The VF-11, designed for high atmospheric maneuverability and plentiful direct fire weaponry, largely lacked missile ordnance. As a way of offsetting the VF-11's lack of missile armament, and to improve performance in space operations, the Super Part system was deployed on the VF-11B. The Super Part system included two dorsal mounted NP-SP-09 booster units featuring two booster nozzles and two Hughes HMMM-Mk 6 micro-missile launchers for each unit. The system also included two engine mounted NP-SF-09 propellant tank units featuring one chaff/flare dispenser per tank unit. This Shinsei Industries manufactured Super Part system greatly enhanced the VF-11B's maximum thrust and numerous vernier thrusters assisted the maneuverability of the Thunderbolt variable fighter for space operations. The four micro-missile launchers (with exit ports on the forward dorsal sections of the NP-SP-09 units) diversified the weapons compliment of the VF-11 and increased the variable fighter's operational capacity. These improvements were so successful in the field that nearly all VF-11 variable fighters were equipped with Super Parts whenever deployed for operations in space and the Super configuration became ubiquitous with the recognition of the Thunderbolt. Eventually the Super Part booster nozzles were improved, altering the originally funnel-shaped nozzles into a more rectangular shape found most often on the model VF-11C.
Equipment Type: UNS/UNSAF main variable fighter
Government: U.N. Spacy, U.N. Space Air Force
Manufacturer: Shinsei Industry
Introduction: 2028
Operational Deployment: April 2030
Accommodation: pilot only in Marty & Beck Mk11 ejection seat (entire canopy ejectable as an emergency escape pod)
Dimensions:
- Battroid Mode: height 12.92 meters
- Fighter Mode: wingspan 11.2 meters; height 3.49 meters; length 15.51 meters
- GERWALK Mode: wingspan 11.2 meters
Mass: empty with Super Parts estimated 11.2 metric tons.
Structure: space metal frame, energy converting armor
Power Plant: two Shinsei Industry/P&W/Roice FF-2025G thermonuclear reaction turbine engines.
Propulsion: 28,500 kg [x g] x 2 (279.59 kN x 2); 2 x Super Part Booster Thrusters (thruster output unknown); 2 x vertical two-dimensional vectored exhaust nozzles; 2 x dorsal auxiliary thruster pods; many x P&W HMM-5B high-maneuverability vernier thrusters.
Performance: - Fighter Mode: at 10,000 m Mach 3.5+; at 30,000+ m Mach 8.2; max rate of climb at S/L 28,500 meters/minute
g limit: +22.0/- 14.5
Design Features: 3-mode variable transformation; variable geometry sweep (VG) wing; canard forward wing; vertical Take-off and landing (VTOL); supersonic cruise and maneuvering in region of Mach 3.5+ below the stratosphere; two-dimensional thrust vectoring; improved waist joint system; anti-projectile (bulletproof) shield; retractable two-piece canopy cover (for Battroid mode); 4 x special equipment hard point stations for external Shinsei Industry space Super Part units.
- Armament -
Guns: - 1 x fixed rear anti-aircraft pulse laser gun (mounted center dorsal section in Fighter/GERWALK mode, becomes head turret in Battroid mode)
- 1 x standard external multipurpose 30 mm 6-barrel gun pod with sensor, foregrip, anti-armor bayonet (on early space models, removed on later gun pods due to high cost) and large barrel magazine (mounted ventral fuselage in Fighter mode, in arm manipulator for GERWALK/Battroid modes); 2 x spare magazines stored underneath shield.
- 1 x standard bulletproof (anti-projectile) shield (mounted center rear dorsal fuselage in Fighter mode, mounted on arm in GERWALK/Battroid modes)
Bombs & Missiles:
- 4 x special equipment hard point stations for external space Super Part units for 8 x Hughes HMMM-Mk 6 micro-missile launchers (mounted on dorsal fuselage); 2 x chaff and flare dispensers (mounted in Super Part propellent tank units on engine sections)
- chaff and flare dispenser system (mounted within either engine section)
Optional Armament: - Protect Armor System with reactive armor shield.
- Numerous optional weapons.