F-218D/E Sabre

undefined

"Whats the point in giving it extra armour, its never gonna get hit!"

- Lieutenant commander Jason Harnem

The F-778 Knife is a UNSC Fighter/interceptor. It's main feature was a massive plasma fusion engine, creating one of the fastest combat ships yet. This rendered it almost immune from chasing missiles. Though the vehicle had little armour, and an array of light guns, it could easily out pace enemy target sites. The engine is highly adaptable, allowing the ship to quickly deccelerate to match speeds of those in front. It is also, thoguht to be one of the most manuovrable fighters as well, thanks to the unique engine shrouds. These consist of two Titanium plates that are treated to be heat resistant and often replaced. Though usually surrounding the rear of the engine, these cane move down to partially redirect the force of the engine in a different direction, effective making it change direction rapidly. While only avaible for manourvering up and down, they do double up as air brakes, by closing them partially, some thrust is directed foward, slowing it, and closing it totally will redirect all force foward, stopping it dead in its tracks. Additional thrusters along the Knife allow it to rotate. This unique shroud, a form of crude thrust vectoring, but highly effective, allows the fighter to make inhuman turns, almost 'on a dime', effectivly stalling the fighter as it does. However, after AI testing of this initial engine proved its agility, it also proved it would, at best, disorientate the pilot, at worst, liquidise them. To aid in solving this, the design team came up with a revolutionary response. They created a cockpit that was held in a anti gravity field. The force of the jet around them would not effect them and they would remain comfortable at all times. To further aid them, advance computer systems that would compensate and aid a pilots manouvreing was installed, so they could always keep control of the craft. The last design feature installed was that the wings were capable of folding, making the small ship a even smaller package.

UNSC Comments
"They say the guys who fly this are never the same again. Their reactions are faster, they talk faster and they are always bloody twitch. You always notice when the 'twitchies' enter the off duty bar."

"Those engine shrouds are pretty crude, but they work damn well. Thing is we always have to keep spares. They only last 10 hours of hard core manouvres and then they are beginning to lose their anti heat properties and begin to melt. "

Notable Squadrons

 * Fox Squadron
 * Dawn Squadron
 * King Cobra Squadron
 * Trojan Squadron
 * Ace Squadron
 * Reaver Squadron