[OOC] Across Broken Skies [Ace Combat inspired RP]

[Rhona W]

You fixed the part that was primarily out of place, the Su-29 instead of MiG-29.
In theory it could use a few more weapons for air-to-ground ops, as the MiG-29 can carry more ordnance, but that's up to you.

[Slypheed]

Silverwind Blade said Sure, I have no worries with you taking an F-111F at all. Having the more modernized variant makes sense to me, especially with the areas you'd like to focus on as well. Sounds like a good way to take it, and I look forward to seeing your updates!

The F variant also adds more powerful engines :P

[Rhona W]

Slypheed said
The F variant also adds more powerful engines :P

So much the better! Now stick thrust vectoring on it too. And RAM material! xD

[Slypheed]

Silverwind Blade said
So much the better! Now stick thrust vectoring on it too. And RAM material! xD

Maybe later updates o 3o
We'll go with what we've got at the moment o 3o

[RPCWhite]

Well i could carry an undermount under the fuselage then yes i can carry some air to ground but i really want these two to be mainly air to air guys. and my history wll be fixed i just really was tired last night and had a major headache.so i just needed to get it up there. Plus like to tell my guys' stories during the rp.

[Driving Park]

Can the more knowledgeable folk here recommend a thrust vectorable or already thrust vectoring pair of engines to replace the 25's Mach 3+ turbojets? Or, if possible, can the turbojets themselves be modified and made to thrust vector? Wiki says thrust vectoring is typically only used with turbofans.

[Rhona W]

RPCWhite said Plus like to tell my guys' stories during the rp.

Just so long as any 'big reveals' that might affect the plot are notified to me in advance - otherwise it might come across a bit like godmodding. And that you're just making it up as you go along. But sure, that's fine.

Driving Park said
Can the more knowledgeable folk here recommend a thrust vectorable or already thrust vectoring pair of engines to replace the 25's Mach 3+ turbojets? Or, if possible, can the turbojets themselves be modified and made to thrust vector? Wiki says thrust vectoring is typically only used with turbofans.

I wasn't aware of that myself, but the MiG-31, which is a development of the MiG-25 uses turbofan engines, specifically these, and I have no issues with a thrust-vectored version of those being used. The SU-47 used them as well, and it had thrust-vectoring, so it's been done before.

Slypheed said
Maybe later updates o 3oWe'll go with what we've got at the moment o 3o

Not my creation, but always liked it :)

[Winter]

Character Sheet

Name: Annabelle Rose

Nickname/Callsign: Rose

Age: 27

Nationality: British

Appearance:

Appearance

Bio:

Annabelle was born in 1991 to a family with a history of military service specifically in the RAF. So it was no surprise that she was brought up to eventually enlist when she became old enough. Originally she had thought to delve into the engineering profession, but the more she observed the steel shells that propelled themselves into the skies, the more she found herself with a desire to one day be among them. She enlisted, taking the tests and examinations, determined to pass and become the first Rose to become a pilot. Every waking moment was spent reading and studying, even exercising where possible so she would confidently pass the fitness exams. Her hard work paid off when she received the news that she would be taken on as a RAF pilot. She has since spent her recent years of service on board the supercarrier the HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Service Record:

Two years of service on board the HMS Illustrious, four years service on board the HMS Queen Elizabeth. Earned the rank of Flight Lieutenant, however has expressed no desire to progress beyond current rank. Has received a purple heart medal after being shot down during her third year of service.

Aircraft Details

Name of Aircraft: Harrier GR7A - II

Profile Link:

Harrier

Modifications:

Standard Avalon Mods.

Improved thrust vectored Pegasus engine.

Weight reduction overhaul for higher maneuverability, speed and combat efficiency.

Optimized VTOL for faster take offs and landings.

Retractable refueling probe.

One piece canopy.

Advanced helmet integrated targeting systems including the prototype HUD display.

Personal Colour Scheme:

Snow white with a red rose printed on the right wing and on the left of the nose.

Weapon Systems:

1x 25mm Cannon.

AIM-54 Phoenix

AIM-120 AMRAAM

AGM-65 Maverick

AGM-88 SLAM

[RPCWhite]

Well anything big being revealed wont really affect their service records it will most likely be before they oined. if i have anything like maybe an enemy pilot i will PM it to you but it will probably be later if there isn't a good plot going at that point in time. i got one but saving that one.

[nautilusmp]

I'm not someone who completes a CS on first iteration, so this is not complete and will be improved upon in a short time.

Name: Farid Ramdani

Nickname/Callsign: Musket

Age: 25

Nationality: Indonesian

Appearance:

Bio: Born in Bogor in 1993, Farid had hardly any memory of the events that happened in 1998, what he would later refer to as "Shelling" instead of the term the mainstream media used. He was only told about the event by his parents and anyone old enough and still alive to remember them. What he knew was that the Indonesian economy, which was Jakarta-centric and already failing by the start of 1998 on every level, took a very hard hit after the Shelling completely obliterated Jakarta and reduced the central government, which was already hanging on the cliff due to pro-democracy protests, to ashes. Farid's early life was tough; his family were constantly in the state of poverty for many years. Hence when he finished high school in 2011, in doing so already straining his parents's finances (who, fortunately, supported their first child to have decent education whatever it takes), he attended the military academy because the state will cover all expenses.

Service Record: Farid has served in the Indonesian Air Force for three years. He had rarely seen "actual" combat because his country was pretty much at peace. However, he had seen a few "virtual" combats: that is, real tension with each side trying to lock on the other but without firing any actual missile; the missile lock-on serve as a stern warning to the other side. One was against USAF F-18s in the Indian Ocean after the Hornets allegedly flew into Indonesian airspace, but he was an easy target at the time and was quickly locked on. Another was against Chinese J-10s on the Natuna Islands, this time he managed to lock on a J-10. Due to the rise of UNWO, Farid was one of the Indonesians who were just recently sent to serve with the so-called UN peacekeeping force who now needed to transform into a capable global freedom defence force.

Aircraft Details

Name of Aircraft: F-20 Tigershark

Profile Link: F-20

Modifications: Farid's F-20 is the same as other Indonesian F-20s, which serves as an interim fighter prior to the arrival of the 4.5th generation KAI KF-X at early 2020s (projected). However, Indonesian F-20s have received several upgrades from the standard export version of the F-20, which includes:

• Standard Avalon upgrades


• Engine swapped with 1 x General Electric F414


• Updated stores management systems, allowing a wider range of ordnance


• Conformal fuel tanks


• AESA radar


• Glass cockpit


• Electronic warfare system


• Retractable in-flight refueling probe


• Three-dimensional thrust vectoring

Personal Colour Scheme: Standard scheme, except for a small picture near the left and right wings, depicting a silhouette of a J-10 inside a crosshair as a reminder to the virtual dogfight at Natuna Islands.

Weapon Systems:
Guns: 2× 20 mm Pontiac M39A2 cannons, 280 rounds each
Five external hardpoints (plus two on wingtip rails) for a combination of the following weapons and equipment:

• AIM-9 Sidewinder short range IR-guided air-to-air missile


• AIM-120 AMRAAM medium range active radar-guided air-to-air missile


• AIM-54 Phoenix long-range radar guided air-to-air missile


• AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile


• AGM-84 Harpoon beyond visual range anti-ship missile (due to its weight, however, fewer missiles and bombs can be loaded when the Harpoon is also loaded)


• AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile


• Mark 80 series of unguided bombs


• Drop tank

Note: This character holds a strong anti-Israel sentiment, although he does not want another Holocaust.

[Skythikon]

Driving Park said
Can the more knowledgeable folk here recommend a thrust vectorable or already thrust vectoring pair of engines to replace the 25's Mach 3+ turbojets? Or, if possible, can the turbojets themselves be modified and made to thrust vector? Wiki says thrust vectoring is typically only used with turbofans.

Thrust vectoring is just the hydraulic adjustment of the nozzle to redirect thrust, so there's no reason it can't be used with a turbojet since the powerplant doesn't quite matter, The MiG-25 uses a variable choke nozzle, so it'll just be a case of removing those, linking them to flight control systems and installing the hydraulics to allow them a greater degree of movement.

[Driving Park]

My CS is almost done! :D

Winter said
Age: 27

Annabelle was born in 1991

If she was born in 1991 she would be 22 or 23.

Skythikon said Thrust vectoring is just the hydraulic adjustment of the nozzle to redirect thrust, so there's no reason it can't be used with a turbojet since the powerplant doesn't quite matter, The MiG-25 uses a variable choke nozzle, so it'll just be a case of removing those, linking them to flight control systems and installing the hydraulics to allow them a greater degree of movement.

Ah, that makes sense. Though, I've since replaced the R-15s with thrust-vectored D30-F6s from the MiG-31 as Silver suggested, since they are more reliable and much better at low altitude flying.

[RPCWhite]

Name:James Korus

Nickname/Callsign: Bulldog

Age:26

Nationality:U.S

Appearance:Bulldog stands about 5'11 with deep blue eyes and slight tan on his white skin. He is clean shaven at all times and normally wears a marine Boonie cover when not in his flight suit.

Bio: He has served in several border skirmishes and several other training exercises. His life before the Air Force is a mystery to almost every one.He seems get into fights with most people over what seems trivial but having come from a rough area of the U.S he seems to take most things as an insult. And where he lived you either need to hit someone who insults you or you would get beat up by everyone thinking you are weak. Being in the foster care system has toughened him so he can handle himself against multipul people and has quick reflexes. Once he met Firefly he began to stop fighting withe veryone and began to relax around people.He may seem rowdy or unruly with superiors but with firefly around he is alright. He is a quiet guy when by himself but when he is around his partner, Firefly, He can be the life of the party.

Service Record: He has served for 5 years with several infractions for being drunk on base, refusing the orders of a superior in a combat situation (No charges ever stuck) and for sometimes flying too close to the tower. He has received several commendations for his bravery during combat situations and he has a confirmed 4 kills.

Aircraft Details

Name of Aircraft: F-5 Tiger II

Profile Link:

Modifications: Better radar converted for air targets.
Shatter proof glass cockpit
Upgraded engine to make for better speeds in air to air combat
Lighter frame and sanded down any rough or uneven spots to make it more aerodynamic
Glass cockpit
Personal Colour Scheme: Pitch black with a white stripe down either side of the fuselage. a Bulldog on his right wing

Weapon Systems:
Guns: 2× 20 mm (0.787 in) M39A2 Revolver cannons in the nose, 280 rounds/gun
4x AIM-120 AMRAAM
2x AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles mounted one on either wing tip.
1x 150 sargent fletcher drop tank

---

Character Sheet 2

Name: Damien Perkins

Nickname/Callsign: Firefly

Age: 29

Nationality: U.S

Appearance: a white male who stands at 6' with green eyes a clean buzz cut and clean shaven. He has a scar on his left cheek.

Bio: Damien was a normal child but he as obsessed with flight. He would always play as a fighter pilot and most kids made fun of him. He was always told he could never make. He started to believe it before long. He then went to college for four years after he graduated from highschool. He managed to find a nice girl while in college but after she left him he felt empty and alone. He decided to put love behind him and try to make himself happy. He decided to try to join the air force and got in. After completing basic training he began training to become a pilot. He soon quickly became known as "Firefly" for unknown reasons. What is known is that he was great at air to air combat and adapting to most situations. He was also really great at leading a squadron. He then became good friends with a rookie nicknamed "Bulldog" For his temper flairs whenever people would insult him. The two quickly bonded and became an unbeatable team in training exercises. Now with the U.N needing help he has volunteered to join Excalibur team along with Bulldog.

Service Record: an unblemished record service since 2013.has a confirmed 6 kills and has a great record as a team leader.

Aircraft Details

Name of Aircraft: Mig-29

Profile Link:

Modifications: Better radar converted for air targets.
Shatter proof glass cockpit
Upgraded engine to make for better speeds in air to air combat
Lighter frame and sanded down any rough or uneven spots to make it more aerodynamic
Glass cockpit
Personal Colour Scheme:Black with a white stripe on either side of the fuselage. has a firefly on the right wing

Weapon Systems:
Guns: 2× 20 mm (0.787 in) M39A2 Revolver cannons in the nose, 280 rounds/gun
4x AIM-120 AMRAAM
2x AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles mounted one on either wing tip.
1x 150 sargent fletcher drop tank

[Driving Park]

CS: Miyoshi Ohira

Name: Miyoshi Ohira
Nickname/Callsign: Halo
Age: 32
Nationality: Japanese

Appearance:

Bio: Born in Osaka in 1986, Miyoshi was raised to a pair of civilians with no prior military service in the family. She was curious about pretty much everything from the beginning, and that curiosity quickly extended to the sky, and as she grew up she gradually pieced together a prospective career for herself as a fighter pilot. While her family and locale survived Heavenfall, money was scarce and it gave her still another reason to join the air force as soon as she could. Serving for the Japanese Air Self Defense Force as a fighter and test pilot with a brief stint in Algeria (discussed in more detail below), Miyoshi gained significant combat and flight experience before being eventually recruited by the Avalon Institute.

Miyoshi is curious about just about everything, and has been her whole life. Over the years she has mellowed from her exuberant youth and now is usually calm and serene. However, her younger, curious, excited self can frequently come out, especially when out of the cockpit. She is very interested in the stories of others especially in the wake of the Heavenfall incident. When on a mission she becomes calm rather than agitated, having been conditioned by the JASDF to remove nerves and emotions from the picture. This means she appears almost nonchalant on the radio, much to the confusion of non-Japanese pilots she has flown with. (I suck at personalities)

Service Record: Miyoshi enlisted in the Japanese Air Self Defense Force as soon as she was able, at 18. During her training and initial years in service there she was placed in many different types of aircraft, sampling most of the JASDF's inventory including F-35s, Mitsubishi F-15J "Kai"s, Mitsubishi F-2s, and Kawasaki trainer aircraft. Demonstrating a remarkable ability to learn to pilot any type of aircraft proficiently in very little time, the JASDF assigned her the role of test pilot in addition to her normal fighter duties. Once initial conflicts after Heavenfall died down (during which time she scored three confirmed kills), Miyoshi began testing aircraft in earnest, notably testing the Mitsubishi ATD-X fifth-generation fighter prototypes. She was quickly recruited by the Algerian Air Force on an extended leave to test its older inventory and determine whether it should be saved or replaced. Extensively testing the Algerian Su-24s, Su-30s, MiG-29s and MiG-25s, she quickly grew to love the lumbering MiG-25PDs, and demonstrated considerable prowess at its controls. During this time the Algerian pilots nicknamed her "Halo", for her apparent bond with the very high altitude-capable Foxbat. Her rounds testing Japanese and Algerian aircraft put her on Avalon Industries' radar, and she was soon recruited to fly for the newly-formed Excalibur Squadron. The institute felt her adaptability to different aircraft would serve the squadron well, and additionally valued her particular skill in the MiG-25. In the myriad of dangerous missions Excalibur was sure to face against the UNWO, the aircraft's extremely high speed and long-range weaponry could prove valuable. Unlike Peregrine's Foxbat, Miyoshi's had modifications focused on aerial combat and extreme high speed rather than reconnaissance.

Aircraft Details
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 “Foxbat” is a supersonic interceptor capable of speeds of up to Mach 3.2 with its two Tumansky R-15-300 turbojets. The single-seat PD version, or Foxbat-E, is fitted with R-15BD-300 engines, improved radar, and an undernose IR search and track system.

Miyoshi’s Foxbat-E is fitted with a suite of modifications (many based on the MiG-31) to better prepare it for 21st-century combat, enough to warrant a new variant name (PDX). These modifications allow the PDX to have limited dogfighting capability in addition to vastly improved general characteristics and intercepting capabilities.

Name of Aircraft: MiG-25PDX Foxbat-E (nicknamed "Massao" (真っ青) (trans. "Deep Blue") by Miyoshi)
Profile Link: Clicky Wiki

Modifications:

• The twin R-15BD-300 turbojet engines have been replaced with modern thrust-vectoring variants of the Aviadvigatel D30-F6 turbofan, which was used in non-thrust-vectoring format in the MiG-25’s successor, the MiG-31. In the Foxhound the engines maintained the old turbojets’ temperature redline of Mach 2.83 and ability to go Mach 3+, while also providing a significant improvement in low speed and low altitude flyabiity, allowing for a maximum speed of Mach 1.23 at low altitude. In the PDX these engines are further modified for increased thrust and better cooling in addition to the thrust vectoring. This combined with the PDX's hugely lightened airframe (discussed below) and other improvements results in much improved statistics: Mach 3.3 becomes the temperature redline, with the aircraft able to touch Mach 3.6 at risk to engine life. Mach 1.5 is possible at low altitudes and the aircraft can nudge Mach 2 in supercruise.
• The outdated avionics systems have been replaced with lighter, more modern components.
• A glass cockpit and helmet-mounted sights have been fitted.
• Radar, targeting and navigation systems have all been replaced with modern components (including AESA radar).
• The extremely heavy construction of 80% nickel steel alloy, 11% aluminum and 9% titanium has been completely discarded and the fuselage rebuilt using modern lightweight alloys and composites, improving the aircraft’s rigidity, durability, maneuverability and speed considerably (while also contributing to the aircraft’s high cost).
• The aircraft has been navalized for use on a carrier such as the Nimue, including the installation of small omnidirectional canards that both assist in carrier landings and further improve the aircraft’s low-speed maneuverability without noticeably affecting its top speed.
• A retractable in-flight refueling arm has been fitted.
• The more rigid wings are now able to hold significantly more weight, and weapon hardpoints have been expanded accordingly with the proper modern mounts installed.

Personal Colour Scheme: Dark gray underbelly, light gray wingtips and dull dark blue everything else. A light gray insignia of the Japanese characters (真っ青) for Miyoshi's nickname for the plane occupies both tailfins.

Weapon Systems:

• 1x M61A2 Vulcan internal cannon: 500 rounds. The MiG-31 used a gas-powered GSh-6-23 cannon (the MiG-25 was never fitted with one), but it had significant problems. The lightweight M61A2 20mm cannon has been used in its place.
• Fuselage recesses for 6x Vympel R-37M (AA-13 Arrow) long range inertial/radar-guided air-to-air missiles
• Six underwing pylons (up from four) for a combination of:
• Vympel R-37M (AA-13 Arrow) very long range inertial/radar homing air-to-air missile
• Vympel R-40TD1 (AA-6 Acrid) long range infrared homing air-to-air missile. The R-37M above obviously renders the R-40 several generations obsolete and serves the same function, but the R-40 was created specifically for the MiG-25 and Avalon Industries possessed a stock of them that would have been useless otherwise, so they are in the arsenal in addition to the modern R-37M.
• Vympel R-60M (AA-8 Aphid) medium range infrared homing air-to-air missile
• Vympel K-74M2 (AA-11 Archer) short range infrared homing air-to-air missile
• Vympel K-77M (AA-12 Adder) medium range radar homing air-to-air missile
• KTRV Kh-31AM (AS-17 Krypton) medium range air-to-surface anti-ship missile
• KTRV Kh-31PM (AS-17 Krypton) medium range air-to-surface anti-radiation missile

[Skythikon]

Pilot CS: Everett

Name: Everett Yang Defei (As with Chinese names, Yang is his surname.)

Callsign: Sandstorm

Age: 28

Nationality: Russian citizenship (Singaporean origin)

Appearance: Everett stands at 1.75 meters tall and has light brown, tanned skin. His naturally skinny and slim stature often causes for confusion as doctors would often assume that he was underweight just by a visual inspection when he is actually quite healthy. Clean shaven, with a rounded face and expressive eyes, he looked a lot younger than his actual age. His black hair is cut short to military specifications.

Bio: Singapore died slowly. That is the only thing Everett remembers of his home. Protected by landmasses of Malaysia to the north and Indonesia to the south, Singapore was relatively unscathed by the tsunamis, and for a while, life went on as usual. A few buildings were damaged by the tremors, but it was not something that gave people cause for too much alarm. They were, after all, still alive. Everett went to school, his parents still had their jobs and it was as if the impact had never happened. Sure, it was all on the news, about how the coastal regions of other nations had just disappeared overnight, but everyone believed that this would pass. The government had stockpiled enough emergency supplies to last them for quite some time.

However, the rising sea levels were something that could not be ignored. When Everett was ten, he saw the news of the Netherlands being almost completely underwater, and that Venice had all but disappear. Singapore sat only inches above sea level, and many Singaporeans were all too aware that the island would soon be next. The reclaimed lands were the first to go. Everett remembers the day when the huge Marina Bay Sands finally collapsed into the ocean, and that was the signal for plenty that it was time to leave. Everett and his family packed up and left for Australia shortly afterwards. A year later, he saw on the news that most of Singapore had been reclaimed by the ocean. The only regions that were left were the core, original landmass of Singapore. The state itself had effectively ceased to exist.

That placed Everett and his family in a perilous situation. They had yet to gain any sort of citizenship; they had tried seeking asylum but had been turned down the the Australian government, who had their own troubles to deal with. He, and his family looked desperately for a place that would take them in, and they found it in the People's Republic of China. The only condition was that Everett had to serve in the PLA in one way or another for at least two years. With no other choice, Everett's family agreed to the terms and moved to the Xinjiang province of China later that year.

Life in China, while not luxurious, was certainly comfortable. They had a house, Everett received an education and his parents had jobs. It was good enough, even perhaps more than what they had expected, considering the dire straits the world was in. Eventually, he was conscripted into the PLA at the age of eighteen. He scored highly in the spatial recognition, physics and rapid thinking sections of the proficiency tests he had been given, making him a very attractive candidate for the PLAAF. Still, the PLA needed to bolster their ground force and as such, he spent the first few months of his service training to be an infantrymen.

Not four months into his service, the PLAAF started to create a lot of noise, clamouring for more pilots to fill their aircraft. Recruits from the PLA who had shown potential to be pilots were pulled from ground duties and sent to the PLAAF to retrain as pilots. It was a desperate attempt, and everyone knew it. Most of the PLA recruits washed out before they even set foot into the cockpit of an aircraft, unable to deal with the G-forces induced by combat flying. Everett was not one of them. He displayed a natural aptitude for flying, and before the year was out, he was qualified to fly the Xian JH-7, a Chinese ground attack aircraft of indigenous design. While he would partake in several cross-training exercises with the other nations who left the UN, Everett would never fly an actual combat mission throughout his years of service.

His two years ended just in time for things to heat up between the UNWO and the UN. Undecided as to where his loyalties lied, Everett decided to cash in his chips and leave China for Africa, where he had heard of lucrative deals for pilots willing to fly with no questions asked. Thus, much to the disapproval from his parents, Everett left for what was formerly the Central African Republic, now reduced to a bunch of rival warmongers. Everett flew several combat missions, most of them ground attack or close support, and in all of them he displayed himself as the 'CAS pilot who flew like a fighter'. His handling of the ground-attack aircraft he had been assigned to threw most people off-guard. In his hands, an attack aircraft could be like a fighter, though it was not without risks. Everett's approach towards everything was to be aggressive, even using cannon fire to bring down enemy aircraft if he had to. Sometimes, he even used induced stalls to evade missiles or to throw enemies off.

His mercenary career came to an end when he was offered an even better deal by the UN, who had taken note of his unique background. They wanted him to share his knowledge of PLAAF tactics, as well as the tactics of the other nations he had trained with, to the Avalon institute and the newly formed Excalibur squadron. In return, the UN offered him the citizenship of any European nation under their control and the choice of aircraft to fly. Seeing the Su-24 as having untapped potential, Everett agreed to join the UNF in exchange for Russian citizenship and a heavily modified Su-24M.

Service Record:
- 3 months PLA, basic infantryman training
- 1 year and 9 months PLAAF, 6th Fighter Division, Lanzhou Military Region (Achieved rank of Shao Wei, or Lieutenant.): Cross trained with North Korean, Iranian, Philippine and Vietnamese air forces, among others.
- 8 years with mercenary company Decisive Solutions (Dissolved as of 2017)

WSO CS: Zola

Name: Zola Vermaak

Callsign: Sandstorm

Age: 30

Nationality: South African

Appearance: Zola stands at 1.78 meters tall and has dark skin. She has a slender build, one that would perhaps be more befitting of a ballerina than a soldier, but don't go about telling her that to her face. She has a mischievous look about her, her lips always seemingly curled up into a subtle grin and her eyes twinkling with energy. Her black hair is often pulled back into a simple ponytail, and she wears a baseball cap over that.

Bio: Zola grew up in a remote region of northern South Africa, along the border with Zimbabwe. Far from any coastline, the only thing her family felt from the initial impact were the light tremors, but it did not take long to realize just how much trouble they were in. Cape Town, along with the seat of the South African government, had been all but washed away by the tsunamis that followed. With both a humanitarian and political crisis on their hands, the South African Defense Forces made the decision to enforce martial law until everything had calmed down. The upheaval resulted in her parents, both working for a government organisation, to lose their jobs simply because the organisation had ceased to exist after the disaster.

Her family lived in poverty after that. There was simply too much turmoil for anyone to find any sort of work outside of the growing mercenary industry and the military. By the time Zola was eighteen, she had already lived a large chunk of her life out in the African bush and was desperate to improve her family's situation. Thus, she decided to join the air force, where she would at the very least earn a steady wage. The SAAF had been badly affected by the impact, much of their stock had been swept away by the tsunamis or their runways wrecked by the disaster. As such, Zola did not really have a chance to fly in the Saab Gripens used by the SAAF. Rather, she flew a BAE Systems Hawk retrofitted for ground attack.

For the next two years, she flew several missions beyond the borders of South Africa, mostly to deal a heavy blow to enemy revolutionary forces active in Zimbabwe or Botswana. It was a tiring, repetitive job that amounted to little more than flying in, shooting the bad guys and flying out. There was no thrill to it, and sometimes it felt downright unfair to her when she was in a sophisticated flying machine gunning down enemies whose most technologically advanced weapon was a heavy machine gun mounted on a pickup truck. Still, the money was good and for a time, that was all Zola was concerned with.

A year later, word of lucrative deals for pilots willing to fly as mercenaries came down from the central regions of the continent. The pay was rumoured to be almost twice the amount the military would pay, and the only catch was that no questions were to be asked about any contract. Zola could live with that, it was pretty much like the air force as far as she was concerned. Do as you're told, do it well and at the end of the day, you go home with a paycheck. Thus, she promptly resigned from the air force and threw in her lot with the mercenary company offering the best pay and equipment.

Not a month later, she found herself in the cockpit of an AMX International AMX that the company had somehow procured from the Brazilian military. No doubt someone was going to get a firing for letting a piece of sophisticated military equipment fall in the hands of a mercenary company, but Zola honestly did not care. She was just happy to be flying again. She was assigned to SEAD missions, which involved her flying into regions covered by hostile air defense units and taking out the radar installations with anti-radiation missiles. It was a dangerous job, but at least it was more exciting than chasing down poorly-armed revolutionaries. It was during such operations where she displayed her daring by flying at incredibly low altitudes at dangerously high speeds to minimize the chances of being detected. On occasion, she flew alongside Everett with him being her fighter escort, but apart from that, they rarely interacted.

She stayed on with the mercenary company long after Everett left, and was sent to northern Africa just weeks before the company collapsed. Zola had long since heard about the UN-UNWO conflict, and had considered joining in on the UN side for moral reasons, but it was only when the company collapsed was she forced to make a decision. Unwilling to go on fighting for the highest bidder, she took her plane and set off for UN-controlled Italy, where she was nearly shot down upon being mistaken for an intruder and was detained even after landing. Once everything was cleared up, however, she signed up with the UNF.

It came as a surprise to her to know that she would be flying in an Su-24 alongside Everett, her former colleague. She had been hoping to be flying something a little more high-tech, given that she was supposed to be part of some advanced squadron. Still, she had heard that the aircraft had been extensively modified, so she was willing to be surprised. She just hoped that Everett could keep up with her.

Service Record:
- 3 years SAADF (Not inclusive of additional 1 year of training): Achieved rank of Lieutenant, but was grounded for last two months of service)
- ~9 years with mercenary company Decisive Solutions (Dissolved as of 2017

Aircraft: Ghost of the Straits

Name of Aircraft: Su-24M Fencer-D (Nicknamed 'Ghost of the Straits')

Profile Link: Su-24 Fencer

Modifications:

- All standard Avalon upgrades

- Full glass cockpit, but at pilot's request, analog backups exist for the basic six (Altimeter, Vertical Speed Indicator, Artificial Horizon, Airspeed Indicator, Heading Indicator, turn and bank indicator)

- Airframe further optimized by using composite materials wherever possible. Allows for speed increase and further modifications without affecting weight

- Wing root expanded in size to accept 2 additional hardpoints

- Hardpoints forward of fuselage and centerline hardpoints removed.

- Plasma Stealth system.

- Upgraded with SVP-24 navigational system to bring it close to M2 standards

- Perhaps the largest modification would be to the engines. The airframe has been slightly altered to allow for a modified version of the Lyulka AL-21F-3A engines. By fitting a fan upstream of the compressor, it essentially becomes a low-bypass turbofan engine. The engines have also been modified to allow for thrust vectoring.

Personal Colour Scheme: Sky Blue on the underside, PLA-styled camo on topside

Weapon Systems:
- 1 23mm Gsh-6-23 cannon, 500 rounds
9 Hardpoints (6 under-wing, 2 fuselage, 1 centerline), provisions for:
-R-74 Short-range air-to-air missiles
-R77 Medium-range air-to-air missiles
-KH-31A Anti-ship missiles
-KH-31P Anti-radiation air-to surface missiles
-KH-29TE long-range TV-guided air-to-surface missiles
-KH-29D IR-guided air-to-surface missiles
-RBK-250 or RBK-500 cluster bombs
-KAB-500KR and KAB-500L guided bombs
-ODAB-500M Thermobaric bombs

[nautilusmp]

Anyway, guys, just what is a hardpoint, really?

[Skythikon]

It's a part of the airframe that allows the aircraft to carry an external load.

[nautilusmp]

How does it look like?

[Rafale]

MiG-29 dominance much? My little Kitty's gonna feel like the odd one out!

[nautilusmp]

Gotta take some time comprehending this picture.
F-20 cutaway drawing.