DI Multipurpose VTOL

Description
The DI Multipurpose VTOL was the end result of a design process hampered repeatedly by requirement bloat. Originally designed by Defiance Industries to meet a request by the Quartermaster Corps of the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces for a gunship, Defiance had gone as far as designing and building a prototype when the LCAF changed the requirements. This happened more than once as the LCAF continued to add more capability requirements and functions to their shopping list.

Defiance finally responded by taking control of the process, preempting further design changes by submitting their own design for a single multirole helicopter that met all of the previous requirements while remaining a cheaper option through having been designed as a multipurpose platform from the outset.

The LCAF accepted the Defiance proposal, and with perhaps a touch of irony Defiance named the finished design the Multipurpose VTOL. The finished design incorporated features from all three major designs that proceeded it - the chin turret and the five and a half tons of heavy ferro-fibrous armor were products of the gunship design, while the infantry compartment was a legacy of the infantry transport design and the TAG and Active Probe electronics systems were drawn from the scout design.

Defiance used a light fusion engine to power the Multipurpose VTOL, enabling it to reach speeds in excess of one hundred and fifty kph, and further augmented the electronics systems from the scout program by installing the Xilex-2342 communications package, a system noted for being able to burn through many jamming systems. The Multipurpose VTOL proved to be a success for Defiance, who sold quantities not just to the LCAF but more widely across the Inner Sphere and the Periphery.

Weapons and Equipment
The DI Multipurpose VTOL mounted a single Defiance 250 Light Particle Projection Cannon in the chin turret; while the Defiance 250 only inflicted moderate damage on enemy targets, the combination of no requirement for ammunition and considerable range allowed the Multipurpose VTOL to operate at range for extended periods. While many infantry transports mounted a four-ton Infantry Compartment, what made the compartment in the Multipurpose VTOL stand out was the ease with which it could be reconfigured; not only can it be adjusted to easily transport squads of foot infantry or battle armor, the seating could also be removed quickly, allowing the compartment to serve as a cargo compartment when needed.

Variants

 * Gunship : The design originally called for by the LCAF was also produced directly for sale by Defiance; the Gunship variant lacked the infantry compartment, TAG and Beagle Active Probe of the Multipurpose VTOL, instead mounting a MML 7 on the front of the Gunship. BV (2.0) = 711.

Design Quirks
The DI Multipurpose VTOL APC was subject to the following Design Quirks:
 * Improved Communications
 * VTOL Rotor Arrangement (Co-Axial)