The backbone of the Vutomgerecten's (and all the other ships like her) arsenal. It's pretty cool as these fighers are attached to the ship via magnetics that open when the ship splits. Then they release in swarms. Here's the specs. The Vutomgerecten carries hundreds of them and, well, here they are.

Mission Profile

• Role: Interceptor / strike fighter for the Vutomgerecten’s dorsal dock grid

• Crew: 2 (front Weapons Officer, rear Pilot)

• Environments: Vacuum operations + full atmosphere flight; VTOL capable; tight‑formation docking on the ship’s spine with top‑side access for crews

Dimensions (baseline)

• Length: ~9.8 m

• Beam (wingtip‑to‑wingtip): ~7.2 m

• Height (on gear): ~2.8 m

• Dry mass: ~8.5 t

• Cargo/Stores: 0.5 t modular bay (guided munitions / ECM pods / fuel)

Docking & Top Access

• Mag‑Seal Keel: A dorsal magnetic field projector rail along the fighter’s spine locks to the Vutomgerecten’s back‑mounted docking lattice.

• Hex‑Lock Clamps: Mechanical hardpoints engage after mag‑seal for power, data and life‑support umbilicals.

• Top Hatch: Pressure‑sealed dorsal hatch aligns with the ship’s spine walkway for fast embark/egress.

• Side‑by‑Side Fit: Keel width and wing sweep let fighters park in rows with handrail‑protected catwalk continuity across all craft.

Cockpit Layout (tandem, reversed roles)

• Front (WSO): Panoramic HUD canopy; weapon mode matrix; missile architect console; target‑designate sticks.

• Rear (Pilot): Flight controls, vector thruster paddles, RCS trim matrix, autonomous re‑entry assist.

• Shared: Quick‑cycle egress through dorsal hatch; integrated crash‑cocoon inertial dampers.

Propulsion & Maneuvering

• Primary (Space): Twin magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters with flux‑control vanes for instant vectoring.

• Primary (Atmosphere): Variable‑cycle fusion aerospike intake system (retractable) for hypersonic dash; quiet VTOL at low power.

• RCS Grid: Micro‑nozzles embedded at nose, tail, and wingtips for snap rolls and bias‑free pivots.

• Maneuver Suite: Gravitic trim plates + predictive attitude AI for tight docking and dogfight reversals.

Armament (under‑slung + conformal)

• Belly Cannons:

  • Twin Coil‑Plasma Lances (high‑energy, shield pressure; selectable pulse/beam)

  • Optional ventral gimbal for limited traverse without hull yaw

• Missiles (high‑tech sci‑fi):

  • 8–12 smart micro‑missiles in conformal bays (flush with lower wings)

  • Multi‑mode seekers: EM/thermal/gravimetric/neutrino trace

  • Warhead options: shield‑piercing flux darts, EMP scramblers, kinetic slug pods (standoff)

  • Programmable cooperative swarm behaviors for complex intercepts

• Point Defense (optional pod): Micro‑laser grid or flak‑smart ablatives for counter‑salvo work

Defense & Systems

• Shields: Directional phase‑biased deflector; auto‑stack with Vutomgerecten’s area shield when docked

• Armor: Layered composite with field‑stiffened ribs under high‑G

• ECM/ECCM: Spectral smearing, false‑phase echoes, seeker denial bubbles

• Avionics: Arboc NavNet + Starbridge routing awareness; threat‑weave predictive targeting; friend‑or‑ally lattice

Operations Flow (on the spine)

1. Park: Approach at 0.2 m/s; mag‑seal engages; hex‑locks snap on; umbilicals connect.

2. Access: Dorsal hatch opens to continuous top walkway; crews cross between adjacent fighters safely.

3. Rearm/Refuel: Overhead crane and slide‑in conformal bays allow hot‑swap missiles without under‑hull clearance.

4. Launch: Mag field soft‑push, drop to free space/atmo; RCS pivots to clear; cannons safe until 30 m away.