on the dorsal wing surfaces,[3][6][7] with the production model Justice having additionally been equipped with pulse laser turrets on the ventral wing surfaces and a nose mounted tactical laser system for attacking both surface and air targets.[7] For long range engagements, they were also capable of launching Helios airburst missiles, which proved highly effective against aircraft.[7][9]
Instead of jet engines, the Arsenal Birds utilized a pair of large electrically-powered contra-rotating propellers for thrust, which provided the carriers with a high degree of endurance and eliminated any need for refueling. In addition, they had six smaller contra-rotating sub-propellers, which provided additional thrust to keep the carrier aloft.[8][10] The Arsenal Bird's main propellers seemingly had a limited self repair capacity, able to restart the damaged engines after a short period of time.[3][6][7]
The Arsenal Birds were additionally equipped with a rectenna that received microwave energy from a geostationary[11] solar power generation satellite atop the International Space Elevator[12][8] via wireless transmission. The rectenna, also referred to as the Microwave Powered Dome,[10] doubled as a central component of the carrier's main defensive mechanism, the Active Protection System (APS). When activated, the APS emitted excess energy stored in the rectenna, projecting a large halo of energy before expanding it into a large shield of electrical energy that destroyed incoming projectiles, along with any aircraft that were caught in the field.[8] It could stop concurrent attacks from multiple directions, even from powerful weapons like cruise missiles.[7] The APS, however, had limits, and was unable to stop large projectiles traveling at an extremely high speed, such as a projectile from Stonehenge.[6] Additionally, if power transmission from the ISEV were to cease, the Arsenal Birds would stop activating APS to conserve power.[7]
Resupply and maintenance was achieved via a repurposed SSTO supply ship which attached a reusable supply unit between the central propellers; the Arsenal Bird's internal systems became vulnerable when the resupply vessel was undocked. Using internal mechanisms, the supply unit fed fuel to the Arsenal Bird's UAVs and provided ammunition to both the UAVs and the Arsenal Bird itself, additionally providing engine lubricant to the latter. The Arsenal Bird was unable to land for repairs, and as such relied entirely on supply ship maintenance and self-repair in order to maintain its constant flight.
History
Construction
The Arsenal Birds were developed at some point in the 2010s by a partnership between the International Space Elevator Corporation and the Osean Defense Forces to defend and support the space elevator.[3] Two units were developed; Liberty and Justice, with the former being a prototype and the latter being a production variant.[13] Liberty underwent three months of weapons and supply ship verification testing before Justice joined it in its 1200 square kilometer defense network.[note 1] Both Arsenal Birds were launched from the Tyler Island mass driver using a combination of solid-rocket boosters and the electromagnetic catapult of the mass driver.[14] Thereafter, the mass driver was used solely to launch the supply ships that would provide ammunition, fuel, and maintenance to keep the Arsenal Birds and its UAVs in working order, rendering it a key component of the International Space Elevator's defense network.[15][16]
Lighthouse War
Early war
At the start of the Lighthouse War, Erusea swiftly captured the space elevator. The Arsenal Birds' control centers also fell under Erusean control, giving them complete control of the Arsenal Birds. This in turn gave Erusea total air superiority and hegemony over the entirety of western Usea;[6] if an attack were to occur within the Arsenal Birds' massive air defense range, Erusea could simply send one Arsenal Bird to deal with the threat, while the other would continue to defend the space elevator.
This was first demonstrated on May 30, 2019, when Arsenal Bird Liberty attacked IUN forces over the Chopinburg Rainforest, forcing them to retreat after they suffered heavy casualties.[3] On June 6, Liberty was deployed again against the IUN-PKF, this time at the space elevator itself during the IUN's failed rescue of former Osean President Vincent Harling, causing yet another retreat.[17]
On July 27, Helios projectiles were launched from at least one of the Arsenal Birds towards the Spare Squadron in the vicinity of the Waiapolo Mountains, but failed to destroy them.[9]
Operation Dragon Breath
On August 19, 2019, the Osean Ground Defense Force secretly reactivated the fourth railgun of the Stonehenge network. Arsenal Bird Liberty was deployed to eliminate all forces in the area after Erusea's conventional assault on the complex failed. With the help of the LRSSG, and despite Erusea's best efforts, Liberty received a direct hit from a Stonehenge projectile, instantly destroying its rectenna and splitting it in two amidships. Liberty's bifurcated wreckage subsequently crashed in the Hatties Desert southwest of Stonehenge.[6] The destruction of Liberty dealt a major blow to Erusea by halving the area of the Arsenal Birds' effective air defense network around the space elevator; the remaining Arsenal Bird, Justice, could not travel far from the space elevator without risking its safety. This led to Erusea losing most of its air superiority over Usea, allowing Osean forces to free over half of the Usean continent within weeks.[18]
Operation Daredevil
Following the destruction of Erusea's satellite network by Osea, Justice fell under the control of the Erusean Radicals. On October 31, 2019, it was deployed to the space elevator in order to eliminate the Osea-Erusea coalition forces in the area. Though the coalition attempted a saturation attack from its formidable naval and air assets against the Arsenal Bird, their attempt was swiftly thwarted by the carrier's APS. During the following engagement, Justice used its nose-mounted lasers to cut through the coalition's naval force—rendering a second concentrated saturation strike impossible—before repeatedly activating its APS against the coalition's aircraft, rendering their attacks ineffective each time.
After activating its APS one final time, Justice refused to drop it, rendering the efforts of the entire coalition pointless. However, Rosa Cossette D'Elise destroyed the location markers atop the ISEV's windbreak, leading the elevator's observation center to believe the windbreak had collapsed. This forced all microwave transmission to cease, including the Arsenal Bird's power transmission, and Justice consequently had to drop its APS to conserve its remaining power. The coalition renewed its assault, heavily damaging Justice's propellers. Despite the damage, however, the Arsenal Bird remained aloft. Upon a suggestion from Wit, Trigger destroyed the docking modules for Justice's supply unit, causing it to be jettisoned. As the supply unit detached, it exploded, blowing a hole in the gigantic aircraft's outer skin and leaving its vulnerable rectenna exposed. Trigger subsequently destroyed the rectenna, triggering massive explosions within the Arsenal Bird. Due to the resulting total loss of power, Justice crashed into Gunther Bay, ending the Arsenal Birds' threat for good.[7]
Legacy
After the conclusion of the Lighthouse War, the Arsenal Birds were deemed counterproductive to peace, and were not rebuilt. In their place, a new air defense force was formed, answering directly to the IUN but with no connection to the established IUN-PKF.[19]
Gallery
Deploying drones
Deploying drones
Liberty deploying its MQ-101s
Liberty deploying its APS
Liberty deploying its APS
Liberty
Liberty
Liberty as seen from a Su-57's cockpit
Liberty as seen from a Su-57's cockpit
An F-16C underneath Liberty
An F-22A facing Liberty in the distance
Aerial shot of an Arsenal Bird
Aerial shot of Liberty over a Ulysses 1994XF04 crater
Justice and an Osean F-22A near the International Space Elevator
A map showing the patrol area of the Arsenal Birds (Patrol area is within red circle. ISEV is located in the center)
Liberty over Chopinburg Rainforest
An F/A-18F Super Hornet with Liberty
Liberty and its MQ-101S
Justice protected by its APS
Justice protected by its APS
Justice deploying its APS
Justice
Justice
Liberty's wreckage in Hatties Desert
Detail of the underside of Justice's left wing, showing attached MQ-101s
Damaged Justice propeller
Damaged Justice propeller
Justice
Justice
Justice
Justice shot down
Justice shot down
Justice with its APS unit exposed
Justice with its APS unit exposed
Justice firing its laser weaponry
Justice battles the coalition forces
Liberty and its MQ-101s approach Chopinburg
Liberty approaches Chopinburg airspace
Trivia
- The Arsenal Birds were referred to as "FAS" in 2015 promotions for Ace Combat 7.[20][5] This name, possibly standing for "Flying Arsenal Ship," may have been changed to the AAS (Aerial Arsenal Ship) designation in the final game.
- The Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - Strangereal Edition features a 40 cm:500g diecast model of the Arsenal Bird. Using the official 1,100-meter wingspan, this puts the diecast model at 1:2750 scale.[8]
- The nickname "Big Baby Huey," used by Knocker to refer to Arsenal Bird Liberty, is a reference to the cartoon character Baby Huey.
- The Arsenal Birds bear resemblance to several aircraft, both real and fictional:
- They slightly resemble aircraft such as the Northrop YB-35 and the DINFIA IA 38, most notably in their flying-wing design and rear-facing propellers.
- They also resemble other fictional aircraft that were based on the YB-35's design, including the airships from Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle and the Rostock heavy bomber from The Sky Crawlers (the latter of which had a prequel game developed in part by Project Aces).
- The Arsenal Birds also resemble the Arkbird. Both incorporated similar weapons systems, were developed by Osea, and are capable of launching similar UAVs (albeit the latter was modified by the Grey Men in order to do so). Their SSTO supply ships and accompanying supply units are also of identical designs, and employ identical methods to resupply.
- In order to have unlimited station keeping time, the Arsenal Bird would require some form of self-repair. Historically, all aviation endurance records have been limited by mechanical failures.
- The Arsenal Bird's propellers do not feather after being damaged, and as such would cause significant control problems during an engine shutdown.
- The new air defense force formed to replace the Arsenal Birds following the Lighthouse War is said to have "answered directly to the IUN, but had no connection to the IUN-PKF." This description bears a striking resemblance to the UPEO of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, as both were peacekeeping forces in Usea answering directly to a form of the United Nations.
References
- ↑ https://youtu.be/Mpgwu-xpG5w
- ↑ https://youtu.be/ReHVAlEU3UQ
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Mission 03: "Two-pronged Strategy", Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
- ↑ https://youtu.be/RjySFNghAcQ
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 『エースコンバット7』開発陣インタビュー完全版！ 「3つの軸を追求します」. Famitsu. Published December 17, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Mission 12: "Stonehenge Defensive", Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Mission 19: "Lighthouse", Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Aces At War: A History 2019, page 082.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Mission 09: "Faceless Soldier", Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 https://youtu.be/zwDLfywrX44
- ↑ Aces At War: A History 2019, page 081.
- ↑ Aces At War: A History 2019, page 078.
- ↑ https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DflfJWKU8AEjxhi.jpg
- ↑ Aces At War: A History 2019, page 086.
- ↑ Aces At War: A History 2019, page 084.
- ↑ Mission 17: "Homeward", Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
- ↑ Mission 04: "Rescue", Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
- ↑ Mission 13: "Bunker Buster", Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
- ↑ Mission 20: "Dark Blue", Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
- ↑ PS4 Exclusive Ace Combat 7 Gets First Awesome 4K Screenshots and Information. DualShockers. Published December 5, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2015. The file featuring the FAS has "FAS" in its filename. The "01" is used by other images in the same article, which means there is no secondary "-01" designation.
Footnotes
- ↑ Aces at War: A History 2019's English release claims that Justice was the first Arsenal Bird, with Liberty coming second. This is contradicted by the Japanese release, the Chinese release and an interview conducted by Famitsu with brand director Kazutoki Kono, which all state that Liberty was the first Arsenal Bird.