AD-3 Buzzard Gunship

D03UH-AV Petrel Gunship

"you seen one of these suckers operate? A hail of death, rainin' down from above!"

- Anonymous marine

The D03UH-AV Petrel Gunship is a Gunship version of the standard Petrel. It has its crew compartment gutted to mount a set of heavy weapons for ground suppression.

The D03UH frame is constructed from superplastic-formed diffusion-bonded metal matrix composites. These light, oxidation resistant matrix composites are formed from high modulus, high strength gold and chrome doped zirconium oxide reinforced fibres and a titanium aluminide matrix. The skin is formed from four layerd plates attached to the frame. The inside layer is a carbon composite bonded to the middle layer of single crystal carbon, which does not melt on reentry and protects the ship and occupants. The third layer is a ceramic outer layer providing themral and oxidation protection. The top layer is a composite buffer system, with a depleted uranium mesh insert. The troop bay and the cock pit are situated in titanium alluminide 'tubs'. These give limited protection against enemy fire. The windscreen is bullet-proof diffusion-bonded stretched-acrylic.

The vehicle is studded with point defence lasers in reccess for cruising and numerous DECEPTION Countermeasure launchers, giving it effective all round cover. It features a high power millimeter wave RADAR, LIDAR, a 30mm rotary cannon on the nose for LZ supression along with a full TADS/PNVS suite for the co pilot.