[CHAR] Shadows of Steel - An Ace Combat inspired Fighter Jet RP

[Rhona W]

Name: Scott 'Heartbreak' Valentine

Age: 35

Gender: Male

Nationality: American

Appearance:

Personality:
Cocky, but professional, Scott is the quintessential fighter pilot. He walks the walk and talks the talk. He is confident and self-assured in his skills, but when the sticky stuff hits the fan, the swagger and breezy humour disappear and he becomes all business. He has steel behind the smile, and it shows in his eyes.
His knack of dealing with people and being able to put down the law when needed has given him a good rep - despite some incidents in his career and personal life where things have gotten a little over the line - mainly because he is willing to stick his neck out for other people, especially those under his command, or who are being harassed or hounded by others.
He does his best to be likable and build camaraderie and a good relationship with people around him, and tries to see the best of others, regardless of their outlook on him. Generally thinks the best of people, and gives them the benefit of the doubt - but can be vicious and unrelenting when his trust is betrayed, or he sees others abusing their power, privilege, or ability to hurt those with none of their own.

Personal History:
Served during the wars prior to the Cataclysm as a USMC pilot. He has been an AV-8B Harrier II pilot throughout his career. As such, the majority of his action has been in support of Marine ground operations, consisting of close air support strikes, interdiction strikes, reconnaissance, tactical strikes of enemy assets or positions, and attacks on hostile surface targets, as well as escort of allied helicopters.
Military service was a case of striking out to find his own way and independence, in an effort to get away from a boring and quiet childhood and home town. Left behind a younger sister - by a couple of years - whom he cares for greatly. She also left home behind, but to pursue a career as a medical aid worker and doctor. His parents died in the cataclysm, something he regrets greatly, despite knowing he could not have really helped them.
Scott's career has been especially varied. As mentioned, flying the Harrier II has put him in harm's way for a variety of operations, especially during the cataclysm and he has seen combat of many and varied kinds, including air-to-air combat against hostile forces. He has scored victories in these engagements, notable for a Harrier pilot, and something not often seen since the British and the Falklands War.
As a result of his career and record, he was noted for promotion to squadron leader. With the creation of the unified forces structure, he was instead reassigned as the leader of the new Shadow Flight, due to his experiences fighting around the world against Elysium's earliest attacks.

Aircraft:

AV-8C Harrier III

The Harrier III is the ultimate - and some would say final - evolution of the Harrier airframe, a design that originated in the 1960's in England, and resulted in the most successful and versatile STOVL aircraft design so far.
The Harrier III maintains the basic shape and form of the Harrier's classic design, and still features a version of the Pegasus engine as its' core. However, the Harrier III is a new-build design that incorporates modern avionics and electronics, as well as modern construction materials and techniques, bringing the design up to 21st century standards and knowledge of aviation design, as well as incorporating several features considered in earlier design studies or projects for 'advanced' Harrier versions. Composite materials are used for lighter weight throughout the aircraft and its' engine. Advanced fly-by-wire controls are used throughout, along with a fully digital glass cockpit with touch-screen interfaces. A helmet-mounted targeting system is used, and the radar has been upgraded to an AESA radar, along with other sensor updates, and the 'big wing' including additional wingtip hardpoints for light anti-air missiles.
The airframe has received minor tweaks and revamps all over akin to the 'Super Hornet' version of the F/A-18, incorporating edge-aligned hatches, panels, and doors wherever possible to reduce the planes' radar signature. With the Pegasus Engines' turbine face this does not have a huge reduction in signature, but is nonetheless an added bonus, along with the incorporation of other radar-reducing measures. The avionics updates have also allowed the Harrier III to be compatible with all NATO weapon systems.

Personal Weapons & Equipment:

• AdTech aircrew armour/survival vest
• AdTech aircrew helmet
• H&K USP Compact .45 handgun
• M14 DMR Rifle
• Gerber ASEK LMF II Combat/survival knife.

[CaptainBritton]

Wes

Name: Wesley Durant
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Nationality: American
Appearance:
Stands at 5’10”.
Personality: Persistence is the name of Wesley’s game. First and foremost, he is the type of person to seize opportunities, rather than waiting and guessing. Despite what some blackshoe non-flyers would claim, Wes isn’t the reckless type. Though he might be just a little bit of a braggart, and spends a little too much time in the Officer’s Club.
Personal History: Wesley was born in Medford on Long Island, NY in the dead middle of the 2000s. His father was a commercial pilot for Delta and his mother a nurse in nearby New York City. Growing up, Wesley often spent days when he wasn’t at school alone at home. Inevitably falling into obsessions as children do, Wesley became infatuated with the prospect of flying. First, for the Air Force. Then, as he got older, the Navy. As wars began sparking world-wide, he took his chance at 18 and lobbied for a spot at the Naval Officer Candidate School. Completing it narrowly, he entered flight school at the age of 20 and began to excel. Until the Cataclysm happened. Immediately, pilots became a scarce and absolutely necessary resource. Rushed to an airframe, Wes’s first few years were primarily flying in conjunction with NOAA craft, as superstorms spun up as a result of the impact. It wasn’t until the rise of Elysium occurred that Wesley saw proper combat, in a strike by Elysium forces to disrupt PGA naval superiority in the North Atlantic. Flying in a fleet defender role as his craft dictated, he was no ace-in-a-day, but still achieved three splashes in one engagement. For his achievement he earned a brevet promotion and assignment to Shadow Flight.
Aircraft:

F-14X

The F-14, formerly retired by the US Navy due to age and squabbles over unit cost, was one of the first craft considered to be reintroduced during the wars of the 2020s and the Cataclysm of 2028. With airframes recovered from the Boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, they were hastily upgraded into a F-14G variant which was to take up the role as Fleet Defender once again, the area where F/A-18s seemed to be lacking as dedicated multiroles. Given new avionics systems and modern radar equipment, their effectiveness was middling in the grand scheme, and often they were too few in number to make any sort of difference one way or the other. It was not until post-Cataclysm that the F-14 would get its due, as AdTech revitalized the costly program to modernize the F-14 further. New engines, even better avionics, compatibility with a new array of long-range air-to-air missiles earmarked the F-14X program.

Of these, Wesley flies one of the prototypes in the field currently, equipped as well with an advanced autonomous radar intercept computer courtesy of his Shadow Flight membership, which eliminates the need for a RIO sitting in his rear seat. Said RIO-computer can make target callouts, autonomously track radar signals, and perform electronic countermeasure functions with minimal input necessary.

Personal Weapons & Equipment:

• HK416C Carbine
• M18 (SIG P230 Compact) Pistol
• Standard AdTech Flight/Combat Garments + HMD-capable Helmet
• OKC Pilot Survival Knife

[Rapid Reader]

Peregrine / Black 13

Name: Alexandra Saetang
Nickname: Sassa
Call Sign: Peregrine / Black 13
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Nationality: Swedish
Appearance: Sassa measures in at 5 ft 4.5 in when standing on the tips of her toes. However, her small size has noticeable advantages in terms of her comfort in the cockpit and ability to tolerate increased g-loads. She keeps her chestnut colored hair cut short and rarely does much to maintain it. Her calm eyes are sea-green and mirror the gentle expressions that frequently dance across her mouth. She possess a pallor that is the composite of her parents and she has light brown skin. Only her light accent and the rising lilt of her speech give hints to her Swedish origins and most would be hard-pressed to place her ethnicity.

Outside of her fighter aircraft, Sassa exudes a calm and friendly air.

Personality: Steeped in ancient philosophy and her books, Sassa is a Zen Buddhist mystic moonlighting as a fighter pilot. She flies through the indigo skies effortlessly, a feather gently drifting in the winds of life, and stoically accepts her place as a merciless weapon of war.

A talented pilot, Sassa controls her plane effortlessly and has a knack for making incredible shots, be it with her cannons or missiles. While she is assuredly recognized in the squadron for her aggressiveness, she is not foolhardy, and risks only enough to accomplish the mission.

Unburdened by her own acts of violence, Sassa has managed to separate her persona as the ace pilot Peregrine from her persona as Sassa the person. She is friendly, if a bit reserved, and is amicable in most social situations. Far from a loner, she nonetheless take care to spend time by herself and if left unattended she is likely to bury her face in a book or contemplation of the mysteries of life.

Personal History:

Alexandra Seatang was born to a Swedish mother and Thai father in Umeå, Sweden, on December 15th, 20XX. The child of two cultures, she grew up with a love of flying, guided by her father, a former Royal Thai Air Force fighter pilot into acquiring her civilian pilot license and then her airline transport pilot license.

A burgeoning career in the transportation industry was forestalled in 20XX, when she was called up for military service as a result of a decision by the Swedish government to reactive military conscription. In light of her civilian flying experience, Sassa was selected for officer training and shipped off to the Skaraborg Air Force Wing (F 7) located at Såtenäs. There she complete flight school and was trained on the JAS 39 Gripen. In line with standard Swedish Air Force policy, she was soon after posted to the operational wing of Blekinge Air Force Wing (F 17), near Ronneby in Southern Sweden.

As tensions began to rise in the North, Sassa was transferred to the ad-hoc Gotland Air Force Wing (F 22). The formation of F 22 represented a desperate attempt by the Swedish government to counter growing unrest in the Baltic and the increasing threat that Elysium had begun to pose to PGA interests. Operating from a hastily restored Bunge Air Force Base, F 22 pilots flew Saab AJS Viggen fighter aircraft that had been rapidly restored to combat condition after an extensive period of mothballing. Promoted to Löjtnant (Lieutenant) and assigned command of her own two element flight, Sassa celebrated by painting her Saab AJS Viggen (s/n 37099) a bright red.

The paint on her Viggen had barely dried when F 22 was scrambled to defend the island from an Elysium backed naval invasion. The so-called "Gotland War" lasted for no more than fourteen days but saw frantic fighting as the underequipped and undermanned Swedish Armed Forces sought to stave off defeat long enough for PGA reinforcements to arrive. Fighting above the waves, Sassa earned a fearsome reputation and intercepted communications from Elysium pilots mention a red painted Viggen hunting their aircraft across the skies of the Baltic. Sassa would be an ace twice over before the conflict ended.

Although ultimately successful in repulsing the naval invasion, F 22 would suffer catastrophic casualties, losing 20 out of 24 aircraft and half as many pilots. As a result the fight wing was disbanded and Sassa was transferred back to F 17.

Along with the rest of F 17 she participated n PGA led peacekeeping efforts in Central Europe. She performed well under the rough winter conditions that prevailed following the Cataclysm. Shadowing friendly forces as they moved ever eastwards, Sassa helped protect PGA ground forces from hostile aircraft as they targeted secessionist elements trying to reform the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Following a brief R & R in Sweden, Sassa was recently reassigned to Shadow Flight.

Aircraft: Sassa flies a red painted Saab AJS 37 Viggen. A STOL multirole aircraft, Sassa's Viggen is a souped up Cold War era special stuffed to the brim with enough new weapons, avionics, and software so that it can compete with more modern fighter aircraft. However, despite all the advanced tech, Sassa remains most impressed by the the new state-of-the-art engine Shadow Flight mechanics have managed to install in her fighter. After all, speed is life in the blue skies. In addition to buckets of red, a small peregrine falcon has been painted below the canopy and the tail of the aircraft is emblazoned with a large "13" in black.

Personal Weapons & Equipment:

• AdTech aircrew armour/survival vest
• AdTech aircrew helmet
• Glock 19
• Random paperback book picked depending on the day
• Combat/survival knife.

[Whoami]

Riley 'Northstar' Asher

Age
29

Gender
Female

Nationality
Canadian

Personality
Riley is a proud woman. She maintains a level of professionalism around others that might make her rather intimidating. She loves flying, and finds that she can relax when in the cockpit. Riley doesn't like slackers or complacent workers. While she too understands the value of rest and relaxation, she is all business when at work. Riley is the type to not miss a detail when receiving orders. She doesn't care for competition among her peers, and chooses to show her skills through her performance.

Personal History
Growing up, Riley always wanted to fly planes. However, her vision had always stopped her from being able to get into the cockpit of a fighter. She was always bullied in her younger years for being 'four-eyed' and 'blind'. She wasn't that blind, but her parents always insisted she wear glasses, thinking that there was just too much risk with contact lenses. Being picked on made Riley want to get back at her bullies. She learned how to defend herself with some entry level Taekwondo classes, which helped boost her confidence, and earned her some respect after winning a local tournament.

When she was seventeen, her parents allowed her to join the Canadian Armed Forces. Riley's first choice for a position was, naturally, being a pilot. Of course, Riley's vision had decided the outcome, and she soon found herself going to basic training as a non-commissioned member bound for the army. Riley was sent to the Armoured Corps, where she would eventually become an armoured reconnaissance trooper. Riley proved to be quite good at her job, and she was content with that. Still, her desire to fly burned inside of her. She was given a small bone when she was trained to operate aerial reconnaissance drones for her squadron, which satisfied her for the time being. Riley stuck around as a member of the armoured corps for ten years, and had made the rank of sergeant by the time she was able to afford some laser eye surgery to correct her vision. During her time in the armoured corps, Riley had been deployed to fight in the second Korean war, where she managed to halt a company's advance with artillery from her well concealed observation post. The mission was expected to break out into combat, and the codeword for that moment was 'Northstar'. Riley was the one who declared Northstar, and from her well concealed observation post, was able to call down accurate artillery fire and CAS strikes on an advancing enemy company. By the end of the operation, Riley and her dismounted patrol was responsible for bringing the enemy to a grinding halt at a river crossing, which allowed time for allied forces to mass enough forces to capture the river, and push further into enemy territory. Riley was first scolded for being the one to declare Northstar, as usually such things are declared after a decision in the higher ranks was made. But after seeing the result of her decision, she was let off. The members of her squadron started calling her Northstar, mainly as a way to stick it to the chain of command.

After her deployment, Riley was able to get laser eye surgery. With her eyes fixed, Riley put in for an officer's transfer to become a fighter pilot. The process was long, but eventually she was approved. Riley was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant, and shipped off for additional training. Thankfully at that point in her career, a lot of the subject matter new officers had been trained in was stuff she knew already, so the transition was quite easy. Once Riley finished her flight school training, she was made a lieutenant, and assigned to a fighter squadron bound for the Korean war. She found herself back on the Korean peninsula, but this time she was looking down at the fighting instead of being in it. Riley's passion was still so strong even after a decade of being in the army, and it seemed that her passion came with a natural talent for flying. Within a month of being deployed to Korea for her second time, Riley managed to achieve ace status, since her flight was constantly sortieing out as a QRF to areas where enemy air power was seen crossing into allied airspace. By the end of her deployment, Riley made the rank of Captain, and she had shot down twelve North Korean MiG-29's, and three Chinese J-10's.

The war was cut short when the asteroid hit. Canada pulled its forces from the Korean peninsula to ensure the safety of its own borders, which were now in shambles after the cataclysm. While her squadron remained in Canada in the months after the impact, Riley found herself being assigned to a new multi-national squadron, more specifically, its elite flight of renowned aces. Canada wasn't able to provide her a plane of its own, as the country's fleet was always quite small. But they did have a handful of captured MiG-29's from the Korean war. She was always impressed by the engineering in Russian aircraft, so she gladly accepted one of the MiGs. As a token of appreciation, her flight crew had retrofitted the North Korean MiG with more modernized parts, bringing its performance to peak levels, limited only by the aircraft's capabilities.

Aircraft
MiG-29 Fulcrum

Personal Weapons & Equipment
AdTech aircrew armour/survival vest
AdTech aircrew helmet
Sig-Sauer P320
H&K MP7