MV-14B Hornet

The MV-14B Hornet was a light weight, four engine, tandem seat, multirole tilt-jet aircraft with a vertical take-off and landing capability. The MV-14B was developed by from the venerable , which had been in service continually since 2424. The sole operators of the Hornet were the United Nations Space Command Army and Marine Corps, both of which formally retired their older Hornets for the MV-14B from 2556 onwards. 
Like its predecessor, the MV-14B achieved hover and vertical take-off and landing capabilities, as well as lateral agility and linear speed, through a combination of engines. Two vectoring downwards-facing turbofans provided vertical and lateral thrust, while two additional rear-facing turbofans provided linear movement. The MV-14B included dozens of major and hundreds of minor improvements over the A model, the most notable of these being more powerful engines, advanced armour and expanded avionics systems. The most obvious change was the addition of six hardpoints mounted on two stub-wing pylons, which were typically equipped with a mixture of AGM-148 Scorpion and AIM-109 Medusa missiles and ASR-62 Thor rocket pods. The addition of these hardpoints enabled the aircraft to be armed specifically to mission requirements. The Hornet was also armed with two 15 millimetre railguns above the cockpit and a weapon mount, typically carrying an M84 heavy machine gun, mounted on the nose. This range of weaponry meant the Hornet was one of the Marine Corps' most flexible airframes, although it was not routinely armed with all options in order to maximise endurance. Though control of the Hornet was highly automated, in part due to its complex engine layout and unconventional aerodynamic characteristics, designers took advantage of the MV-14B's redesigned airframe to add support for a gunner onboard. This relieved the pilot of the additional strain incurred by the Hornet's augmented armament. The MV-14B featured multiple systems with built-in redundancy to improve survivability in combat, along with increased protection and crash survivability for the pilot and gunner.
The Hornet was capable of a range of combat, support and light utility roles, including personnel transport, escort and attack missions, search and reconnaissance, casualty evacuation and observation. The Hornet's most common tasks included close air support and insertion of small scale regular and special forces infantry units. Though the Hornet received a substantial increase in onboard munitions, allowing it to undertake dedicated attack roles, it retained all of the non-combat capabilities of its predecessor, meaning it retained a multirole designation.
==History==
The MV-14A Hornet was developed in the early 25th century, eventually entering service with the UNSC Marine Corps and Army in 2424. The Hornet quickly proved itself a capable craft due to its agility, speed and capacity to carry four infantrymen on external jump seats. This first version of the Hornet saw extensive combat use during the insurrection, where it was often used to covertly deploy special forces, and extract them again after achieving the objective using speed and firepower. In particular, the Marine Corps found it especially useful in providing close air support to its expeditionary elements due both to its combat performance and the ease at which it could be deployed by Navy dropships. This service continued all the way through until the Human-Covenant War. During this war, the Hornet proved itself to be effective against Covenant targets, both ground and air, such as Banshees and Wraiths; however, its light armament relegated it mostly from the gunship role. This was left to the which was heavily armoured but equally poorly designed and equipped to function as a gunship, and was also proven to be highly vulnerable to Covenant ground-based plasma fire. Despite this, Hornets played an instrumental role in the last battle of the war, the those aboard the Remembrance-class frigates UNSC Aegis Fate, Death's Head and Forward Unto Dawn several times preventing the UNSC's efforts being stalled by Covenant ground or air forces.
After the war's end, the MV-14A continued service in the early years of the post-war period. As the UNSC rebuilt and re-equipped itself in the post-Great War period, with new technology available and the Hornet's shortcomings increasingly apparent, Misriah Armouries began work on an improved model in late 2553. This program stripped back and completely modernised and updated the Hornet's airframe, which, despite being over a hundred years old in basic design, was still highly effective. The new updated airframe was designated the AV-14B Gunship Hornet, as a result of its increased armament and lack of external jump seats. The new 'B' model of the Hornet carried both an expanded armament and external jump seats, allowing it to carry out the roles that were so imperative to the Hornet's usage, such as personnel transport and covert insertion, as well as an expanded nose-mounted sensor suite, which enabled it to perform search, reconnaissance and observation duties. As a result of this, the Hornet had regained its multi-role designation by the time it formally began service in November 2556.
==Role==
The Hornet was a lightweight and versatile craft that was able to take on a significant number of roles. Using its external jump seats, the aircraft was able to rapidly transport up to four fully armed Marines, allowing for covert insertions as well as troop transport and casualty evacuation. As well as this, the Hornet could be tasked with battlefield observation and reconnaissance where it utilised its high speed and low profile to avoid detection. The Hornet was also capable of performing combat search and rescue missions alongside other aircraft. The Hornet was able to function as a dedicated gunship using ordnance mounted to its wing stubs, giving it far more firepower than its predecessor but retaining its useful functions. The range of the Hornet's roles made it a vital part of the Marine Shipboard Unit that was embarked on ships such as the Remembrance-class frigate and Gladiator-class light cruiser; the Hornet numbered six of the Air Combat Element's twenty two aircraft.
As most of the Hornet's roles did not require a significant amount of munitions, it was not uncommon for the aircraft's large wing stubs to be removed for covert insertion, reconnaissance or observation roles. This increased the craft's performance by lessening its overall mass and reducing air resistance. For some roles such as insertion of troops over longer range, the hardpoints could be equipped with fuel tanks, while for observation or scouting roles they could be equipped with sensor pods or removed entirely. When the Hornet was required to function as a dedicated attack gunship, it could be fitted with a considerable load of weaponry, including rocket pods and missiles or additional guns. This ability to operate with or without an expandable and adaptable mission-specific load further contributed to the aircraft's famed versatility, and allowed it to function as both a dedicated gunship or a light utility craft with minimal notice and maximum flexibility.
==Layout==
Much of the Hornet's fuselage was dominated by the large cockpit, which held ample room for the two occupant, who between them controlled the craft's weapons, communications and navigation operations. Mounted to the craft's nose was the Hornet's sensor suite, which included the AN/APG-190 fire control RADAR, as well as optical, ultraviolet and infrared equipment. Below this were the two large landing skids, which accommodated fixed landing gear and weapon hardpoints on their underside, as well as doubling as two-man jump seats. Above this were the mounts for the Hornet's large wing stubs, which when mounted and armed, significantly reduced the space available to personnel on the jump seats. Despite this, there was sufficient space for embarked troops to avoid the dangerous back-blast from carried ordance such as rockets, and they were protected from falling from the aircraft by anchor points for securing ropes. Behind and above the cockpit were the two railguns, which were mounted in the roots of the Hornet's 'wing'. The aircraft's Y971 multi-axis turbofans were fixed to the ends of this wing through rotation mechanisms which both connected the fans to the rest of the aircraft and allowed them to rotate freely. These engines were mounted at an eight degree upwards angle for increased stability when in hover and forward flight. Extending backwards from this wing was the large tail assembly, which provided further stability in flight.
 
==Armament==
The MV-14 featured a highly configurable armament loadout, allowing it to be armed individually to the requirements of each specific mission. This was accomplished through the use of wing stub and underside-mounted harpoints which could fit the UNSC's range of ordnance, as well as a universal weapon mount on the Hornet's nose. Overall, the Hornet's firepower was substantially increased from its somewhat under-armed predecessor.
The Hornet's primary armament was its pair of M477 15 millimetre railguns. These were mounted in the Hornet's main body above the cockpit, and were capable of traverse and elevation independent of the craft, according to the pilot's control. These weapons acted as a general purpose armament for the Hornet, enabling it to engage armour, infantry and aerial vehicles relatively easily and with significant firepower. The M477's rate of fire was normally in excess of 5,500 rounds per minute, however this was reduced to 3,000 rounds per minute to reduce depletion of the Hornet's ammunition. The weapon accelerated solid metal projectiles to approximately ten thousand metres per second (10km/s) giving it superb range and accuracy in comparison to conventional cannon. When these railguns were firing, the aircraft's rear-facing turbofans automatically cancelled out the considerable backwards recoil. The Hornet carried 6,000 rounds internally though could carry additional reserves mounted to harpoints. For certain missions, these railguns could be replaced with a pair of triple barreled 7.62 millimetre machine guns.
The Hornet also featured a light weapon mount on the underside of its nose, which was utilised for light target suppression and defensive fire and operated by the co-pilot/gunner from within the aircraft. The weapon's arc of fire enabled it to engage ground targets in a wide radius around the craft's front, being ideally suited to close air support roles. The universal weapon mount could carry a range of weapons and their ammunition feeds, the most common by far being the M84 heavy machine gun, which used a small calibre in comparison to other weapons; and required no external power to fire and a minimal amount to traverse and elevate. The M84's 12.7x99 millimetre (.50 BMG) calibre was ideal for engaging infantry and light vehicles, providing a light air-to-ground armament that often proved itself invaluable. The Hornet was capable of carrying the M84 with no significant impact on endurance, and could carry up to 3,500 12.7 millimetre rounds internally.
Other weapons that could be carried were the externally powered and which excelled at engaging ground targets but reduced endurance. The Hornet also made use of the M6B W/AV G/GNR 'Spartan Laser', which enabled it to become a lightweight and highly mobile 'tank destroyer', destroying armour from far beyond their engagement range. The 'B' variant of the M6 W/AV was a scaled-up version of the M6A shoulder-fired, man portable antitank weapon. The M6B was developed for use as an anti-vehicle and anti-aircraft armament for UNSC aircraft, which the Hornet could utilise to great effect against ground and air targets.
The MV-14B also featured a number of weapon hardpoints, mounted to the underside of its landing skids and two large stub wings, which was the biggest change from the MV-14A. This forward-facing weaponry was operated by the co-pilot/gunner with direction from the pilot. These harpoints added rather significantly to the Hornet's weight and aerodynamic cross-section, however this was compensated for by larger and far more powerful turbofans providing lift and forward propulsion, meaning the Hornet's overall endurance was in fact enhanced from the older variant. The Hornet's two stub wings held three hardpoints each, which could be fitted with a large amount of ordnance, including the M691 rocket launcher, which held ASR-62 Thor 90 millimetre WAFAR (wrap-around fin aerial rockets) in 15 tubes. These hardpoints could also each hold four AIM-109 Medusa air-to-air missiles through a sub-attachment, or two AGM-148 Scorpion antitank missiles through a similar attachment. The Hornet also made use of the BGM-14 Volley multi-role missile, which could engage light air and ground targets equally at short range. The hardpoints could also hold more specialised ordnance, such as anti-radiation missiles, cluster munitions or external fuel tanks, which were particularly useful when the Hornet was inserting personnel over long ranges. The Hornet also featured six single-missile hardpoints underneath its landing skids, which held one missile each and could not accommodate larger mountings such as rocket pods or fuel tanks. These hardpoints could also mount fixed or gimbal-mounted guns which could be used to enhance the Hornet's forward firepower, at the cost of some endurance.
==Hull==
The Hornet featured a comparatively thin layer of lightweight protective armour, which had a minimal impact on the craft's performance overall. Nevertheless, this armour was virtually immune to ballistic and plasma-based small arms fire, and provided increased survivability against more powerful weaponry. More specifically, the airframe was capable of withstanding sustained and concentrated small arms fire whilst remaining airborne, and was also capable of surviving multiple impacts from large calibre autocannon or fuel rod fire. Against such heavy fire, a specific point on the armour would withstand such an impact but provide only compromised protection from follow-up strikes. As a result of this, the armour was arranged on two layers; the outermost being arranged modularly so that damaged tiles could be easily replaced, and a lower fixed layer of armour to protect against additional threats. These layers were an alloy/composite armour, which provided excellent protection against both ballistic and plasma weaponry. This protection used both modular and fixed armour to provide light weight of transport, while still offering full protection from attack. It was also considerably more resistant to plasma attacks than previous composite armours. The outer layer of the composite modular armour assisted in holding the outer armour together, and allowed some slight flexibility yet superior density to engage various threats. Plasma-resistant resin impregnated carbon nanofibre coated the composite armour's outer surface to allow the best protection and structural strength. Below this outer layer was the primary defence against kinetic and plasma attack, a single-piece poured ceramic DCP (displacive compensation of porosity) plate. This was a metal/ceramic metal matrix composite which had superior protective properties than either ceramic or metal armour alone.
After monolithic forming, the ceramic plate was sandwiched between two plates of alloy composed of CVT (Chromium Vanadium Tungsten) and Titanium. This alloy had superior resistance properties to Titanium whilst remaining almost as lightweight. The whole assembly then underwent a hybrid DCP/prestressing method in which the preformed, porous ceramic material and metal plates were soaked in a bath of molten Titanium. As the metal cooled the plate composite compressed, increasing both the density and compressibility of the composite dramatically, improving its strength, ductility and ballistic performance. The resulting compound could be molded into complex shapes and offered improved protection at significantly lower weight. The Hornet's armour featured four triple layers of alloy/ceramic plate, which was backed by a layer of ultra heat resistant silicon carbide ceramic matrix composite.
Below the outer plates was a layer of overlapping ceramic 'chevrons'. These chevrons forced any physical or plasma round that was able to penetrate the outer plates to then penetrate the chevrons at a much higher oblique angle than the outer plate. This increased the armour's effectiveness not only by changing the penetrator's vector, but by increasing the thickness it had to penetrate. These chevrons were suspended in an plasma-resistant elasticised rubber-like polymer that reduced the shock to the overall plate and transferred much of the impact energy outwards, reducing the stresses on the impact plates. it was also capable of reflecting or absorbing much of the damage caused by directed energy weapons. This material also helped break up penetrating HEAT jets and KE penetrators by causing the chevrons to move around under the force of impact and degrading its overall performance.
Backing these chevrons was a fifth layer of composite alloy/ceramic plate, forcing the plasma or penetrator to again punch its way through at a different vector, forcing the round to fold or break up before it could defeat the final plate. The whole composite was then sealed in plasma-resistant resin-impregnated carbon nanofibre to absorb any remaining spall or plasma splash and attached to the base armour of the Hornet's airframe in sections for easy replacement.
The monolithic armour plate for the aircraft was produced using a process in which sets of inexpensive, thermodynamically compatible ceramic powders (Boron Carbide (B4C) and Titanium Carbide (TiC)) were blended with thermoplastic polymer binders and then co-extruded to form a fibre. This fibre composite was first braided then woven into the shape of the desired component. The fabricated component was then stacked and pyrolysed to remove the polymer binder, and hot-pressed to obtain the base preformed ceramic material for final processing.
The preformed ceramic matrix was still rather porous, and though extremely hard and ductile, was still rather fragile compared to a composite plate. The DCP process avoided extensive shrinkage in the processing of dense ceramic parts, worked at lower temperatures than conventional methods, did not require the use of high pressures and eliminated the need for post-process ceramic machining. The preform was soaked in a bath of CVT/Titanium alloy. The preform absorbed the liquid metal like a sponge; the liquid metal then reacted with the ceramic powder to form a new ceramic compound that filled in pore spaces. The result was a part with a larger internal solid volume, but the exact same external shape and dimensions as the original preform. The DCP method required reaction temperatures of only 1,300C, compared to the 2,000C required for traditional methods, to form very high melting point, covalently-bonded ceramics. Because the final part maintained the shape of the original porous ceramic, post-process reshaping was eliminated. This translated to cost savings for manufacturers, allowing for more armour to be produced. The finished composite was strong and ductile enough to resist severe impact stress, while providing excellent anti thermal, kinetic and plasma properties and above all remaining light weight.
==Engines==
The Hornet obtained lift and maneuverability through a pair of Chevron Aerospace Y971 multi-axis turbofans. These provided in excess of 170 percent the thrust of the MV-14A's engines, allowing for increased climb rates and lateral agility, with a maximum individual power output of 2,190 kW. The Y971, in addition to providing vertical thrust, could angle up to 45 degrees forward or backwards for rapid acceleration and deceleration, as well as supplementing forward thrust. Unlike many other aircraft, the Hornet spent much of its airborne time in hover, when its significant lift generating surfaces provided no lift. Instead, it obtained the majority of its lift from the constant downwards thrust of its two main turbofans. As a result of this, considerable effort was given to making the Y971 one of the most reliable and efficient powerplants utilised in atmospheric aircraft. The engines had the ability to angle up to 30 degrees in a sideways direction, providing the Hornet's famous agility. The Y971, as well as providing increased thrust, was far more resistant to enemy fire than its predecessor, with the outer casing being able to withstand sustained fire from up to 30 millimetre autocannon fire or equivalent plasma damage.
Providing the bulk of forward speed and acceleration were two DT-1104 turbofans, which were mounted in a standard linear fashion on either side of the fuselage. These provided a maximum of 1,410 kW of power each and propelled the aircraft to a maximum speed of 382 kilometres per hour.
Maximum forward motion was provided in unison by the two DT-1104 turbofans thrusting in combination with the two Y971 turbofans angled backwards. Vertical lift was provided solely by the two multi-axis turbofans, though in forward flight this was assisted by an abundance of lift surfaces. Rotation left and right, as well as lateral maneuvrability, was achieved through corresponding movements in these turbofans. The complex nature of the Hornet's multiple engines and the variable effects of the airframe's lift surfaces meant that a complex and intuitive fly-by-wire system was needed to keep the Hornet aloft.
The articulation point for the Y971 turbofans' horizontal rotation provided a logical and practical point for removal of the engines. In this partially disassembled state, with the wing stubs also removed, the Hornet's width was reduced to just five metres. As a result, this was done for transport and storage of the Hornet, allowing for quick disassembly and relatively straightforward reassembly. In a disassembled state, a D-98 Osprey could transport up to eight Hornets internally, allowing for rapid movement across planetary surfaces and between a planet and deploying warship.
==Sensors and Electronics==
The MV-14B Hornet's sensor equipment was mounted to the nose of the aircraft, and provided the craft with sensor, navigation and targeting information. The main component of this was the AN/APG-190 fire control/search RADAR, a forward-facing active phased array RADAR which was used to designate targets for self-guided munitions, and illuminate targets for semi-active homing munitions. This array could operate simultaneously as a fire control or a search radar, and was the sensor system of choice for operating with guided ordnance such as the AIM-109 Medusa and AGM-148 Scorpion. This was supplemented by a secondary synthetic aperture RADAR, the AN/APG-118, which provided omindirectional dectection of targets, and was mounted on the Hornet's dorsal surface above the main fuselage.
The Hornet was also equipped with ultraviolet, infrared and optical sensor equipment, which operated alongside the AN/APG-190 to detect and designate targets, both for guiding ordance to the targets and locating them for fire from unguided weaponry such as the ASR-62 Thor or cannon fire. These systems doubled as navigation equipment, assisting the pilot's situational awareness and capabilities in adverse conditions; specifically the AN/AAN-102 FLIR (forward-looking infrared) for night time operations. The aircraft also carried the nose-mounted AN/AEY-87 LASER rangefinder and target designator, for use with LASER-guided ordnance.
The pilot controlled the two 15 millimetre railguns through a system by which the guns' elevation and traverse was controlled directly through his neural interface. Using this system, a pilot could view his surroundings through his Heads-Up Display (HUD) in either ultraviolet, infrared or optical imaging, and use this to locate targets and fire on them simply by looking at them. This eased considerably the work load on the pilot and made it significantly easier for him to effectively operate the weapons whilst piloting the aircraft. The nose-mounted 12.7 millimetre M84 heavy machine gun, operated by the gunner, was operated separately through the same system.
==Stealth and Countermeasures==
==Specifications==
General characteristics
*Crew: 2
*Capacity: 4 troops
*Payload: 1,217 kg (2683 lb)
*Length: 7.9 m (25.92 ft)
*Fan diameter: 1.97 m (6.46 ft)
*Height: 4.11 m (13.48 ft)
*Empty weight: 2,819 kg (6214.8 lb)
*Max takeoff weight: 5,316 kg (11,719.77 lb)
*Powerplant: 2 × Chevron Aerospace Y971 multi-axis turbofan, 2,190 kW (2,936 hp) each, 2 × DT-1104 turbofan, 1,410 kW (1,890.8 hp) each
*Internal fuel capacity: 1,080 kg (2,380 lb) 
Performance
*Never exceed speed: 251 knots (288 mph, 464 km/h)
*Maximum speed: 206 knots (237 mph, 382 km/h)
*Cruise speed: 174 knots (200 mph, 322 km/h)
*Range: 424 nmi (489 mi, 787 km) (fully loaded)
*Combat radius: 389 nmi (448 mi, 721 km)
*Service ceiling: 21,000 ft (6,400 m) minimum loaded
*Rate of climb: 2,500 ft/min (12.7 m/s)
*Power/mass: 0.412 hp/lb (0.71 kW/kg)
Armament
*Guns: 1 × 15 mm (0.595 in) M477 railgun with 6,000 rounds, 1 × 12.7 mm (0.5 in) M84 heavy machine gun, M6B W/AV G/GNR, 20 mm (0.787 in) , or 40 mm (1.58 in) 
*Hardpoints: Six pylon stations on the stub wings, four on the landing skids
*Rockets: ASR-62 Thor 90 mm
*Missiles: AIM-109 Medusa, AGM-148 Scorpion, BGM-14 Volley
Avionics
*Lockheed Martin AN/APG-118 synthetic aperture RADAR
*Lockheed Martin AN/APG-190 fire control radar
* AN/AAN-102 forward-looking infrared sensor
*Chevron Aerospace AN/AEY-87 LASER rangefinder and target designator
*Sinoviet Machinery AN/AES-92 infrared sensor
Category:UNSC
Category:UNSC Aircraft