Cyrano

The Cyrano was developed by the Star League in 2622 as the standard attack gunship for the Star League Defense Force. The heaviest VTOL in SLDF service, the Cyrano was used to provide air support for ground forces and fly escort for Ripper and Nightshade missions. However the factory which produced the vehicle, located on New Vandenberg within the Taurian Concordat, was destroyed in 2840 in an act thought to have been perpetrated by Federated Suns-funded pirates. The Word of Blake later informed the Taurian government that it was actually the result of ComStar sabotage during Operation Holy Shroud and offered to make it right by rebuilding the factory, which they did in time for new Cyranos to be produced in 3071.

Capable of a stunning 194 km/h, the Cyrano is an incredibly fast scout. This capability is supplemented by its Beagle Active Probe, which has also made the Cyrano a good training vehicle. The downside is the VTOL's meager one ton of Ferro-Fibrous armor. While speed is normally the best defense for a VTOL, many pilots complained about the Cyrano's virtual inability to shield its internal systems from damage.

Weapons and Equipment
The Cyrano is armed with a single Fuersturm-C Large Laser, giving it respectable range and firepower. The weapon is aimed by head movements picked up by the pilot's neurohelmet and assisted by a Sky Tracer target-acquisition computer. However the weapon's 5-ton weight makes the craft unbalanced, requiring extensive pilot training to master the Cyrano's flight characteristics.

Variants

 * ML : This variant was produced by Paulina for sale on the open market beginning in the early 3070s. The version lacks the Large Laser, but has a pair of Medium Lasers instead. They are supplemented by five Rocket Launcher 10s. The remaining half-ton is in additional armor. BV (2.0) = 645


 * Plasma : This 3071 upgraded version was only available for purchase by the Taurian Concordat and their allies. More suited to the role of a dragoon or escort as it does not mount an active probe, the "Plasma" variant saves weight by utilizing a Light Fusion Engine for power. That enabled engineers to upgrade the Large Laser to a Plasma Rifle, making this Cyrano a potent vehicle-killer. It is also more hardy as it is protected by three tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor. BV (2.0) = 927


 * Royal : The upgraded 2721 model used by the SLDF Royal units, the standard engine was replaced with a Extra-Light version. The weight saving allowed the VTOL to carry an extra one and half tons of armor and two side-mounted Anti-Missile Systems with a ton of reloads each, swap its trademark laser for an extended range model and add TAG for good measure. BV (2.0) = 740


 * Fury : Developed by the SLDF's Fury Teams, this 2754 Cyrano variant removes the Large Laser and replaces it with a VTOL Chin Turret that carries three Medium Lasers. A single forward Anti-Missile System provides additional protection against missiles while a Machine Gun with a half-ton of ammunition covers the rear-mounted ramp used to debark the craft. A Guardian ECM Suite interferes with enemy targeting systems, and the Cyrano Fury is protected by two tons of Ferro-Fibrous Armor. To make room for all this equipment, a smaller engine was mounted. This reduced the Cyrano Fury's top speed to 150 km/h. BV (2.0) = 594