The following material is an adaptation of mecha from Macross Design Works for MACROSS XV, a fan-RPG sequel to the original Japanese MACROSS TV series (which became Robotech here in the U.S.). Please feel free to use, copy, and distribute it as you see fit. All I ask is that you give proper credit to me and do not claim that it is your own work. Comments and suggestions are welcome. 

VB-3000 "AARDVARK" VARIABLE BOMBER

Macross Background by Kamikazi
Original Concept and Background by Kenneth Olson
Based on an original mecha design published in Macross Design Works

                                        

BACKGROUND

During the mid 2010's, the UN Spacy was in desperate need for a light bomber.  The remaining conventional designs were at a minimum 30 years old and proving to be extremely vulnerable to advanced Zentraedi weapons. The VF-1 Valkyrie was drafted into the role of a bomber, but was never a satisfactory substitute for a true bomber. The UNSAF put out a request for the top companies to design a new bomber to fulfill the role.  The designers at Shinsei Industries modified their newly created VF-3000 design to compete against other companies, but none of them produced a design that could compete with the new design.  The bomber was designated the VB-3000 Aardvark, in honor of the F-111, and armed with the latest weaponry and armor.  Unlike previous variable fighter designs, the VB-3000 would required both a pilot and a weapon's officer to operate at full capacity.

The basic airframe of the VF-3000 was retained, however two more powerful Nakajima FX-2006 fusion turbines were added to provide the additional thrust necessary for the increased weapons load out.  The structural support was increased to allow for the increased mass placed under the wings.  The inner pylons are capable of holding up to 3000 kg of weapons and the outer pylons can hold up to 2500 kg.  This allows the VB-3000 to be loaded with up to 16 long range missiles or up to 11,000 kg of more conventional bombs. 

The VB-3000 possesses considerable laser and projectile weaponry.  Like the VF-3000, the VB-3000 only has two head lasers.  Each Mauser ROV-30 fires 5 MJ bursts and is powered directly by the main engines.  A single GU-11 enhanced gunpod is mounted underneath the bomber.  

The most advanced sensor package available at the time was included in the VB-3000.  A pulse-Doppler AWG-30 radar was mounted in the nose of the unit providing detection of a 0 dBsm target at ranges up to 120 km.  In addition, two of the head lasers on the right were replaced with a Marconi Spyeye broad-spectrum radiation sensor and a TI-10000 onboard data interpretation system.

The first operational squadron was introduced in August 2016 and immediately placed into combat in South America.  Previous to the the VB-3000, modified versions of the VF-1 were used in the light bombing role.  Pilots of the new VB-3000 greeted the new plane with great enthusiasm as the newer design offered more maneuverability, greater payload, and increased armor protection over the VF-1.  In all areas the VB-3000 was superior to the VF-1, the only major difficulty with the VB-3000 was with the newly introduced FX-2006 turbines which required more maintenance than the older designs.

The initial combat experience was so successful that 100 additional units were added to supplement the original 36 and as a result the total number of combat squadrons was increased to 13.  Additional units were requested, however the no bombers were approved by the UNSAF.  Procurement officers with the UNSAF had decided that all available funding should be diverted new faster multirole fighter designs, and not on what was essentially a fighter design throwback from the previous war. The final VB-3000 was rolled off the production line in 2018.

The VB-3000 continued to soldier on until replaced by the multirole VF-11 Thunderbolt in the early 2030s. In 2032, the remaining 53 units were retired from service.

RPG STATS

Vehicle Type: VB-3000 Valkyrie Bomber
Class: Variable Bomber
Manufacturer: Shinnakasu Heavy Industries, later Shinsei Industries
Crew: Two, pilot and weapons officer wearing Tactical Life Support System
Service History: Served int eh UNSAF from 2016-2032

MDC BY LOCATION:

Location

Aardvark
Small Head Lasers (2) 35 each
Head Sensor Probe 50
* Head 100
Hands (2) 30 each
Arms (2) 135 each
Legs/Engine Thrusters (2) 250 each
** Main Body 350
Reinforced Pilots Compartment 250
Retractable Utility Arms 3
Wings (2) 175 each
Tails (2) 75 each
GU-11 Enhanced Gunpod 100

NOTES:

  1. * Destroying the  head of the Aardvark will knock out the mecha's major sensor systems, including all of the optics systems (infrared, nightvision, thermal). Radar and communications will be unaffected.
  2. ** Depleting the MDC of the main body will destroy the mecha.

SPEEDS:

RUNNING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:
60 mph (96 kmph)
LEAPING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:
50 ft (15 m) high or 70 ft (21 m) long without thrusters.
FLYING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:
250 kph 
FLYING, GERWALK/SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:
Mach One (670 mph/1072 kmph) maximum speed limit in an Earth-like atmosphere. Can also hover in place indefinitely.
FLYING, FIGHTER CONFIGURATION:
Max level speed at sea level : Mach 1.1
Max level speed at 10km:  Mach 3.5
Max level speed at 30+ km:  Mach 4.5
Stall speed : 150 kph (VTOL rectification possible)
Initial climb rate : over 25000m per minute
Service ceiling : 30 km (unboosted).

STATISTICAL DATA:

HEIGHT:
18.7 m  in soldier configuration.
13.8 m in gerwalk configuration.
7.1 m in fighter configuration.
WIDTH:
10.1 m at shoulders in soldier and gerwalk configuration.
14.8 m  with wings at maximum extension.
LENGTH:
14.1 m in gerwalk configuration.
16.1 m in fighter configuration.
WEIGHT:
35,200 kg empty.
PHYSICAL STRENGTH:
Equal to a P.S. of 60
CARGO:
Small compartment behind pilot's and weapon officer's seat for personal belongings
POWER PLANT:
Two Nakajima/P&W/Rolls-Royce FX-2006 fusion turbine engines.  Four Shinnakasu Heavy Industry NBS-1 high-thrust and eighteen P&W LHP04 low-thrust vernier thrusters for additional mobility are mounted at key positions along the mecha's hull.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

  1. GU-11 ENHANCED MULTIPURPOSE GUN POD: The GU-11 gun unit carried by the VB-3000 is a redesigned version of that used by the VF-1 and other older fighters. The weapon is encased in a streamlined pod which provided better aerodynamic airflow than the standard GU-11. The gun fires armor piercing or high explosive 55mm shells stored in an internal ammo magazine.
  2. 2 x MAUSER ROV-30 LASER CANNONS:  Two Mauser ROV-30 lasers are mounted in the left side of the head opposite to the sensor antenna.  The lasers are capable providing the mecha rear protection and can traverse 270 degrees in elevation. 
  3. BODY/WING HARD POINTS: Four fixed hard points are mounted on each wing of the VB-3000 and two more on the ventral fuselage for a total of 10 hardpoints on the bomber (same as on the VF-3000). These hardpoints have been strengthened and can be used to hold a variety of different ordinance types, including long, medium, or short ranged missiles, or even the new intermediate-ranged high-maneuverability (IRHM) missiles (after 2040). Three long ranged, two MRHM, six medium ranged, or 9 short ranged missiles can be mounted per hardpoint.
     
  4. HAND TO HAND COMBAT: If necessary, the Aardvark can engage in melee combat rather than use a weapon. The VB-3000  is extremely agile and can execute most typical hand to hand combat moves, such as punches, jump kicks, leap attacks, rolling with impacts, etc.

    DAMAGE:  

STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THE AARDVARK:

COMBAT BONUSES FOR AARDVARK TRAINING:

REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1