Artemis Class Gunship
2 Artemis Class Gunships with air-breathing engine pods
The Artemis Class Gunship built by ConAm Interstellar is designed to provide close air support to DC ground forces, as well as engage in independent attack, interdiction, and patrol operations on planetary bodies.
Propulsion
The Artemis Class Gunship does not use any single engine type, but instead is able to use a variety of engine pods that are designed to be easily removed and interchanged so that different engine types may be fitted for different environments. For operations exclusively in space, or involving planetary bodies without suitable atmospheres, enhanced MPD arcjets engine pods are fitted. In operations involving planetary atmospheres however, a variety of atmospheric breathing engines might be fitted so that the gunship is able to operate with maximum fuel efficiency and deliver maximum potential combat endurance. With the greater flying time afforded by specialized engines for different atmospheres, Artemis Class Gunships are better able to linger and provide close air support, or engage in attack, interdiction, or patrol activities.
When air or other atmosphere breathing engines are fitted, Artemis Class Gunships are equipped with single use rocket boosters to allow them to escape planetary atmospheres and enter orbit.
Defensive Systems
Artemis Class Gunships feature a fairly simple, but compact, integrated electronic warfare package that is almost entirely automated in its operation. While generally ineffective against most powerful or advanced sensors or targeting systems, it may be of use in confusing more basic sensors such as the final stage sensors in incoming guided munitions.
Augmenting the integrated electronic warfare package are 8 deployable electronic decoys designed to blind or confuse hostile sensors and targeting systems through rapidly pulsed high energy emissions that may be able to generate false sensor returns or targetting errors. Similar in capability to the integrated electronic warfare package, these deployable electronic decoys are generally ineffective against most powerful or advanced sensors or targeting systems, but may be of use in confusing more basic sensors such as the final stage sensors in incoming guided munitions. In spite of their limitations, these decoys continue to be used due to their low cost, small mass and size, as well as low profile when mounted flush in their designated deployment crevaces built into a Artemis Class Gunship's exterior wing structure.
The final, but potentially most effective layer of defenses aboard a Artemis Class Gunship, is its energy shield generator. While the shielding of a Artemis Class Gunship is incapable of protecting the craft against accurately used heavy weaponry, it does provide a significant degree of protection against high velocity shrapnel and debris, small arms fire, and potentially crew-served weapons fire.
Built with a light weight intertron composite, the physical hull and structures of an Artemis Gunship were designed to balance the needs for high strength as well as low weight in order to allow for maximum possible accelerations in space and the most efficient usage of available fuel. While not as well protected as a vessel with a heavier inertron composite construction, the Artemis Gunship is resistant to small arms fire and offers additional protection around the cockpit where high density inertron composite lining is installed.
Armament
The Artemis Class Gunship's primary armament for support of planetary operations is a single Bofors L/70 40 mm Gun mounted on the gunship's center axis, firing through the gunship's nose. Capable of highly accurate fire, the Bofors gun is able to deliver munitions effective against soft or lightly armoured targets even if they are in the vicinity of friendly ground forces.
Against better protected targets in the form of armoured vehicles or entrenched defensive positions, the Artemis Class Gunship's complement of MS-3 Guided Anti-Tank Missile may be deployed from the internal weapons bay located in the gunship's fusalage.
Propulsion
The Artemis Class Gunship does not use any single engine type, but instead is able to use a variety of engine pods that are designed to be easily removed and interchanged so that different engine types may be fitted for different environments. For operations exclusively in space, or involving planetary bodies without suitable atmospheres, enhanced MPD arcjets engine pods are fitted. In operations involving planetary atmospheres however, a variety of atmospheric breathing engines might be fitted so that the gunship is able to operate with maximum fuel efficiency and deliver maximum potential combat endurance. With the greater flying time afforded by specialized engines for different atmospheres, Artemis Class Gunships are better able to linger and provide close air support, or engage in attack, interdiction, or patrol activities.
When air or other atmosphere breathing engines are fitted, Artemis Class Gunships are equipped with single use rocket boosters to allow them to escape planetary atmospheres and enter orbit.
Defensive Systems
Artemis Class Gunships feature a fairly simple, but compact, integrated electronic warfare package that is almost entirely automated in its operation. While generally ineffective against most powerful or advanced sensors or targeting systems, it may be of use in confusing more basic sensors such as the final stage sensors in incoming guided munitions.
Augmenting the integrated electronic warfare package are 8 deployable electronic decoys designed to blind or confuse hostile sensors and targeting systems through rapidly pulsed high energy emissions that may be able to generate false sensor returns or targetting errors. Similar in capability to the integrated electronic warfare package, these deployable electronic decoys are generally ineffective against most powerful or advanced sensors or targeting systems, but may be of use in confusing more basic sensors such as the final stage sensors in incoming guided munitions. In spite of their limitations, these decoys continue to be used due to their low cost, small mass and size, as well as low profile when mounted flush in their designated deployment crevaces built into a Artemis Class Gunship's exterior wing structure.
The final, but potentially most effective layer of defenses aboard a Artemis Class Gunship, is its energy shield generator. While the shielding of a Artemis Class Gunship is incapable of protecting the craft against accurately used heavy weaponry, it does provide a significant degree of protection against high velocity shrapnel and debris, small arms fire, and potentially crew-served weapons fire.
Built with a light weight intertron composite, the physical hull and structures of an Artemis Gunship were designed to balance the needs for high strength as well as low weight in order to allow for maximum possible accelerations in space and the most efficient usage of available fuel. While not as well protected as a vessel with a heavier inertron composite construction, the Artemis Gunship is resistant to small arms fire and offers additional protection around the cockpit where high density inertron composite lining is installed.
Armament
The Artemis Class Gunship's primary armament for support of planetary operations is a single Bofors L/70 40 mm Gun mounted on the gunship's center axis, firing through the gunship's nose. Capable of highly accurate fire, the Bofors gun is able to deliver munitions effective against soft or lightly armoured targets even if they are in the vicinity of friendly ground forces.
Against better protected targets in the form of armoured vehicles or entrenched defensive positions, the Artemis Class Gunship's complement of MS-3 Guided Anti-Tank Missile may be deployed from the internal weapons bay located in the gunship's fusalage.
Production Information
Designer: ConAm Interstellar, Consolidated Amalgamated Holding Corporation
Technical Data:
Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Weapons and Defensive Systems Officer
Length: 25 meters
Wingspan: 15.5 meters
Height: 5.1 meters
Armament:
Designer: ConAm Interstellar, Consolidated Amalgamated Holding Corporation
Technical Data:
Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Weapons and Defensive Systems Officer
Length: 25 meters
Wingspan: 15.5 meters
Height: 5.1 meters
Armament:
- 1 x Bofors L/70 40 mm Gun
- 6 x MS-3 High Velocity Guided Missile