Ahab (Aerospace Fighter class)

Description
The Ahab debuted in 2697 as the heaviest Aerospace Fighter ever produced, a devastating missile boat for the SLDF and other Great House armies. Poor acceleration and maneuverability, likened by pilots to "a moose in molasses", is compensated by fifteen and a half tons of standard armor and a staggering array of weaponry: a full squadron of Ahabs is capable of shooting down light and medium DropShips in a single pass. The design would be modified once, in 2703, to accommodate a Narc Missile Beacon.

Originally manufactured by Harvard Company, Inc., BBA would pick up production in the early 3000s when financial malfeasance brought down the company. BBA would build only a limited number of new Ahabs and spare parts, and only to ComStar, allowing the fighters in service to the other Inner Sphere powers to fall into disrepair. In 3061 the company began production of two new variants, which were sold only to the Word of Blake.

Weapons and Equipment
Slow but well armored, the Ahab really depends upon its two Delta Dart-20 Long Range Missile Racks, with three tons of ammo each, to soften up opponents at extreme range. When the Ahab closes, it switches to its Federated-6 Short-Range Missile Racks with two tons of ammo to finish them off. A Thunderbolt 2C Large Laser is really just a deterrent used when the ammo has been depleted, while two CeresArms Medium Lasers located in the rear of the craft compensate for the weaker armor protecting the fighter against pursuers.

Variants

 * Prototype : Before the addition of the Narc Missile Beacon, the Ahab was designed with a trio of Medium Lasers housed in the nose, along with four additional Heat Sinks.


 * AHB-443b : Designed and deployed exclusively for SLDF Royal commands, the AHB-443B Ahab upgrades to Ferro-Aluminum armor and Double Heat Sinks. The Large Laser is upgraded to an ER Large Laser . BV (2.0) = 2,030


 * AHB-643 : This new version removes all the standard weaponry and replaces them with wing-mounted MRM-40 rack with a ton of ammunition. In addition, two 10-pack Rocket Launchers were added to the wingtips for extra punch. BV (2.0) = 1,537


 * AHB-MD : The most recent and deadly variant mounts a Large Pulse Laser and two Medium lasers in the nose, guided by a Targeting computer, making it a surprisingly deadly dogfighter. A MRM-40 rack under each wing with four tons of ammunition, as well as hardpoints for two Alamo nuclear weapons, turns this bird into a DropShip killer. BV (2.0) = 1,876