UC-213-T Awani Rapid Insertion Vehicle

UC-213-T Awani Rapid Insertion Craft:
used largely by special forces, commandos and recon units the RIC is a fast agile craft with light armor and extensive electronic countermeasure systems. one of the few support craft capable of supersonic flight the streamlined craft carries a platoon or long range recon patrol into areas well behind the defenders lines to scout out facilities carry out harassing or sabotage operations. or extract vital intelligence and operatives.
Despite it's speed and defensive system the RIC is still a vulnerable craft. it's limited weapons and heavy armor make it less agile than Aerofighters which can easily match it's speed in atmospheric maneuvering.

RIC are usually delivered to a system by a Covert Operations Ship or commercial vessel operating with forged papers by the military or Intelligence groups. Once deployed the craft will either make a stealthy low speed entry using it's Gravitic systems, or make a high speed entry mimicking the flight profile of a meteor or large piece of debris.
When making a high speed entry of the the ship will have been prepared with a special composite material that is impregnated with meteoric material The thick coating is irregular and ablates off during entry, to give the ships entry trail the distinctive appearance of a meteor. The material burning off during entry also causes it's radar and sensor profile to change in an irregular and random pattern, as expected with an object that is breaking up.
to increase the chances of being mistaken as a natural meteor, Often the pilot of the craft will put the vessel into a slow spin causing it to corkscrew slightly. Adding to the deception by altering it's radar profile even more. and giving his flight path a slight wobble.

In size and carrying capacity the RIC is nearly the equal of the Pre Starflight C-17 aircraft. It can carry one hundred troops, their equipment and or or several vehicles. With it's long range and rapid speed the RiC is able to drop well outside of a target areas air defense then fly at low levels, using terrain and it's stealth design, to the enemies doorstep delivering a commando force within striking distance.
To increase it's flexibility and range the RiC is usually designed to be fueled by any liquid The Plasma drives, and compact quantum resonance reactor can make easy use of any Hydrogen containing substance allowing it to use any thing from seat water, to carbonated Soda as a feul source... although the filtration system is sometimes clogged and needs to be thoroughly scrubbed after any sugar or salt containing substance is used.


Range: 30.000 miles Real space (at full thrust) effective range at moderate or low thrust limited only by 36 hour life support limit.
5000 mile Atmospheric flight
Speed
mach 7+ real space
1350 MPH descent ( capable of ballistic entry at higher speeds)
1000 MPH ascent/maneuver
Armor Underside/forward/sides equivalent to armored car, or scout vehicle

Weapons:
1 35mm high velocity Vulcan cannon
Rear mounted point defense system
Multiple drop down .50 caliber Miniguns for landing zone suppression
Crew 2
Pilot
Copilot
electronic weapons operator