Planetlifter Transport Aircraft

[Morgan Blake]

                    AeroTech 2 Vessel Technical Readout
                                  VALIDATED

Class/Model/Name:  Planetlifter (TR3026) 
Tech:              Inner Sphere / 3002
Vessel Type:       Conventional Fighter
Rules:             Level 1, Standard design
Rules Set:         AeroTech2

Mass:              50 tons
Length:            25 meters
Power Plant:       200 Turbine
Safe Thrust:       4
Maximum Thrust:    6
Armor Type:        Standard
Armament:          None
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==Overview:==
        The Planetlifter is a typical example of a conventional heavy
transport aircraft. These craft are assigned directly to a planetary garrison
commander, allowing him to quickly shift his combat assets from one
battlefield to another. This strategic mobility functions effectively as a
force-multiplier, allowing a garrison to be spread out for population control
and as a counter to small unit raids, but still able to concentrate quickly to
blunt major assaults.

==Capabilities:==
        The Marik-produced Planetlifter can carry up to 70 tons of cargo. The
forward armored section of the aircraft can take up to 20 tons, while another
50 tons can be carried in an unprotected bay. The bulkhead separating the two
areas is removable, to allow the aircraft to carry loads that cannot be stored
conveniently in one bay or the other.
        The loading procedures for a Planetlifter are unique. Vehicles and
infantry can load in the normal manner, via cargo ramps in the tail or the
nose. 'Mechs can also be quickly and safely loaded onto the Planetlifter
because the entire length of the upper fuselage detaches from the lower
fuselage. A Planetlifter lowers itself to ground level on its variable landing
gear, detaches the lower fuselage, and then rolls away. The ‘Mech to be
transported then lies down on top of the now-exposed cargo bay floor, and is
secured by the ground crew. The aircraft then rolls back over the lower
fuselage, attaches itself, and is ready to take off. An experienced crew can
land, load a Warhammer, and take off again in under 15 minutes.
        The Planetlifter is a very rugged machine. With its VSTOL (Very Short
Take Off or Landing) capabilities, it needs not operate only from established
airfields. This capability endears it to garrison commanders who have
continually seen their established airfields captured or destroyed by the
first wave of an invading force. Even if all of a commander’s airfields are
knocked out, the Planetlifter gives him the ability to move his forces to and
from any area that has at least 400 meters of open space.

==Deployment==
        The most famous battle involving Planetlifters occurred in 3002, when
a Steiner raiding force attacked the Marik planet of Autumn Wind.
        The Steiner task force consisted of the Union Class DropShip Bolan’s
Blood and the ‘Mech company Cassion’s Commandos. The DropShip and Company
Commanders, Commander Reynolds and Hauptman Cassion, had been operating
together for the previous two years, ranging up and down the Marik border,
hitting one world and then another. When they returned from their most recent
mission, they were met by their new Task Force Commander, Leutnant Colonel
O’Rielly, who had been recently reas-signed to combat duty from the
Administrative Section. Leutnant Colonel O'Rielly explained their new mission,
a deep penetration raid into Marik space to hit three industrial complexes
located on the planet of Autumn Wind. Marik opposition was expected to be
light: a few battalions of locally raised militia, three Planetlifters, and a
regiment of jump infantry that was refitting.
        Reynolds and Cassion saluted and went to formulate their battle plan.
They had been used to having a nominal Task Force Commander assigned from the
growing pool of hopeful "Social Generals." Normally, such a commander would
just go along for the ride, get his required time in "combat," and return to
the rear areas, where he could continue his climb up the social ladder.
        Cassion and Reynolds’s battle plan was based on their two years’
experience. Autumn Wind possessed no space defense force or conventional
fighters, so the Blood would land directly on the planet near the first
industrial complex. The Commandos would disembark and, with fire support from
the Blood, destroy the complex. The ‘Mech company would then re-embark on the
DropShip. A suborbital flight would take the Blood to the next complex, and so
on down the line.
        Much to the Hauptmann’s shock, Leutnant Colonel O’Rielly rejected the
plan and laid out his own. Each of the Commando lances would drop from space
to land 20 kilometers away from their assigned complexes in order to
reorganize themselves after the drop. The lance would then move to destroy the
complexes. Afterward, they would rendezvous at a central point for pickup by
the DropShip. This strategy, O’Rielly explained, would not allow the Marik
commander to concentrate his forces in a timely manner, and would allow the
DropShip to land and give support to any lance that got into trouble.
        Even though Cassion and Reynolds protested this new plan vigorously,
O’Rielly was adamant. When he threatened them with summary court-martial,
however, they had to relent.
        Colonel Joseph Yetti was the commander of the 751st Jump Regiment and
was assigned temporary control of the military defenses of Autumn Wind. When
informed of the Steiner force moving toward the planet, he quickly mustered
the 751st, loaded them onto Planetlifters, and moved the regiment to an
assembly area equidistant from the four complexes. When the Steiner drop
began, Yetti loaded the 751st and hit the recon lance just as they started to
move from their drop zone. The other three lances continued their advance on
the other complexes, but the local militia slowed them down. The Blood was
ordered to land and support the recon lance. By the time it made planetfall,
the lance had been destroyed and its attackers had vanished.
        Even as the Blood landed, the 751st was hitting the Commandos’ Fire
Lance. The Blood lifted again to support the stricken lance, but to no avail.
They arrived too late.
        Two hours later, Cassion's Lance had been able to brush aside the
defending militia and move to within sight of its assigned complex. At that
moment, two Planetlifters flew overhead, and two battalions of the 751st were
floating down toward them. Cassion could take no more. He ordered his lance to
break off, and called in the Blood to pick them up at a clearing ten
kilometers to the north.
        Yetti intercepted that signal and sent his final battalion in on the
remaining Planetlifter to secure the landing zone. As the Blood started its
final approach, it was met by a barrage of missiles. One lucky hit later, the
Blood was a cripple on the ground. The command lance was able to fight its way
clear to the DropShip, but there was no way off the planet. Late that
afternoon, Cassion’s Commandos and the DropShip Bolan’s Blood surrendered to
Colonel Yetti and the battered 751st Jump Regiment.

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Class/Model/Name:  Planetlifter (TR3026) 
Mass:              50 tons

Equipment:                                                              Mass
Power Plant:  200 Turbine                                               17.00
Thrust:  Safe Thrust: 4
      Maximum Thrust: 6
Structural Integrity: 5                                                   .00
VSTOL Equipment:                                                         2.50
Total Heat Sinks:    0 Single                                             .00
Fuel:                                                                    2.00
Cockpit, Avionics & Attitude Thrusters:                                  5.00
Armor Type:  Standard  (48 total armor pts)                              3.00
                           Standard Scale Armor Pts
   Location:                            L / R
   Nose:                                 22
   Left/Right Wings:                   6/6
   Aft:                                  14

Weapons and Equipment      Loc        SRV    MRV    LRV    ERV  Heat    Mass
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1 Cargo (up to 70 externall                                             20.50
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TOTALS:                                                     Heat: 0     50.00
Tons Left:                                                                .00

Calculated Factors:
Total Cost:        343,833 C-Bills
Battle Value:      189