While Iron Heart Industries produced several vehicles which could perform the role of Air Defense, there were none which were really considered specialized vehicles for air defense roles. The Iron Gauntlet is well armed for that role but engineers wanted to develop a lighter and more specialized design for the role. As might be expected, the Iron Maiden armored personnel carrier made the best chassis for such a conversion. It is far easier to adapt a chassis for a new design than build an all new design. As well, such a design operates well when combined with Iron Maiden in the support role.

When Iron Heart Industries was taken over and destroyed by the Coalition, this new design had only been produced in fairly small numbers. Even fewer had left the facility and the Coalition is believed to have destroyed all stocks which were waiting to be shipped. The Company had been fervently working on expanding production because several designs used the same chassis. This included a heavier armed version of the Iron Maiden. Several mercenary companies had large orders of the vehicle when this happened. This loss hurt them severely with some having already paying for part of their order. Several have been looking for a potential replacement or possibly getting another company to produce the design. One possibility is Northern Gun although the company has yet to show any interest in the design. Iron Industries does produce a similar design but only in relative small numbers due to other commitments. They also produce a lighter weight wheeled vehicle which performs a similar role although lighter armed.

The Chassis is little changed from the standard Iron Maiden and shares virtually all of the same automotive components of the Iron Maiden. It has a top speed of around seventy miles per hour on land. The vehicle also is available in three basic different version. Range on all versions except for nuclear versions is around four hundred miles. One version, the least expensive, is designed to run off of liquid fuel, often bio-diesel after the coming of the Rifts and uses a gas turbine design for greater flexibility. One is electric and is charged from an external power source. The final is fusion powered which gives a power life of years. It is by far the most expensive but fusion powered Iron Heart designs were by far the most popular with those who could afford them. Like with other Iron Heart designs, the fusion reactor was not manufactured by Iron Heart Industries but was instead purchased from a variety of manufacturers.

The big change is in the weaponry and carried a very different weapon array when compared to a standard Iron Maiden. To fit the additional weaponry into the design, the Iron Wolf completely eliminates the troop capability of the Iron Maiden. Even more than the weapons themselves, ammunition carried requires most the internal space. The Iron Maiden only has a crew of two and the Iron Wolf increases this to a crew of three for easier battle management. This includes a driver, a gunner, and a commander.

The standard Iron Maiden carried a single 30 mm Chain Gun. The iron Wolf replaces it with a pair of mounts although the slightly lighter weight mount used on the Iron Weasel. A total of twenty-four hundred rounds of ammunition are carried for the twin weapons. If one weapon is damaged, there is no ability to feed the remaining weapon except manually. While these weapons are mainly designed to deal with aircraft, the fire control can track ground targets and can be devastating against such targets. Some customers would have preferred the Vulcan Laser but the power requirements were deemed too high without a more extensive rebuilding of the design. The other modification is the replacement of the mini-missile launcher with medium range missiles. There are four medium range missiles on each side of the vehicle for a total of eight medium range missiles. The vehicle carried sixteen additional medium range missiles as reloads. Reloading the launcher takes several minutes and was virtually impossible in combat. When production ended, there were plans to put an automatic reloading system but never was introduced. The concept is for the medium range missile system to engage long range targets with the 30 mm chain cannons engaging closer targets. There is no backup light weaponry although the vehicle does mount smoke dispensers.

Model Type: IH-25A
Class: Air Defense Vehicle
Crew: Three: pilot, gunner, and commander
Troop Transport Capabilities: None

M.D.C. by Location:

	Weapon Turret:	150
	IH-280-LW 30 mm Chain Guns (2, Turret)	50 each
	MM-8 Medium Range Missile Launchers (2):	40 each
	Smoke/Gas Dispenser (2):	15 each
	[1] Main Body:	320
	Reinforced Crew Compartment:	100
	[2] Treads (2):	60 each

Notes:
[1] Depleting the M.D.C. from the main body will shut the tank down completely, rendering it useless.
[2] Depleting the M.D.C. of a tread will immobilize the tank until it is replaced: replacing a tread will take 1D6 X 10 minutes by a trained crew (2 replacements are carried aboard) this is only possible are the vehicle is not under attack at the time.

Speed:
Ground: 70 mph (112.6 kph), on land; it cannot travel on or underwater. The vehicle is designed to traverse virtually all terrain and can climb at up to a 60% grade although at a much slower speed (About 10% of maximum road speed). It can also climb barriers and ford trenches. The vehicle can also handle side slopes of up to 30%.
Underwater: Buttoned up, it can travel under water at 30 mph (48 km) for Electrical and Nuclear Versions.
Maximum Effective Range: 400 miles (640 km) with a full tank of fuel (Diesel or Gasoline) or via electric motor before needing refueling / recharging; unlimited if nuclear (10 year life).

Statistical Data:
Height: 11.5 feet (3.5 meters)
Width: 10 feet (3 meters)
Length: 25 feet (7.6 m) for hull
Weight: 22 tons (20 metric tons) fully loaded
Cargo: Storage space for extra clothing, weapons, and personal items; 3 rifles of any type, 1 rocket launcher (either CR-1 or WI-23), and 6 mini-missiles stored in locked overhead compartments.
Power System: Combustion or electric engine or nuclear.
Black Market Cost: 3.5 million with gas turbine engine, 4.2 million for one with an electric motor, 16 million with nuclear engine (life-time of 10 years).

Weapon Systems:

1. IH-280-LW 30 mm Ramjet Chain Guns (2): Lighter weight version of the cannon carried in the Iron Eagle attack helicopter and mounted as a pair on the sides of the turret. Each weapon has a separate ammo feed system. The 30 mm cannon fires heavy ramjet rounds with armor piercing warheads which inflict as much damage as most heavy rail guns. The ramjet rounds inflict great damage and can quicky punch through the front armor of a tank or the main armor of a giant robot. In addition to being effective against other combat ground vehicles, it is also quite effective against aircraft.
   Maximum Effective Range: 6,000 feet (1,830 meters).
   Mega Damage: 2D6x10 for a burst of 20 rounds (Both 30 mm cannons firing together inflict 4D6x10 and fire 40 rounds between both cannons), 3D6 for each round.
   Rate of Fire: Equal to the gunner's hand to hand attacks; each burst counts as one melee action. Both cannons firing together count as one melee attack.
   Payload: 1,200 round magazine for each cannon (60 bursts) with a total capacity for 2400 rounds total.
2. MM-6 Medium-Range Missile Launchers (2): Two side-mounted missile launchers are mounted with one on each side of the vehicle. Both launchers are usually controlled by a gunner, but can be fired by the driver or vehicle commander if the gunner is injured. They are usually outfitted with High-Explosive, Fragmentary or Plasma missiles. The launchers can rotate up or down 180 degrees, allowing them to engage air and ground targets.
   Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, medium range missiles only (Go to Revised bomb and missile table - Approximately 40 miles / 64 km).
   Mega-Damage: Varies with missile types, medium range missiles only (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Rate of Fire: One at a time, or in volleys of two or four.
   Payload: Eight medium range missiles, four in each launcher. Sixteen additional missiles are carried interally as reloads. Reloading each launcher takes five to ten minutes for an experienced crew, or as much as half an hour otherwise.
   
3. Smoke/Gas Dispensers (2): A smoke/gas dispensing unit is attached to each side of the Weapon Platform. The dispenser releases a dense cloud of smoke that covers a 40 foot (12.2 m) area in front of the vehicle, It can also release tear gas.
   Payload: 20 total; 10 charges each; typically all smoke.

Special Equipment:

All Iron Heart Armaments' tanks have a short-range radar (5 miles / 8 km), laser targeting ( + 1 to strike), combat computer (+1 to strike), long-range and short-range radio, loudspeaker, radiation detector, light radiation shielding, and an environmental crew compartment with air-conditioning, heating, oxygen supply and an air purging, purification and circulation system.

[Coalition TM, Iron Heart Industries TM, Northern Gun TM, Phase World TM, and Triax TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2009, Kitsune. All rights reserved.