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Description
Done for me by KevKoe

This is the Heron, a Heavy modular VTOL design capable of either atmospheric or void operations. At 57 meters long, it is large and bulky with an expected service life of 100 years that will always find a home in any large industrial or military environment.

The three most common configurations for a war focused society are as a Heavy Transport, a Heavy Gunship, and an Anti-Aircraft/Missile Defense Unit.

Even with an empty weight averaging 30,000 lbs, it's powerful VTOL engines with a power-to-weight ratio of 12hp/lb gives it the ability to climb and accelerate quickly, achieving Mach 1.7 in atmosphere while fully loaded with 70 standard tons of equipment and/or troops. Truthfully, it can lift more but there is no equipment of such weight that can be practically hauled by a single Heron. It's combat range can range from1,200 to 3,100 miles, with a ferry range of 4,000 miles in 1 Earth Atmosphere. These ranges are considerably increased in the void and other lower atmosphere worlds.

Transport: CH-80 Heron(T)

With the cargo module, a single medium main battle tank and 20 troopers with equipment, ammo and fuel can be fit in for rapid transport in and out of hot combat zones. A medical transport version of the module can be attached to drop off an aid station, a mechanical refit station for the machinery and cybernetic units, or to medivac fifty troops.

Gunship: GH-81 Heron Lord (F/A)

With the gunship module, the Heron is notated with 'Lord' and becomes a bird of prey for enemies in its Close Air Support missions. Capable of staying on station for longer then any other widely produced vehicle in service, its variety of weapons and gratuitous amounts of onboard ammo supply allow it to attack any known level of threat from fast and nimble drones and vehicles to waves of troops. Its signature EMCC cannon can put a fist-sized hole through 10ft of steel armor. More often, its tank kills are from knocking out the engines or killing the crew through the penetration's resulting overpressure than actually destroying the vehicle. The lighter armored vehicles fall prey to its howitzers and the infantry is rained upon with death by its 12mm miniguns.

Anti-Aircraft: AA-82 Heron (F/I)

This module equips the Heron with a large Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Missile defense capabilities, allowing it to provide a mobile safety net for allied forces on the ground and in the air. Usually one of these accompanies a Gunship or Transport to ward off opportunistic aircraft and missiles. Its many Tactical Laser Spheres provide it nearly omnidirectional laser coverage that can focus on dozens of targets simultaneously. A last resort defense would be the CWIS 10mm dual minigun turrets.

The effective range of the laser systems are 1 mile but when the missiles can be shot down in their dozens, the lack of range is acceptable for now. Weather conditions can have adverse effects on this though.

AWACS: EC-84 Heron (AWACS-H)

A more slapjob design necessitated by some wars breaking out far faster into numerous zones within a system. The Heron can be outfitted for ECW and ECCW operations but noticeably less powerful then the less numerous dedicated AWACS ships.

Description
Done for me by KevKoe

This is the Heron, a Heavy modular VTOL design capable of either atmospheric or void operations. At 57 meters long, it is large and bulky with an expected service life of 100 years that will always find a home in any large industrial or military environment.

The three most common configurations for a war focused society are as a Heavy Transport, a Heavy Gunship, and an Anti-Aircraft/Missile Defense Unit.

Even with an empty weight averaging 30,000 lbs, it's powerful VTOL engines with a power-to-weight ratio of 12hp/lb gives it the ability to climb and accelerate quickly, achieving Mach 1.7 in atmosphere while fully loaded with 70 standard tons of equipment and/or troops. Truthfully, it can lift more but there is no equipment of such weight that can be practically hauled by a single Heron. It's combat range can range from1,200 to 3,100 miles, with a ferry range of 4,000 miles in 1 Earth Atmosphere. These ranges are considerably increased in the void and other lower atmosphere worlds.

Transport: CH-80 Heron(T)

With the cargo module, a single medium main battle tank and 20 troopers with equipment, ammo and fuel can be fit in for rapid transport in and out of hot combat zones. A medical transport version of the module can be attached to drop off an aid station, a mechanical refit station for the machinery and cybernetic units, or to medivac fifty troops.

Gunship: GH-81 Heron Lord (F/A)

With the gunship module, the Heron is notated with 'Lord' and becomes a bird of prey for enemies in its Close Air Support missions. Capable of staying on station for longer then any other widely produced vehicle in service, its variety of weapons and gratuitous amounts of onboard ammo supply allow it to attack any known level of threat from fast and nimble drones and vehicles to waves of troops. Its signature EMCC cannon can put a fist-sized hole through 10ft of steel armor. More often, its tank kills are from knocking out the engines or killing the crew through the penetration's resulting overpressure than actually destroying the vehicle. The lighter armored vehicles fall prey to its howitzers and the infantry is rained upon with death by its 12mm miniguns.

Anti-Aircraft: AA-82 Heron (F/I)

This module equips the Heron with a large Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Missile defense capabilities, allowing it to provide a mobile safety net for allied forces on the ground and in the air. Usually one of these accompanies a Gunship or Transport to ward off opportunistic aircraft and missiles. Its many Tactical Laser Spheres provide it nearly omnidirectional laser coverage that can focus on dozens of targets simultaneously. A last resort defense would be the CWIS 10mm dual minigun turrets.

The effective range of the laser systems are 1 mile but when the missiles can be shot down in their dozens, the lack of range is acceptable for now. Weather conditions can have adverse effects on this though.

AWACS: EC-84 Heron (AWACS-H)

A more slapjob design necessitated by some wars breaking out far faster into numerous zones within a system. The Heron can be outfitted for ECW and ECCW operations but noticeably less powerful then the less numerous dedicated AWACS ships.