YSS-770 Masamune

The YSS-770 Masamune was an extremely high-performance spaceplane that saw limited usage during and after the . Named after a master swordsmith of Japan, the Masamune was the first vehicle that has been specifically tailored to meet the capabilities of augmented personnel. As a result, the Masamune was the fastest and most maneuverable fighter in the UNSC's inventory, exceeding the established safe limits for regular pilots. Although designed principally for engaging large numbers of strikecraft while disrupting or distracting the point-defence on enemy ships, this strike fighter has an extensive number of hardpoints allowing it to be retooled into a strike bomber on occasion. Its greatest innovation, however, was its ability to carry a miniaturised slipspace drive. This breakthrough finally allowed the UNSC fighters the capability to operate independently of their motherships and conduct their own attacks on forward outposts.
Developed within Project WORMHOLE, the Masamune would be unveiled a year after JAVELIN was officially deployed, when the early prototypes had to be deployed to fend off a Covenant task force. Succeeding in driving off a Covenant battlegroup, the Masamune would enter production as the JAVELIN's primary attack vehicle. It would prove to outclass every space fighter ever built in the conflict, becoming instrumental in completing dozens of covert operations and battles. However, the sheer cost of construction for even one automated version of these fighters would prevent the Masamune from being deployed in large numbers; in fact, declassified reports suggest less than a hundred units were ever built. Instead, by choosing select advances to incorporate onto a smaller hull, the Masamune would be a key development culminating in the infamous F-41E Broadsword; a far more numerous, safer and cheaper model that would serve as the UNSC's primary space fighter for decades to come.
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== History ==
=== Development ===
Development on the YSS-770 Masamune officially began in , a couple of years before Project JAVELIN was even conceived of. It was only one of dozens of projects created to attempt to turn the tide against the , and was aimed at directly countering their superior .
=== Legacy ===
In spite of its scarcity and cost, the performance data of the YSS-770 Masamune would inspire the UNSC Air Force to continue investing in the development of high-powered spaceplanes. After its initial launch in 2546, many of the personnel who worked on the Masamune would go on to work on the renowned , whose partial-declassification would see it being lauded for being the very best aircraft developed by either side during the . While the basic design pioneered by the Masamune would inspire the shape of the Sabre, ultimately it would make use of its own independently-discovered technologies. In addition, post-war upgrade kits made for the GA-TL1 Longsword and the would utilise some of the technologies being used, most notably the energy shields being a one-to-one copy in the longsword's case. Even despite these becoming standard in the fleet, the Masamune for the better part of a decade remained unsurpassed in its perfect balance of agility, range, stealth, and firepower. Only the independently-designed C711 Cutlass Fighter being created by the would offer the threat of replacement. Fortunately, the excessive amount of experimental components used would prevent full-scale deployment until 2589, giving the Masamune more than four decades of service.
The success of the JAVELIN pilots being paired with specifically-tailored craft would eventually see the later taking the concept of augmented pilots seriously. With the creation of a dedicated pilot division, numerous companies were contracted to manufacture MJOLNIR designed specifically to enhance their capabilities. While so far private corporations have been contracted to manufacture specialised suits, with being the standard for Spartan pilots, there are currently plans to upgrade or design a line of aircraft that can make better use of the Spartan physiology.
== Role ==
== Specifications ==
=== Avionics ===
For the most part, the aircraft manufactured for the UNSC Air Force tend to share very similar flight controls, as required by regulations from the ; because of this, the Masamune's cockpit appears almost as alien to veteran pilots as the Covenant space fighters they are pitted against. In fact, it is more accurate to say that the pilots 'thinks' the Masamune's actions rather than the conventional way of moving a joystick. Regardless, standard fly-by-light kinetic controls are still available for emergencies.
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the Masamune is that its cockpit is designed to be completely submerged by a water solution. This is the main reason why most of the surrounding surfaces are featureless, as they are designed to withstand the rapidly-fluctuating medium pressure present in flight without buckling or exposing electrical circuitry. Surprising to some, the pilot does not need a separate breathing apparatus, as the high Oxygen content allows JAVELIN-augmented personnel to breathe normally, and only needs an insulating M31 wet suit with a metal crotch piece for collecting and disposing of their waste. It is actually quite comfortable, being fully temperature-controlled, and its high-sugar and secondary adrenaline injectors mix mean that the pilot can stay awake for days on end without starving from a lack of food or water. However, the real reason for the water's inclusion is its shock-absorbing qualities, being capable of raising the force to be fatal to even unaugmented pilots and further reduces bone and muscle strain. Should the cockpit be breached, the water reacts with the emergency foam to rapidly seal small holes, although larger pieces of damage are unlikely to be clogged before the entire room loses its atmosphere.
=== Propulsion ===
=== Powerplant ===
=== Armament ===
=== Hull and superstructure ===
=== Countermeasures ===
=== Sensors and targeting software ===
Category:UNSC Aircraft