Raptor Mark IIIb

The Raptor Mark IIIb was a multipurpose spacecraft used by the Colonial Fleet. A workhorse of the fleet, it was capable of performing a wide variety of roles, and like other Raptors it carried a miniature FTL drive that gave it a limited faster-than-light capability. Within the Colonial Fleet, three craft became the standard models for their particular roles: Vipers as space-superiority fighters, Shuttles as transports, and Raptors as combat-support vessels.

Role within the fleet#

Within the Colonial Fleet, three craft in particular became the standard types for their respective roles: Vipers served as space-superiority fighters, Shuttles as transport ships, and Raptors as combat-support vessels. The Raptor was heavily used and prized for its versatility, capable of switching between a broad range of missions as circumstances demanded.

Design#

The Raptor Mark IIIb weighed approximately 50 tons. It could carry at least ten adults in addition to its two-person crew, though an excessive number of occupants would prevent it from reaching orbit when launching from a planetary surface. Its crew operated in flight suits and helmets to ensure their protection should a hull breach cause the cabin to depressurize. The Raptor could fly in both atmosphere and space, but maintaining lift within an atmosphere required its engines to run constantly, which consumed more fuel, and at low speeds the craft could handle poorly.

Crew and complement#

The standard crew of a Raptor was two, a pilot and an electronic countermeasures officer, though the craft's interior had room for a dedicated co-pilot as well. The cockpit could be deliberately depressurized when a mission called for it, such as the rescue of a stranded pilot. This flexibility in crewing and configuration allowed a single airframe to be adapted to many of the fleet's needs.

Combat support and countermeasures#

During combat, Raptors typically accompanied a Viper squadron to provide targeting information and electronic countermeasures, including interference with the guidance systems of enemy missiles. Munitions pods could be attached to the body of the craft, allowing it to fire missiles during operations. In this role the Raptor extended the reach and survivability of the fighters it escorted.

Reconnaissance and transport#

As a scout, the Raptor could operate independently, using short- and medium-range scans to detect radio, heat, and other signatures from spacecraft, and scanning planetary surfaces for particular molecules such as water. Its FTL capability allowed it to carry out missions light years away from its mother ship. The Raptor also served as a transport, both for moving crew between ships or to a surface and for carrying Marines. Search-and-Rescue missions of this kind were vital to disaster response.