Eagle Long Range Fighter Mk 3

Eagle Mk III
Maximum gross mass	8t
Empty mass	30t
Payload	22t
Main thruster accel	28.2g
Retro thruster accel	15.1g
Gun mountings	1
Missiles	2
Crew	1
Hyperdrive ranges	Class 1:10.00 Class 2:40.00
Standard drive	Class 1
Fuel scoop	no

Overview

A small ship, with just enough space to cram in the most necessary equipment to make it a Long Range Fighter, but with the need for compromise. The 22t of internal space can be distributed for instance as follows:

• 5t - 1MW Beam Laser - a must-have for anyone ever expecting to get into a fight
• 6t - Military Drive 1 - gives you 4 tons you can use for other equipment
• 1t - Scanner - goes without saying
• 1t - Autopilot - never leave home without it
• 4t - Fuel - for a theoretical range of 40LY (4 jumps)
• 5t - at Commander's disposal (e.g. Radar Mapper, Atmospheric Shield...)

Or, to make it a true long range fighter, for those really urgent parcel deliveries:

• 5t - 1MW Beam Laser
• 12t - Military Drive 2
• 1t - Autopilot
• which puts you in a dilemma: 4 tons of fuel for maximum range, or sacrifice 1t to fit in the scanner. If you're a really good shot, you could also build in a 5MW Pulse laser, that frees up 1t. Note that you can't land on planets with atmospheres with this ship.

Notable Features

Imperial retrofit, with improved retro-rockets.

Disadvantages

• It is just too small to do any serious trading or ferry passengers.
• You either struggle with very limited range (10LY) which can make navigating a pain, or you build in the Mil Drive 2 and miss out some other vital piece of equipment.

Verdict

The absolutely fastest ship in production, hands down. Most powerful main thruster, most powerful retro thruster. And the (theoretical) ability to cover 40LY in one week! This ship is fun -- but as with most fun things, you'll find it's not worthwhile in the long run.