Firebird FR-2B
Mass: 45 tons
Frame: Unknown
Power Plant: 270 Fusion
Cruising Speed: 86.4 kph
Maximum Speed: 129.6 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:
2 SRM 6
1 Large Laser
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3025
Tech Rating/Availability: D/X-E-D-D
Cost: 2,437,076 C-bills
A rare and unusual sight even in its "home territory" of the rimward periphery, the Firebird is a product of the periphery world of Mladshiy Brat, and descended from a much older model that served with the Capellan Confederation during the early Age of War. The residents of the world brought numerous examples of the original model with them when they left the Confederation over seven hundred years ago, and they were heavily dependent on the fighter for defense against pirate raids. However, with only limited access to replacement parts, and given the famously poor performance of the original firebird, their forces suffered heavy attrition, which they were only partly able to compensate for by developing considerable skill in scavenging, refitting, and jerry-rigging their existing fighters.
The craft would have likely gone completely extinct if not for the Reunification War. Small numbers of refugees from the Taurian Concordat made their way to Mladshiy Brat in the war's aftermath, bringing not only additional resources but technical expertise to the relatively poor world. Though Mladshiy Brat would not become an industrial powerhouse by any means, the locals did manage to transition away from a subsistence agricultural society and use their greater technical expertise to produce an upgraded model of their signature fighter.
The current standard model is far removed from the original Capellan design. Built to fully modernized standards (allegedly the original engineering team considered this a necessity, as the primitive components the original Firebird relied on were becoming harder and harder to find even during the early years of the Star League era) the Firebird is a nimble, well armed craft well suited to engaging most of the fighters common among the pirates and renegades wandering the Periphery. Though much improved over the original, the Firebird still suffers somewhat due to the modest technical base of Mladshiy Brat. Without more advanced construction materials, its high acceleration capability and relatively heavy armament leaves the fighter only lightly armored. Against smaller craft this is no terrible handicap, however a larger fighter, even if it cannot out-maneuver the Firebird, is more than capable of simply outlasting it.
Mladshiy Brat lacks a true production facility for the Firebird, however their smaller, workshop based infrastructure still allows them to produce a modest number each year by hand (they can sometimes speed this process up by purchasing parts from passing traders, but this is an unreliable and expensive method to employ). The rate of production is just enough to allow them to keep up with attrition as well as sell off a couple fighters each year to their more trusted clients. This has allowed a handful of these craft to filter out into private hands. Even so, one is still far more likely to encounter these fighters being flown by Mladshiy Brat's own pilots. Hoping to bring in more money and draw additional trade to their world, the government of Mladshiy Brat began hiring out fighter squadrons to free traders as additional protection several years ago. Though only three such squadrons are on hire at any given time, they have managed to cover considerable ground, having seen service as far away as the periphery regions of the Free Worlds League and Federated Suns.
Variants:
The first upgrade of the Firebird, in addition to upgrading to modern construction standards, dispensed with the original's lackluster autocannon in favor of an additional long range missile rack. Unfortunately, the difficulty in cramming the bulky missile system and its ammo feed in the space once occupied by the autocannon resulted in crippling jamming issues, sometimes resulting in explosions of stored munitions. These problems were so severe that pilots often preferred to leave the nose ammunition bay empty rather than risk a dangerous ammunition feed failure. Once a reliable alternative was available, the militia quickly transitioned to the FR-2A model, which replaced the troublesome nose launcher with a large laser and additional armor protection. The FR-2A suffered from limited fuel reserves and heat problems, but it was a significant improvement, and remained the militia's standard fighter for over four centuries before being supplanted by the current FR-2B in 3025.
Type: Firebird
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Standard)
Tonnage: 45
Battle Value: 843
Equipment Mass
Engine 270 Fusion 14.5
Safe Thrust: 8
Max Thrust: 12
Structural Integrity: 8
Heat Sinks: 12 2
Fuel: 400 5.0
Cockpit 3
Armor Factor 120 7.5
Armor
Value
Nose 36
Wings 31/31
Aft 22
Weapons
and Ammo Location Tonnage Heat SRV MRV LRV ERV
Large Laser NOS 5.0 8 8 8 0 0
SRM 6 RWG 3.0 4 8 0 0 0
SRM 6 Ammo (30) FSLG 2.0 - - - - -
SRM 6 LWG 3.0 4 8 0 0 0
Firebird FR-2
Mass: 45 tons
Frame: Unknown
Power Plant: 270 Fusion
Cruising Speed: 86.4 kph
Maximum Speed: 129.6 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:
3 LRM 10
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3025
Tech Rating/Availability: D/X-E-D-D
Cost: 2,512,536 C-bills
Type: Firebird
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Standard)
Tonnage: 45
Battle Value: 886
Equipment Mass
Engine 270 Fusion 14.5
Safe Thrust: 8
Max Thrust: 12
Structural Integrity: 8
Heat Sinks: 10 0
Fuel: 240 3.0
Cockpit 3
Armor Factor 104 6.5
Armor
Value
Nose 32
Wings 26/26
Aft 20
Weapons
and Ammo Location Tonnage Heat SRV MRV LRV ERV
LRM 10 RWG 5.0 4 6 6 6 0
LRM 10 NOS 5.0 4 6 6 6 0
LRM 10 Ammo (36) FSLG 3.0 - - - - -
LRM 10 LWG 5.0 4 6 6 6 0
Firebird FR-2A
Mass: 45 tons
Frame: Unknown
Power Plant: 270 Fusion
Cruising Speed: 86.4 kph
Maximum Speed: 129.6 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:
1 Large Laser
2 LRM 10
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3025
Tech Rating/Availability: D/X-E-D-D
Cost: 2,488,036 C-bills
Type: Firebird
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Standard)
Tonnage: 45
Battle Value: 975
Equipment Mass
Engine 270 Fusion 14.5
Safe Thrust: 8
Max Thrust: 12
Structural Integrity: 8
Heat Sinks: 10 0
Fuel: 240 3.0
Cockpit 3
Armor Factor 120 7.5
Armor
Value
Nose 36
Wings 31/31
Aft 22
Weapons
and Ammo Location Tonnage Heat SRV MRV LRV ERV
LRM 10 RWG 5.0 4 6 6 6 0
Large Laser NOS 5.0 8 8 8 0 0
LRM 10 Ammo (24) FSLG 2.0 - - - - -
LRM 10 LWG 5.0 4 6 6 6 0
