MD-80A1 Osprey

The , also known as the 'Ozzie' is a heavily modified D-77 Pelican airframe for close air support, infiltration and air assault. Using a variety of updated armaments and stealth technology, its capable of infiltrating deep into enemy territory and deliver heavy duty fire power or retrieving UNSC forces.
==Crew==
The MD-78A1 is crewed chiefly by four crew members. A pilot, responsible for piloting and direct fire weapons, a weapons officer/tactical officer, who is responsible for the nose gun and a number of other weapon systems, along with the other offensive systems and guidance, a defensive systems officer who operates to defensive electronic systems and the rear gun turret and a crew chief, who operates the rear doors, troop bay, vehicle latch, door gun and watches over loading and unloading. Alternately, the whole Osprey, par the rear gun, could be operated by a single AI. 
==Avionics==
The primary flight control is powered by triple redundant fly by light fibre optic controls ran through flight computers. It is completely auto-assisted due to the unstable nature of the profile of the MD-78, preventing the pilot from disabling it and loosing all control. The Computer controls and adapts all the engine nozzles to allow optimum VTOL flight and stability. The flight computer is a self-learning neural network, being capable of learning the individual flight characteristics of the craft, as well as being capable of adjusting the flight characteristics to adjust for errors. Should one of the many on board sensors report damage to a control surface, the flight computer can adapt and adjust the flight characteristics of the craft to compensate and retain it's agility and lift. This system allows for a single flight computer to be used, without adjustment, across an entire range of aircraft, both civilian and military. 
The controls for the pilot are relatively conventional left control stick and right throttle, with both containing appropriate command and control buttons for activation self defences and avionic systems.
The autopilot ability is incredibly potent for a ship of this class, being able to use it for just about any kind of sortie. It can direct the aircraft take off, landing, flight, evasion and docking. However, it does not have facilities to use the weaponry on board. The MD-78, due to its nature, is very reliant on the autopilot, which has heavy armour to ensure its protection.
The pilot is supported by a wide, high visibility holographic Heads Up Display, providing all flight information, sensor feeds, weaponry check listing and other support features, along with a direct voice inteface system where with the thumb of a control stick button, the pilot can input direct commands to the onboard computer, which will preform the function, with a 99.99% reliability, by reading through the pilot's boom microphone.
Its communication gear consists of a wideband and encoded radio and SATLINK communication gear, with wide range, frequency hopping, adaptive spectrum frequencies and anti interception systems, giving high quality video and audio links.
Its navigation is handled by a advance GPS system, inertial guidance and laser operated gyroscopes.
The CSO has access to a wide array of electronic warfare systems, even more than the normal Pelican Dropship. Aside from the BELLIGERENT ECWS, the Osprey also has a RADAR and communication jamming hardware.
The Osprey is outfitted with a Generation 3 Flight Assistance Intelligence (Gen. III Valkyrie FAI) produced by JOTUN Intelligence Engineering. The FAI is a Flight Assistance Intelligence, designed to speed up the reaction times and improving the sensory awareness of the crew. The FAI is a autistic intelligence unit, dedicated solely to aiding the crew. The FAI is directly linked into all the flight systems, but is incapable of receiving or delivering digital outputs to other craft outside of the conventional datalinks or analogue systems. The FAI has a number of roles with the crew, its first be increasing the sensory awareness of the pilot, using the onboard flight systems to track threats such as enemy craft, weapon systems or projectiles and prioritising then displaying this information in holographic feeds on the HUD to the crew and advising on the best possible course of action, providing augmented reality adjustments to the HUD to display threats and evasive course action, as well as attune the settings of the on board countermeasures to allow optimum deployment and protection. Its next function is flight control, being used as an auto-pilot. By utilising the on board sensors, topographical information and mission parameters it can navigate close terrain to preform landings or return to base commands (RTB). As well as that, during flight, it can advise on routes and manoeuvres, using GPS, topographical, meteorological and sensor assets. Its last function is autonomous control of the craft. Should the pilot or tactical officer be incapacitated in combat, the FAI can take over their roles, using the on board systems to either pilot the craft, use the weapon systems or deploy the tactical systems. Should both crew members be incapacitated, the FAI will then take control of all the Osprey's systems, allowing it to autonomously operate the entire craft. The FAI will then preform a advisory check with the nearest commanding AI and decide on the best course of action, whether it should complete it's given mission or preform an RTB. In this mode, it can operate all the combat systems and defend itself, being a capable combatant. The Last feature of the FAI is as a data management system, managing the flow of data to and from the Osprey, prioritising targeting information and command data, as well as providing sensory data to ground side units and airborne units. As well as this, it can control the Osprey's cyber protection systems, allowing it to protect the Osprey from cyberwarfare attack through a variety of methods, both aggressive and passive, legal and outlawed. The FAI is entirely autistic, meaning the only way to preform a successful hack attempt on it is to manually interface with it via a hardwire link. The FAI is equipped with a limited self learning neural net, allowing it to grow in experience and control. The FAI is fitted with a two way Direct Voice Input Control, allowing the pilot to verbally command the FAI, as well as allowing the FAI to verbally respond and alert the pilot. FAI's usually develop a 'surface' persona in the first two weeks of instalment, with a limited visual avatar and self awareness, but little depth, being no match for a full fledged AI. 
==Armament==
The Osprey's main gun is the heavy nose gun usually mounted in the under carriage. This is slaved into the helmet of the CSO, allowing him to direct and fire the weapon accurately. The weapon is heavily motorised, allowing the relatively heavy weapon to be directed quickly. Its secondary armament is a number of internal ordnance bays allowing it to deploy missiles, rockets, bombs, gunpods or carry extra fuel. Its rear protection and LZ supression weapons consist of a crew operated door gun and a rear facing light gun mount, capable of laying waste to infantry forces and light vehicles. It can also be fitted with four external weapon mounts
==Stealth Features==
Unlike it's cousin, the Pelican, it has been designed with Stealth as its primary concern. It has marginalized and rounded structures, reducing its RADAR cross section even before the application of stealth materials, which is also supplanted by canted tail and main engines being dug deep into the fuselage and a almost completely internal payload. The engine intakes have been shielded, cold air bleeders on the exhausts help in hiding emissions, laser absorbent skin coatings provide some defence against LIDAR and laser targeted systems and lastly, it possess radar absorbent paint. This has reduced its overall RADAR cross section to 0.7 meters from all directions. Its main stealth system though, is its fusion powered thermal-optical active camouflage field.
However, despite this, the airframe naturally heats up, especially during atmospheric entry or re-ntry, meaning it produces a highly visible infrared signature after long flight durations or during transatmospheric trips.
All this aside, the main stealth feature is a active camouflage generator, projecting a thermal-optic illusion around the dropship, creating a tunable stealth field around the gunship that renders it invisible in the visible and infra-red spectrum and with adjustments can cloak itself against ultra-violet and other vision systems. This has a limited lifespan, but allows it to sneak up on targets with ease. 
==Counter Measures==
The primary countermeasure of the MD-78A1 is the 3 DECEPTION Countermeasure launchers it carries, which fires a range of smoke, chaff and flare countermeasures, hoping to confuse all possible tracking systems. It also possess a CARAPACE Dual Active Protection System for close in defence against Fuel Rod Guns and direct chemical munitions. Lastly, the BELLIGERENT ECWS, while largely for aiding ground forces, acts as a protective system for the dropship itself.
It's last defensive system is a pair of M980 Weapon Anti Ordnance/Anti Material Defence Weapons, one close to the nose, one close to the tail near the rear turret. These are kept within the airframe in receding hatches when at cruising speeds and transatmosphereic travel and deploy manually when the speed lowers, allowing them to counter ground missile systems. All are operated autonomously from the Area Defence and Interception System.
==Sensors==
The primary sensor of the MD-78A1 is a Active Electronically Scanned Array RADAR in the nose of the aircraft, which operates both as ground reading and forward facing, allowing it to identify aircraft directly ahead and targets on the ground, along with mapping them. This is supported by two flat pane RADARS on each side of the aircraft which scan all around, giving a roughly spherical view of the aircraft. These RADARs can operate doppler and pulse, against ground targets and air targets respectively. These allow it to map its surroundings, detect aircraft 200km away, detect missiles up to 100km away and provide threat detection and target acquisition for missile ordnance and on board weaponry. This information can be directed to marine ground teams, providing support and early warning. The forward RADAR has a relatively short range but is the most powerful and accurate and also acts as the fire control, though that can be passed to the other RADARS in situations where it may occur.
All these systems are fed into the ADIS and flight computer, providing the pilot with defensive options when threatened, early warning and mapping of the combat area.
Optics wise, the main optical viewing system, outside of mark 1 eyeballs of the pilots, provided by the wide window, is the Target Acquisition and Designation System/Pilot Night Vision System linked directly to the TITAN LASER hidden in the nose canopy and slaved into the Combat Officer's helmet, providing a holographic image fed from the camera, controlled through his head movements and targeting system changed by a simple press of a button on his control stick. The system has a thermal imaging system, a laser ranger finder, a full colour TV camera, a LIDAR system and a night vision camera. It can identify almost 300 targets, infantry and vehicle, and engage them. The TADS/PNVS also functions as a air-ground targeting pod for directing missile, bomb and rocket ordnance. 
Along the sides it carries several pairs of short range thermal and monochrome TV cameras with steadied autotracking and display systems. It can lock onto one target designated by the weapons officer and by passing from one camera to another, maintain a optical lock.
All optics can be switched through the Combat Systems Officer's HUD, put on one of the screens in the cockpit or put on the main HUD.
==Electronic Countermeasures and Warfare==
The MD-78A1 is designed for full support of ground operations and interdiction of ground threats, thus requiring Electronic Warfare capabilities to protect itself. It could guide and direct ground combat units while simultaneously hampering enemy units. This was all done through the BELLIGERENT Electronic Counter/Warfare System. This onboard computer, directed through the weapon officer along with on-board system, feeds the Pelican's information into the UNSC War Net and gives ground teams access to the information of the RADAR, LIDAR and optic results of the TADS/PNVS. This allows Ospreys to direct and help Marine combat teams in engaging the enemy, providing more than just gunship support. Along with that, it is provided with a RADAR tow, a small snub winged, aerodynamic and armoured RADAR held on a long tow cable, forty nine meters in length. This acts as a target for RADAR and jam homing missiles, providing a RADAR to replace that of the Pelicans, protecting it. It beams out a RADAR and radio jamming signal, but also, feeds in false coordinates and 'laser dazzles' from a on-board LIDAR, severely effecting enemy missiles.
Along with that, it also possess a AN/ALQ-99 Receiver/Transmitter RADAR Jammer, a high power RADAR Warning Receiver and Jammer system in one, capable of providing long range threat detection and jamming and fitted with Emission Control, which activates upon detection and analysis of a threat and delivers as much power as is needed. a Electronic Communication Jammer system, designed to jam enemy communication gear, in order to more easily facilitate it's infiltration and engagement, while also boost and protect it's own communication systems.
It carries additional Electronic Warfare systems consists of two pods, the AN/ALQ-57 VANGUARD jamming system, capable of intercepting and deciphering radio systems, intercepting RADAR transmissions and intercepting MASER transmissions and then tracking the source and jamming it through low detectable directed narrow ban jamming or wide area jamming, at the cost of stealth. It has the added functionality of being able to feed false information to any of the above sensor or communication systems, further confusing enemy forces or preform active cancellation, sending out directed, well timed signals on the correct wavelength to 'cancel' enemy RADAR, Radio or MASER signatures, resulting in a 'silence'. The second pod is a Electronic Protection Pod, the AN/ALQ-61 PACK RAT that interferes with enemy attempts to intercept and jam communication and detection systems by producing narrow beam 'burn outs' that confuse and jam enemy attempts to jam them. Along with that, it uses a CPU driven decryption system that protects against attempts to intercept communication systems or preform cyber warfare attacks, usually through vicious back hacks and maze barrier systems. Its tail assembly has been modified with lightweight and low impact signals receiver and directional finder.
==Armour and Airframe==
The 's airframe is constructed from a basis of superplastic-shaped diffusion-adhered metal matrix composites. These light, oxidation resistant light-matrix composites are formed from high modulus and high strength gold doped zirconium oxide fibres and a titanium/aluminium laminate matrix, formed by heat bonding layers of titanium, aluminium and titanium aluminide, forming high strength crystal matrices, the results forming a high strength, yet flexible and light airframe. The skin is formed from four layered plates attached to the frame. The inside layer is a high strength carbon nanotube nanobud mesh composite, which does not melt on re-entry and protects the ship and occupants. Above this is a environmental layer, which regulates internal and external heat, preventing layers from outright melting or freezing, and protecting the occupants. The third layer is a resin bonded layer of structural titanium aluminide with a titanium mesh insert. The fourth layer is a outer layer of AEGIS tiles, built on a non-newtonian shock absorbing layer, providing thermal and oxidation protection. The cockpit and troop bay are situated in titanium-AEGIS compound armoured 'tubs'. These give limited protection against enemy fire. The windscreen is bullet-proof diffusion-bonded self-regenerating stretched-acrylic, with a coating of liquid glass, with a variable electronically controlled gold tinted setting, which protects it from solar rays, laser dazzles and electronic interference. These give limited protection against enemy fire. The skin is painted with thermal diffusing paint, heat controlled hull to generate a black body exterior, infra-red suppressors on the engines, RADAR absorbent paint, liquid glass composites and LASER absorbent laminates, which when compounded with its stealth design, gives it excellent stealth abilities.
The survivability of the airframe is legendary, as it was for it's cousins. It is capable of surviving crashes relatively intact at low speed and low altitude. The ruggedness of the Pelican is legendary, with it being atmospheric flight capable even on one engine and only the crew onboard, or even with a whole entire naccele of wing or both missing. As well as being hardened against electromagnetic effects, it its covered in a sensor network that reports directly to the pilot's damage computer, meaning any and all damage is immediately detected and analysed. This prevents the pilot from unwittingly attempting to take a transatmospheric trip or exceed Mach 2 with hull damage that could sheer the craft apart.
==Powerplant and Engines==
The Osprey features two powerful UAE made X-133 Turbines, providing the majority of the forward thrust. These powerful variable ramjet engines feature a variable inlet spike. During atmospheric flight, these are left open, allowing air into the engine, where fuel is injected under pressure and combusted in the chamber. The inlet spike can move to make the inlet narrower or wider, conversely making the speed higher or lower. However, to achieve transatmospheric travel, where air is not available, it closes the inlet spike then adds a oxidative to the fuel, turning the jet engine into a rocket engine. This is not fuel efficient but allows it to travel in vacuums and at high speeds. These are fitted with variable vectored nozzles, allowing them to provide up thrust. The two UAE XV-177 VTOL engines provide tilting engines with variable inlets, with heavy engine shields providing tilting nozzles. This gives it excellent hovering ability, excellent upwards thrust and upwards, sideways back wards VTOL motions. Each turbine has a main engine and a nozzle that bleeds some of the thrust down to the VTOL engine, that gives it downwards thrust. Each engine has the ability to tilt the main out take up or down then further tilt the up and down nozzle, along with the variable thrust which varies by forcing more thrust downwards by a steadily rising shield in side the engine, with the VTOL engines being capable of vectoring from left to right.
The engines are triple redundant and by the sheer number of them, allow the aircraft to fly with half of them disabled.
The sheer power of the engine enables travel at Mach 3 at the maximum, though this is unusually done due to the extreme stress it puts on the airframe. It is quite capable of travelling at supersonic speeds with good stability, though high-g manoeuvres at these speeds will also cause considerable stress on the airframe.
Deep in the heavily armoured bowels of the aircraft are the two Fusion Coils, containing enough compressed plasma to fire the main gun seventy times. These are fitted with emergency coolant and venting systems, in case of catastrophic damage and potential overload of them.
==Troop Carrying==
The Osprey can carry 12 soldiers in its basic configuration, along with plenty of spare gear, using the unfolding seats, overhead storage and storage nets as standard, however, it can carry up to 26 marines, with equipment, with some standing or up to 38, though with only their weapons. Along with that, It could also carry a number of Mongoose UTATVs, A M17 Weasel FAV or Wolf Dragon Exoskeletons.
==Other features==
The MD-78A1 possess a number of other small features that are critical to it's design. It features a pressurized cockpit and sealed door, meaning a hull breach in one section protects the other. Conversely, it allows the rear section to become a airlock. The cockpit also features a holotank and AI interface with a super conducting weave, allowing a AI to be installed and interface with the craft. It features triple redundant hydraulic landing gear which can be actived by a 'gravity drop, where they are released and allow a mixture of gravity and wind resistance pull them into position, where they lock. The back door, complete with bullet proof window, is sealed and driven by hydraulics and can be released by pulling the locks with the emergency cord or pull the emergency release that releases the whole entire door. It features a emergency release hatch on the roof of the cabin and ejector seats for the pilot and CSO, though the crew chiefs and any occupants in the rear must ditch manually.
==Role==
The MD-78A1 Osprey is a multipurpose dropship/gunship but is, to some degree, designed to fulfil much of the same purpose as the Pelican, but under extreme stealth conditions in enemy territory. It is capable of penetrating enemy airspace through both stealth and electronic warfare and retrieving personnel or preform deep strike missions. Capable against infantry, tanks and other aircraft, it can devastate a wide array of enemy units in a small period of time. It is used almost exclusively by STAB and SCARE units, to preform a wide variety of multipurpose special missions. As well as close air support and air assault, it can preform search and rescue missions, medical evacuation, resupply and exfiltration missions. 
Category:UNSC Aircraft