Hawk Airfighter

Hawk Airfighter
Maximum gross mass	11t
Empty mass	18t
Payload	7t
Main thruster accel	27.2g
Retro thruster accel	6g
Gun mountings	1
Missiles	2
Crew	1
Hyperdrive ranges	Class 1 Military:16.66 Class 2:66.66
Standard drive	Class 1 Military
Fuel scoop	no

Overview

As its name suggests the Hawk has been adapted from an air fighter and while its performance in an atmosphere is very good it is a extremely limited interstellar ship. When used by the military the Hawk is typically fitted with an interplanetary drive and deployed from within a larger mother ship inside the solar system of its target. The larger room afforded by the smaller drive allows the Hawk to carry a 1MW pulse laser and two missiles.Typically this is the only use for the Hawk Airfighter.

Occasionally a brave or foolhardy pilot will fit a Hawk with a military drive and enough fuel for one jump, usually as the result of a bet or dare. Because the limited cargo space prevents most navigation or scanning equipment to be fitted the pilot must navigate manually back to base, a job requiring considerable skill.

Notable Features

Blistering acceleration is the Hawk's main selling point. You wouldn't want to spend your life in one of these but for a quick burst of adrenalin it has few rivals.

Disadvantages

The Hawk is a small ship, verging on claustrophobic, and does not perform well in deep space.

Verdict

Even worse than the Kestrel.