Mustang (Conventional Fighter)

Description
The Mustang Fighter was a heavy conventional fighter craft that was used originally by the Federated Suns as a strike/ground support air vehicle.

History
Built with Primitive Technology during the later days of the Age of War era, the Mustang owes its existence to First Prince James Davion and the development of the Heavy Autocannon in mid-25th Century.

In parallel development with the Terran Hegemony, Prince James Davion saw the potential of the new heavy autocannon the Hegemony had developed. After the initial prototypes of the autocannon became available, he pushed to have his military create a variety of new combat units designed around it. The Mustang was one of the many early units that would be built around the use of the Class-10 Autocannon in the Federated Suns.

The Mustang was not the most effective aircraft, especially in the air-to-air role. However, its heavy autocannon proved to be superb in defeating the armor of most opponents it had to face on the battlefield when it was first deployed. Two decades of production would follow, with thousand of units ordered. By 2475, the Federated Suns would perfect modern technology, rendering the Mustang obsolete.

Weapons and Equipment
The Mustang was built with Primitive Technology, not unlike technology used to build civilian Support Fixed-Winged Aircraft in later centuries. Due to this method of construction the vehicle requires a larger crew than a normal combat vehicle would typically have. While its engine was powerful enough move the aircraft at reasonable speed, its armor was insufficient against modern ground fire with only 3.5 tons of Primitive Armor, equivalent to to BAR-6 Grade civilian commercial armor. The fighter was powered by an ICE type engine, which gave it modest speed for its time. The craft had 7.5 tons of fuel, giving it ample range for long-range missions.

Intended as a strike craft, the Mustang's signature weapon, the Prototype Class-10 Autocannon, was mounted in its nose. Sixteen rounds of ammunition were fed from the aircraft's center fuselage. Problems with P-AC/10 would include the gun jamming, instability while firing the gun, and not being able carry as much ammunition as would the later modern Class-10 Autocannon. Additionally, it carried four 4-tubed Short-Range Missile launchers, two per wing with two tons of ammunition.

Design Quirks
The Mustang Fighter has the following Design Quirks;
 * Atmospheric Flyer
 * Easy to Maintain
 * Obsolete (2475)