FF-S3 Saberfish

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A space variant of FF-3 Saberfish, FF-S3 is essentially the same craft with four boosters attached to its wings. Each of these boosters also armed with an 3-tube missile launcher, which gave it enough firepower to kill a first-generation mobile suit such as Zaku II or a Musai-class light cruiser. If needed, the Saberfish can be loaded with a large anti-ship missile.

Designed to launch from the Federation's Columbus-classcarriers, the Saberfish found themselves heading into battle by attaching to and then launching from the hulls of the Federation's Salamis and Magellan-class space warships.

Although the Saberfish remained faster than Zaku II, it was inferior in term of agility and acceleration. One effective tactic of Saberfish squadrons was simply avoiding enemy mobile suits, instead targeting their support ship with quick bombardments from racks of anti-ship missiles.

Developed as a joint effort between the Earth Federation Space and Air Force, the Saberfish was developed as part of the Earth Federation's Year 70 Armament Reinforcement Plan in U.C. 0076. The Saberfish first saw combat during the One Year War, and was widely used in the opening stages of the conflict. Although it had decent status as a space fighter, the introduction of the Principality of Zeon's mobile suit technology rendered the fighter practically obsolete. Lacking the armor, up-to-date weapons, and AMBAC system of the opposing mobile suits, the Saberfish became both out maneuvered and outgunned. Also lacking any kind of melee weapon, the Saberfish is almost defenseless in the close range combat that Zeon favored. Thus Federation pilots were often forced to resort to swarm tactics in order to overwhelm its opponents. However, when up against later generation mobile suit models or an ace pilot, the Saberfish were hopelessly outmatched even with numerical superiority.

**Purchase TN:** 188 (To Build) 126 (New) 84 (Used)

**Restriction:** Mil (+3)

• • Starfighters require the Pilot Starship Skill to be operated.

• • Many starfighters have vehicle mounted weapons, these vehicle weapons require the Vehicle Weapon Proficiency feat.

• • Regardless of size category a starfighter has a minimum crew of one. A starfighter has a maximum crew of 4. starfighters have no passenger space.

• • A starfighter in combat is always moving either under its own power, or by its current momentum, unless it has been brought to a full stop (a starfighter coming to a full stop is a move action, a starfighter at a full stop is considered flatfooted until it moves again. This rule dose not apply to vehicles able to hover in place). On a turn that a starfighter does not come to a full stop, and does not make a move action that round, the starfighter still moves forward in a straight line an amount of squares equal to one half its normal movement. (Vehicle Trait)

***Accommodations***

• • 1 Seat

***Structure Traits***

• • Advanced Control Flaps (PL 5) • • Advanced Wings (PL 5)

***Power System***

• • Fusion Generator (PL 6)

***Vehicle Systems***

• • 10x Rocket-Jet Space Engines (200 meters) (PL 5) **• •** Hydrogen Injectors (PL 5) **• •** Maneuvering Thrusters (PL 5) **• •** 10 Unit Fuel Tank (PL 5) **• •** Fuel Economizer (PL 6) **• •** RAM Scoop System (PL 6) **• •** VTOL (Vertical Take Off & Landing) Jets (PL 5) **• •** Class I Sensor Array (PL 5) **• •** Life Support System (PL 5) **• •** Radio Transceiver (PL 5) **• •** Utility Flare System (PL 5) **• •** Laser Transceiver (PL 6) **• •** Autopilot System (PL 5) **• •** Anti-Accident System (PL 6) **• •** Chaff Launcher (PL 6) **• •** Missile Lock Alert (PL 6) **• •** 2x Missile/Torpedo Launcher, Large (PL 5) **• •** Targeting System (+3) (PL 6) **• •** 3x 60mm Head Vulcan Guns (PL 6)