Kestrel (Combat Vehicle)

Originally an old Clan design, the Kestrel was redesigned in 3007 by Wolf's Dragoons for their special operations teams, particularly the Seventh Kommando. Lightly armed and armored, the Kestrel spent more on stealth than weapons and armor. In fact the heaviest armor, located on the front of the VTOL, can only survive a single Large Laser hit before it's gone. In addition, the oddly sized infantry bay doesn't allow a full platoon, but is too large for a squad. In the wrong hands, the Kestrel is nothing more than a target, but when used properly it is an excellent VTOL for special operations support.

For many years, Wolf's Dragoons was the only known user of the Kestrel in the Inner Sphere. However, there have been enough combat losses that other powers have at least a few Kestrels in service. It also appears that the Dragoons sold several Kestrels to MI6.

Weapons and Equipment
As a special operations transport, the Kestrel relies on stealth and speed more than weaponry. To encourage this mindset, the Kestrel only mounts a pair of Machine Guns.

Variants

 * Medevac : Glimpsed only once, this variant introduced in 3022 apparently replaces the weaponry with Paramedic Equipment. BV (1.0) = 19, BV (2.0) = 126


 * Medium Laser : A field variant introduced in 3030, this version replaces the Machine Guns with a single Medium Laser, power amplifier, and heat sinks. This dramatically reduces the cargo space available. BV (1.0) = 269 , BV (2.0) = 252


 * Small Laser : A field variant introduced 3017, this version replaces the Machine Guns with paired Small Lasers, power amplifier, and heat sinks. This dramatically reduces the cargo space available. BV (1.0) = 117 , BV (2.0) = 175


 * SRM : A field variant introduced 3042, this version replaces the Machine Guns with a single SRM-2 and a ton of ammunition. BV (1.0) = 149 , BV (2.0) = 192


 * Scout : Developed in the 3030s, this variant was produced for the Seventh Kommando and Special Recon Group. By dropping the infantry bay completely, Blackwell engineers were able to find room for a VTOL Mast Mount, a Remote Sensor Dispenser, and an extra ton of Communications Equipment. The largest change however, was to the engine, which received a VTOL Jet Booster. This allowed the Kestrel Scout to use bursts of speed reaching 260km/h. Despite this, the Kestrel Scout was useless in any other role, and when the Special Recon Group was merged with the Dragoon's Home Guard, production halted.

Design Quirks
The Kestrel Scout VTOL variant is subject to the following Design Quirks:
 * Difficult to Maintain