Lockheed F7L Hornet II

The Lockheed F7L Hornet II is a Human carrier-borne, twin-engine, variable-sweep wing astral fighter aircraft produced by Lockheed Martin for the Sol Defense Corps Naval Air Arm. It was developed for the Sol Defense Corps Navy's Strike Fighter 211X competition as an air superiority fighter to replace the aging Lockheed F6L Bobcat.

The aircraft descends from the Lockheed Martin YF7L, which in 2110 beat the UAC YF7U to win the SF211X Competition. The F7L is considered to be an overall better aircraft than its competitor, having more powerful engines, better maneuverability, and more advance systems on board.

The F7L, as a production aircraft, first flew in 2111, and entered service in 2115 with the SDC Naval Air Arm. It was followed by the F7L-2 and later TF7L variants in the same year.

Design
The F7L series represents a significant leap in transorbital fighter technology. While utilizing hydrogen-based multi-mode gaseous drives like the F6L series, the F7L's GE400SF engines are significantly more powerful and more efficient thanks to improvements made by the Fearmainear Foundry's propulsion design firm along with various improvements in the start up procedures, including the reintroduction of the Turbine Auxiliary Power Unit (TAPU). Additionally, the aerodynamics and computing systems aboard the F7L series are considered much more advanced, especially with the introduction of the AN/AYQ-140 system.

Engines
One of the contributing factors to the amazing success seen by the F7L series are the two Curtson-General Electric GE400SF Super Phoenix XI air-breathing multi-mode hydrogen drives. The drives are provided with both open and closed-cycle ignition modes, with open-cycle utilizing atmospheric air and closed-cycle utilizing a more-efficient but more powerful pure-hydrogen injection.

On top of the two engine modes, there's also a third ram-air injection mode where ram air is brought into the engine rather than normal intake air, increasing the volatility and energy of the reaction. Ram-Air Injection is typically only use during early stages of Transorbital Ascent, when an increase of power is needed that doesn't necessarily warrant the usage of closed-cycle ignition.

Outside of Transorbital Ascent, Ram-Air is rarely used, with Open-Cycle being more prominent in atmospheric maneuvers and Closed-Cycle being used in vacuum orbital and suborbital maneuvers. The transition from Open-Cycle/Ram-Air to Closed-Cycle can be automatic or manual via a three-selection control knob in the cockpit (OPEN, AUTO, CLSD). Generally the automatic setting is used to allow for the best performance and least risk of flame-out or exhaust projection.

Additionally, the exhaust of the GE400SF is also webbed through several vents leading to reaction control ports along the length and span of the aircraft, providing excellent control over the aircraft in air as well as space. The reaction control system works in all engine modes, with ram-air in specific utilizing a set of orifice valves to prevent attitude over correction. The GE400SF utilizes a unique U-shaped exhaust cone that allows for efficient compression and complete deployment of the drive's exhaust, allowing for more efficient fuel usage and generally better and more controllable application of thrust when compared to the Adjustable-Straight cone on previous Drives. The U-Cone is adjustable and is able to restrict the amount of exhaust flow by pushing the restrictor further into the engine, decreasing the size of the opening. This generally improves thrust by forcing the exhaust out at a higher pressure. While slightly less efficient in vacuum than in atmosphere, the U-Cone is generally considered a better alternative than the Adjustable-Straight cone due to a general increase efficiency than the Adjustable-Straight. The GE400SF is also able to gimbal much like its older counterparts by pivoting the exhaust section of the engine. This, however, is not as effective as gimballing with the Adjustable-Straight or Standard cones of older fighters.

Cockpit Pod
The F7L series' cockpit is considered the most unique among UN fighters. Unlike older fighters who's cockpits were fixed and embedded in the nose of the aircraft, the F7L series' cockpit is situated in a pod that moves forward and aft on a pair of three hydraulically actuated rails. These rails allow the pod to move forward when in flight or back when in the ground and parked. Additionally, when the emergency lever is pulled, the cockpit pod will be ejected from the hull, allowing the pilot and WSO to remain in a pressurized vessel rather than being limited to their suit, however the option for seat ejection is still available.

The cockpit pod requires the TAPU to be on, or for a GPU to be connected, to provide hydraulic power to the aircraft for movement to be available.

Aerodynamics
The F7L series, like the F6L series, has variable geometry wings. However, the similarity in wings ends at the classification, as the F7L's wings, rather than pivoting forward or back, pivot up or down to increase or decrease lift stability. During reentry or during some maneuvers, the wings tilt up on their longitudinal axis to allow for the center of gravity to be below the center of lift. Additionally the wings themselves act as control surfaces, able to pivot on their lateral axis. Both types of movement operate independently of either wing, allowing for quick, sharp maneuvers aided by the wing shape. When in storage, the F7L can fold the wings along the longitudinal axis to decrease the wingspan. Additionally, the vertical stabilators are capable of pivoting to be in-line with the wing root of the aircraft to decrease drag at the cost of stability. In this configuration, stability is provided by the reaction control ports and cone gimballing as well as a set of canards that are permanently cambered upwards to provide both longitudinal and directional stability.

At the wing roots, the aircraft has sets of external pylons for weapons. All pylons are able to be mounted with reentry coverings and are able to be fitted with external disposable fuel tanks for long duration missions.

The F7L features four intakes, two primary intakes on the underbelly for the GE400SFs' Open-Cycle compressors, and two retractable ram-air intakes on the dorsal side of the aircraft for the ram-air engine mode.

The F7L has become particularly famous for the "Hornet's Scream", an aerodynamic phenomenon that occurs when the aircraft's throttle is put at War Emergency Power (WEP) on the Open-Cycle engine mode. When the throttle is put at WEP on the Open-Cycle Engine Mode, the air passing through the ventral intakes travels is sucked in at such a speed that it creates an audible scream from the intakes of the aircraft. While generally associated with low-altitude WEP flyovers on Open-Cycle engine modes, the phenomena occur temporarily upon Open-Cycle engine start up shortly after engine ignition is achieved.

AN/AYQ-140 Multi-Function Targeting Computer
The F7L series incorporates the AN/AYQ-140 Multi-Function Targeting Computer, or MUTAC, to help with combat. The MUTAC is capable of providing accurate targeting information and radar locks, whilst also identifying targets more accurately than any pilot or naval flight officer. While most effective with a direct operation, hence the creation of the F7L-2 variant, the MUTAC is capable of being operated by itself or by the pilot in the single-seater F7L-1 variant.

The TF7L variant, whilst having a MUTAC, is severely limited. To prevent any unwanted incidents, the MUTAC is unable to interpret firing commands, which are instead transmitted via a secondary computer to notify when a simulated shot has been fired.

The MUTAC in the normal F7L series aircraft is tied directly into the AN/APG-870 Fire Control Radar and Radar Warning Receiver systems, allowing for efficient detection and warning. It utilizes the FCR to calculate firing trajectories for missiles as well as calculating the lead for the aircraft's gun and rockets when rockets are installed. Additionally the MUTAC is capable of reading IRST and MAW systems to predict heat-sinking missile launches, allowing for effective countering of IR-guided missiles, especially after their extensive deployment by the Dominion during the Labyrinthine War.

While the MUTAC generally takes over most aspects of aerial combat from the pilot, final firing command is reserved only for the pilot as well as final weapon selection, though the MUTAC is permitted to provide suggested weapon selection.

The MUTAC is also responsible for calculating bomb release times for accurate deployment of bombs, both guided and unguided. Typically this is done in coordination with a WSO in the F7L-2 variant due to the precarious nature of close air support.

Armament
The F7L's armament is vastly different from that of previous fighters. While the F6L utilized the AN/GAU-20/A 20 mm 6-barreled rotary cannon, the F7L uses a much larger AN/GAUP-P65/A 65 mm plasma autocannon. The GAUP-P65 utilizes cartridges of Helium to fire ellipsoids of 65 millimeters in width and height and somewhere between 70 and 100 millimeters in length depending on velocity.

The GAUP-P65 utilizes a set of electromagnetic coils to accelerate the plasma once discharged, with the MUTAC using computer-aided calculations to guide the round onto the target once fired. Despite the disadvantage in range and power-efficiency, the GAUP-P65 has better strafing and damage characteristics, whilst remaining compact in both ammunition and size of the cannon.

In addition to the GAUP-P65, the F7L has a total of 10 pylons, with 8 being internally mounted in two internal magazine-style weapon bays, and two external pylons. As touched on earlier, the external pylons are able to mount reentry shields, drop tanks, and are also able to mounted extensions to carry a bigger payload externally, able to mount an extra pylon to add up to a total of 4 hardpoints on the aircraft's exterior.

Only the external pylons are able to mount external fuel tanks, as they are the only pylons with fuel connectors.

The internal pylons are mounted in groups of 2, which connect to either of the weapons magazines, located on either side of the central fuselage. When selected, the pylon moves into the deployment slot, and when fired the pylon releases and the ordinance "rolls" out of the magazine and into the open airstream.

F7L-1
The F7L-1 is the single-seater first production version of the F7L series, utilizing the AN/AYQ-140 MUTAC Multi-Function Targeting Computer to provide targeting data to the pilot. It is capable of mounting all of the weapons as the other F7L series, however has less capabilities in terms of ground strike when compared to the twin-seater F7L-2.

F7L-2
The twin-seater F7L-2 is the twin-seat ground attack variant of the F7L-1, with a Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) operating the MUTAC computer instead of the pilot, allowing for the pilot to focus on navigation while the WSO gathers and provides simplified targeting data for the pilot.

TF7L
The TF7L is a trainer variant of the F7L-2 used for familiarity training with the F7L series aircraft.

Operators

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