EXPLODOBOY'S

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HOAJ-1 "SAGA" AIRCRAFT
TIMELINE: Abb-PlC

Basic Information

• Full Title: Hazard-Operations Assault Jet
• Generation: 1
• Candidate #: 239/10
• Role: Strike
• National Origin: FoGM
• Manufacturer: UNDETERMINED
• Introduction: 1977
• Produced: 1968 - 1990
• End of Service: 2007

Mounts (weight capacity: 17,500 lb)

• 1x Frontal Turret (S-HMG)
• 10x Wing-Mount [1500 lb]
• 1x Bomb Bay w/ Rotary Launcher [10000 lb]

Utilities

• Targeting Unit (Infared, Laser, Optical)
• Electronic Countermeasures
• Thermal Chaff
• Ejection System

Loadouts

• Configuration "Storm" [16,900 lb]
  • Description: Oriented around close air support, the bomb bay rotary launcher is replaced with the main components for the SPAW-S. It is also good at dogfighting. It also has a few "Skyviper" double mounts.
  • Frontal Turret
    • 1x H2-SPAW-S [600 lb]
  • Wing Mounts
    • 4x Midrange Duo-Missiles [semi-active homing, 1000 lb]
    • 2x 96ct Rocket Pods [unguided, 1440 lb]
    • 2x Medium Bombs [unguided, 750 lb]
    • 2x Medium Duo-Bombs [unguided, 1500 lb]
  • Bomb Bay
    • 1x SPAW-S Assembly & Ammunition [5000 lb]
• Configuration "Joust" [17,200 lb]
  • Description: Oriented around air-to-air combat, particularly against (relative) peer-level threats. Rotary bay can launch two missiles at a time.
  • Frontal Turret
    • 1x C2-SPAW-S [300 lb]
      • Ammo [900 lb]
  • Wing Mounts
    • 6x Midrange Missiles [long-range, semi-active homing, 500 lb]
    • 4x Longrange Missiles [long-range, semi-active homing, 1000 lb]
  • Bomb Bay
    • 9x Longrange Missiles [long-range, semi-active homing, 1000 lb]
• Configuration "Break" [16,950 lb]
  • Description: Oriented around bombing runs, and that's about it. Rotary bay can drop two bombs at a time. Fitted with two "Starviper" triple mounts.
  • Frontal Turret
    • 1x C2-SPAW-S [300 lb]
      • Ammo [900 lb]
  • Wing Mounts
    • 2x Midrange Tri-Missiles [semi-active homing, 1500 lb]
    • 8x Medium Bombs [unguided, 750 lb]
  • Bomb Bay
    • 9x Medium Bombs [unguided, 750 lb]
• Configuration "Frost" [17,200 lb]
  • Description: Oriented around performing nuclear strikes. Fitted with four "Starviper" triple mounts.
  • Frontal Turret
    • 1x C2-SPAW-S [300 lb]
      • Ammo [900 lb]
  • Wing Mounts
    • 4x Midrange Tri-Missiles [semi-active homing, 1500 lb]
    • 6x Longrange Missiles [semi-active homing, 1000 lb]
  • Bomb Bay
    • 1x Fusion Bomb [2 megaton, 4000 lb]
      • ALT: 2x Fusion Bomb [1 megaton, 2000 lb]
      • ALT: 4x Fusion Bomb [500 kiloton, 1000 lb]

"Off and on and on again, this story never ends."

Background

The HOAJ-1 "Saga" is an infamous multirole fighter operated by the Greater Martilan military with the purpose of matching Drahosic and Etrasi fighters one-to-one, and also performing high-risk bombing maneuvers. It is one of the largest fighters in history. It was developed in parallel with the Sequel, Prelude, and Aegis. It shares several key components with them. It shares several key components with them. Development had been a tricky process, however, resulting in several delays. While those delays had been ultimately beneficial, it had been concerning for the Martilan military.

Exceptionally survivable, the Saga has a heavy combination of armor, countermeasures, system redundancies, and speed. For what can outrun or outturn it has a good chance of getting caught on its sophisticated ECM and large chaff supply. What manages to land a blow on the craft often gets deflected by armor. And finally, what punches through is unlikely to do enough damage to knock out all its systems. As such, most Sagas find their way home.

Despite good performance, the Saga was ultimately considered a (mild) failure; it performed well on the battlefield and was widely considered a success in that field, but was incredibly expensive to produce and maintain, which produced opportunity costs which could and should have been filled by a greater volume of more simple aircraft. In short, while it was a great aircraft that did everything it set out to, it was held back by sheer cost.

The lesson: you can't spend your way out of every problem. Keep it simple, stupid.