Raptor
the multipurpose Colonial craft
The Raptor was a series of multipurpose craft developed by the Colonial Fleet during the First Cylon War. Originally a sublight shuttle, it evolved into an FTL-capable platform flying everything from transport and reconnaissance to search and rescue and armed assault.
The Raptor was a series of multipurpose craft developed by the Colonial Fleet at some point before the third year of the First Cylon War. Beginning as little more than a small sublight shuttle, the Raptor evolved over the interwar period into an FTL-capable platform able to conduct missions ranging from simple transport to fire support and search and rescue. By the time of the Fall of the Twelve Colonies it was a mainstay aboard Galactica and the rest of the Fleet, complementing the Viper in every supporting role.
The First Cylon War#
During the First Cylon War, the Colonial Fleet deployed three versions of the Raptor: the Mark I, Mark II, and Mark III. The Mark I and Mark II had reached full deployment by the war's tenth year. The Mark II was the larger of the two and carried a rear-mounted "toaster slayer" rotary cannon, which suited it to milk-run and suppression-of-enemy-air-defenses missions for which its rear armament was uniquely useful.
By Operation Raptor Talon, in the closing days of the war, the Colonials were deploying a new version of the craft. Smaller and more maneuverable, it sacrificed a section of its cabin and the rear cannon to make room for FTL engines, gaining the ability to perform relatively short-range jumps, a capability previously reserved for larger SCT-type shuttles.
The interwar period and the Second Cylon War#
Nothing is recorded of the Raptor's development through the interwar period. Unlike the Viper, which went through four iterations, the Raptor passed through that era virtually unchanged. By 0 BCH it had become a mainstay of the Colonial Fleet, serving in roles ranging from airborne early warning and control and combat search and rescue to armed assault, while also seeing limited use among the civilian population.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Raptor in Battlestar Galactica?
- The Raptor was a series of multipurpose craft developed by the Colonial Fleet before the third year of the First Cylon War. Beginning as little more than a small sublight shuttle, it evolved into an FTL-capable platform able to conduct missions ranging from simple transport to fire support and search and rescue, and by the Fall of the Twelve Colonies it was a mainstay aboard Galactica and the rest of the Fleet.
- What versions of the Raptor were used in the First Cylon War?
- During the First Cylon War the Colonial Fleet deployed three versions of the Raptor: the Mark I, Mark II, and Mark III. The Mark I and Mark II had reached full deployment by the war's tenth year, and the larger Mark II carried a rear-mounted toaster slayer rotary cannon suited to milk-run and suppression-of-enemy-air-defenses missions.
- When did the Raptor gain its FTL jump capability?
- By Operation Raptor Talon, in the closing days of the First Cylon War, the Colonials were deploying a smaller and more maneuverable version of the craft. It sacrificed a section of its cabin and the rear cannon to make room for FTL engines, gaining the ability to perform relatively short-range jumps, a capability previously reserved for larger SCT-type shuttles.
- How did the Raptor differ from the Viper?
- Unlike the Viper, which went through four iterations, the Raptor passed through the interwar period virtually unchanged. By 0 BCH the Raptor served in roles ranging from airborne early warning and control and combat search and rescue to armed assault, complementing the Viper in every supporting role, while also seeing limited use among the civilian population.
Sources
- WikiRaptor — Battlestar Wiki entry
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