V-60 King Cobra

== The Next Generation ==
Developed as a successor to both the V55 and V56C Tiltrotor aircraft, the V60 'King Cobra' is both a superlative tiltrotor gunship and an excellent light transport, capable of both flying a small section of Marines into a battle and providing them with overwhelming fire support.
== Design ==
The V60 King Cobra was developed with the express intent of replacing both the V55 and V56C in their respective roles. As a result, an airframe needed to be designed which was both fast and agile enough to get troops in and out of a battlezone safely; and which was durable and powerful enough to provide effective fire support.
One of the driving factors in this decision was to enable more aircrew competent to fly the craft, as having separate airframes in past had meant two different flight profiles, and as a result fewer pilots were familiar with the intricacies of each mission profile. By combining the two, the Aerospace Division was able to make better use of its available personnel and in turn enhance its effectiveness.
=== Airframe ===
The airframe of the V60 was developed from the beginning as a joint Transport/Gunship type. The cockpit area was armored with Titanium composite to provide the most efficient protection in terms of ballistic resistance, while maintaining as low a weight as possible. Similarly, the glazing which provides the aircrew with a high degree of visibility and situational awareness is formed from a polycarbonate compound, and holds a Class IV STANAG Protection Rating, meaning that most heavy weapons in an enemy's arsenal cannot endanger the Pilot or Weapons Officer. While not enough to protect the crew from heavy ordnance, it is more than adequate to stop small arms fire from entering the crew compartment. Likewise, the rear Bay compartment for the Cobra's Marine cargo is up-armored to minimise the risk of casualties due to ground fire during a hot insertion.
The V60 was designed purely to operate in atmospheric conditions, so unlike the UD-4M Cheyenne Dropship used to ferry troops to and from orbiting space transports, there is no requirement for hull breach sensors on the airframe. However, the fuselage is pressurized and atmospherically controlled in the event it is deployed on a world with a non-breathable atmosphere.
=== Powerplant ===
Unlike the aircraft it replaced, the V60 King Cobra requires enough power to be able to both operate as a gunship and as a troop transport, while maintaining a high degree of autonomy. As a result, an entirely new powerplant had to be developed to power the V60. Similarly to the UD-4M, the twin Turbodyne RT-500 gas turbines provide enough thrust to enable the V60 to fly on a single engine if required. The dual-purpose close air support and troop transport capabilities sought by the Colonial Marine Corps required the manufacturers to produce an aircraft capable of taking significant damage and staying in the fight. 
It should be noted, however, that pilots are discouraged from maintaining a hover should one engine fail, as the sole remaining engine is liable to overheat if a hover is maintained for prolonged periods.
Typically, with both engines operational, the V60 can maintain a hover for an indefinite period due to an innovative thermal dispersion system. 
=== Armament ===
The V-60 was designed with an emphasis on Close Air Support and Infantry Support, and as such its weapons are mainly oriented to dealing with lighter targets such as troops in the open and light vehicles.
The GAU-23/B 'Jackhammer', mounted directly beneath the cockpit, is gimballed to maximise the effectiveness of the weapon and allow the pilot to engage targets that are not directly in front of the airframe. This can also be incredibly effective for raking an area of ground to engage and eliminate massed infantry, a mechanism that pilots put to good use.
Again, the GREMLIN-30 HEMMs, carried in two 18-rocket pods- one on either weapons pylon- are specialised for eliminating infantry, but are capable of destroying light vehicles and aircraft as well. These are "dumb-fire" weapons, requiring the aircraft to be aligned to its target in order to engage. The GREMLIN-30 system suffers in accuracy at or beyond medium ranges, meaning that an aircrew needs to launch the missiles from a relatively close range in order to maximise their effect.
Lastly, there are the HEADLOCK ATGMs. Despite the relatively advanced nature of the King Cobra design, the HEADLOCK missiles are slightly outdated as a weapons system, lacking more sophisticated maneuvering capabilities when in flight.
However, the HEADLOCK has two significant traits which make it incredibly useful for Marine operations: Firstly, it has a relatively long range, meaning a hard target can be engaged from beyond the effective range of enemy fire; Second, the HEADLOCK system features SACLOS (Semi-automatic Command to Line of Sight) Capabilities, meaning that the WSO in the rear of the aircraft can guide each HEADLOCK missile onto a target. This feature, if used correctly, can even allow the King Cobra to take on targets from a position that is out of the line of sight of any direct-fire weapon that may attempt to engage it.
=== Avionics ===
The V-60 features a standard Crystal HUD system to enable aircrews to better focus on the task in hand, as well as terrain-avoidance radar and an advanced sensory array enabling C2 activities to be undertaken effectively when multiple King Cobra are present in a battlespace. The designation and performance of these systems is currently classified.
=== Upgrade Kits ===
The V-60’s service life has been extended several times due to multiple upgrades to its airframe and avionics. As of July 2194 the V-60 is on the Block V model. 
Block I upgrade kit - Improved widgets on the pilot and WSO screen, including a rearming timer 
Block II upgrade kit - Soft tracking system added to HEADLOCK missiles
Block III upgrade kit - Addition of armor piercing and High Explosive ammunition, allowing the pilot to swap between ammo types 
Block IV upgrade kit - Addition of new lighting beacons for improved IFF features, HAVELOCK missile retconned to HEADLOCK due to error in weapon selection 
Block V upgrade kit - Ammunition count significantly reduced, rearmament feature added 
Category:Aerospace
Category:Vehicles