Intelligence Dossier

Commissioned by Admiral Fitzgerald, EP Sector Fleet Headquarters, 2377

Harpy Class Gunship

Length: 88m
Width: 29m
Height: 44m

Hull: Reinforced Titanium Steel Composite. 5500 ASE
Shields: Type 3 Capital Grade. 800ASE

Armament

2 Light Target Prometheus Class Plasma Turrets
3 Light Target-Fast Lock Class Three Anti Fighter Fighter Beams
1 Heavy Target Flak Cannon
1 Class 2 Anti Munitions Short Range Flak Canon

Designed in the volatile early days of the NTF Uprising, the Harpy Gunship was originally designed by RNI Systems to serve as a long range reconnaissance craft in dangerous, contested systems. This earliest iteration of the vessel was lighter armed in comparison with its modern day counterpart, mounting only a single pair of anti fighter beams as its primary armament, and maintaining its two flak launchers to serve as defence against incoming bombers. However, the collapsed Molybdenum armour coating that the design called for would have increased its overall hull ASE to well over 8000, affording it survivability if not any great offensive power. However, these vessels were costly, and moreover, failed to live up to expectations during computer simulations, and the design was filed away.

As the NTF War Dragged on, the GTVA concentrated on fighter based developments, with much of the capital ship funding presumably going to the GTVA Colossus, which should have ended the NTF War with no trouble. It was not until after the destruction of the Colossus that the Harpy design was revisited. The new threat came from the Neo Terran Remnant which, unlike the Neo Terran Front, operated more as terrorists than a rebellion, striking at civilian targets and convoys. Faced with a desperate need to defend convoys spread over the six systems in which the NTF had operated, the GTVA commissioned a dozen Aeolus class cruisers from RNI, and offered a contract to produce a supplementary anti fighter vehicle. RNI responded with a reimagined Harpy Gunship, adding a pair of Prometheus Laser canons and stripping off the Molybdenum sheathing to minimize costs, replacing it with a pair of side by side regenerative shield generators. The GTVA expressed interest, but requested the addition of a Vasudan designed reactor to power stronger engines and a third anti fighter beam. With these modifications in place, computer simulations were much more promising. The Harpy was blisteringly powerful for its size, reasonably cheap and required a relatively small crew of fifty seven. The Prototype GTGs Harpy was completed in December of 2369, with a small run of eight other vessels finished in 2371, along with the first six Aeolus Cruisers. While the Harpy itself remained at RNI, Each production vessel was assigned to an Aeolus, with the remaining two entering the mainstream GTVA Fleet. Of these nine Harpy�s, only the Prototype GTGs Harpy is still functional today. Despite its formidable armaments, the 90m Harpy presented a far less dangerous appearing target than the 270m Aeolus, and thus tended to take the vast majority of hostile fire when the Harpy/Aeolus teams confronted NTR forces. Though performance appraisals were always good, the Harpy was ultimately viewed by the GTVA military as a dangerously short lived vessel, and a bad investment, and no further vessels were ever ordered.

RNI refinanced and reorganized itself in 2372, shedding many low performance designs and concentrating more on its successful designs rather than extensive R&D. It was during this time that the Starr Corporation purchased the manufacturing rights to the Harpy, as well as the prototype. Seeing potential where the GTVA did not, Starr used the Harpy to kick-start its shipyards division, producing over two dozen of the vessels for its own use and almost 150 for sale in two years. These vessels were sold to large corporations, mercenary groups, powerful individuals � anyone who needed heavy firepower without attracting the GTVA attention placed on individuals who own military grade cruisers and the like. Starr continued to manufacture these vessels until 2375, when a hard won GTVA legal injunction was placed on their construction and sale in response to the huge numbers of these vessels being used for blatantly criminal purposes, and the risk they posed to Alliance citizens. Overall, Starr�s official production numbers stand at 288 vessels, with 87 destroyed, 44 presumed destroyed, and 48 accounted for non criminal use, including the nineteen still maintained by Starr. This leaves at least 109 vessels still held for criminal or unknown causes throughout the galaxy. Unfortunately, the GTVA High Court has refused a military application to make owning these vessels illegal, and thus they are currently still classed as civilian.

Harpys have been proven as ineffectual in single combat with larger, military grade vessels, though their anti fighter capabilities are quite potent. Where available, Harpy�s will travel in wings of three or more, and thus grouped do pose a serious threat to Vessels of Cruiser class and below. Freighters and transports are at risk from a single gunship, though the recently developed Satis Mk II does have similar armaments.

The Harpy is vulnerable to long range attack with weapons such as the Trebuchet missile, but these attacks should be carried out from at least a distance of 1500m to avoid Anti Fighter Beam fire. Its shield means that traditional anti capital ship weapons such as the Maxim and Prometheus Refit are only marginally effective in combating this vessel.

The Harpy�s optimum crew complement is 57; however it can be run with a skeleton crew of 32. Given its small size, much of which is taken up by engines or weapons, The Harpy has severely limited cargo space and cramped accommodations. Its bays can hold supplies for a full crew for only two weeks before it must be restocked, and crew accommodations are notoriously cramped and uncomfortable.