T.W. Shadowray Flying Submarine:

Techno-Wizards have created a bunch of unusual boat and aircraft designs including the Nautilus Submarine and the Ghostrider stealth fighter. The Shadowray is interested that it is the combination of a submarine and a stealth fighter. The design is in many ways similar to the flying submarine used by the New Navy and the Shadowray may have been inspired by rumors of the Pre-Rifts design. There are also Pre-Rifts movies and television shows which have combination submarine and aircraft designs. There are a comparatively small number of these flying submarines. Because the design is used mostly in the oceans, these craft have not been encountered that often by the Coalition and have mostly been encountered by Coalition naval units. The Coalition is not aware of who operates these craft although their current theory is that the flying submarines are from Atlantis.

The Shadowray in appearance has the same shape as the marine creature Stingray including a long stinger like tail. It is all black with a forward single position cockpit with intakes on either side. The thrusters' exhausts are on either side of the long tail. On each wing are special thrusters to allow for VTOL flight. Special shields cover both the top and bottom of the thrusters when not active. The craft looks sleek and extremely lethal.

The flying submarine is mostly conventional in design but has enough techno-wizard features to be considered a techno-wizard design. It lacks the special globe of silence feature that the Nautilus has and lacks the ability to become desolid like most of the techno-wizard stealth fighters. It does feature the special techno-wizard detect the invisible sensor, techno-wizard guns, and a number of other techno-wizard features.

The Shadowray is constructed from high strength modern materials and can take a surprising amount of abuse and pressure. Modern composite and alloy materials were chosen because they are easier to replace than magically enchanted materials. The shape of the craft is designed to reduce its radar cross signature and the materials are designed to further decrease the ability to detect the flying submarine. Originally, designers tried to use sonar absorbent materials but they interfered with flight characteristics. As a result, the submarine is not as silent as it might otherwise be. Flight systems are fly by wire like most modern designs. The wings of the flying submarine fold for easier storage along with the stinger tail. For underwater use, ballast systems are built into the wing and body of the aircraft. The VTOL thrusters are also used underwater for position keeping.

The designers attempted to build a craft capable of flying over mach one but this was not realized and the Shadowray has a top speed of just under the speed of sound. Part of the reason for this is due to the engines being designed to operate underwater. Top speed underwater is around 35 knots and the flying submarine can dive too about a mile. Speeds on the surface of the water are up to about 200 miles per hour.

Weapon systems on the Shadowray include both direct fire weapons and missile / torpedo launchers. Under the cockpit are two telekinetic machine-guns which fire forward. The mounts are in a recessed bay when not in use. These weapons are usable under water as well as in the air. As well, the machine-guns are effective against targets that are impervious to energy. Under the machine-guns is a second bay which has a mini-missile launcher built into it. The mini-missile launcher can also use torpedoes and usually the launcher is loaded with half mini-missiles and half mini-torpedoes. The flying submarine has two bays that can carry either missiles or torpedoes. Each bay has space for two long range missiles or two heavy torpedoes. A variety of smaller ordnance can be carried as well with medium range missiles and medium torpedoes being very common. Especially popular are special medium range missiles that can act as torpedoes as well. These special missiles are very expensive and are about twice as expensive as a normal missile. The craft has a magical firework chaff/flare system which is useful in decoying missiles.

Electronics are mostly standard and include both radar and sonar systems. The craft also has laser tracking systems and infra-red sensor systems. The craft has special optics to see further underwater but are still limited in range. The radar has the ability to track multiple targets. The craft has full life support and can operate for long periods of time although the cockpit does get uncomfortable during long duration trips.

Model Type: TW-FSS-1000
Vehicle Type: Ocean / Air, Flying Mini-Submarine
Crew: One

M.D.C. by Location:
Ordnance Bays (2):60 each
[1] Front Mounted TK Machine-Guns (2):40 each
[1] Front Mounted Mini-Missile / Torpedo Launcher (1):60
[2] Wings (2):150 each
Cockpit / Reinforced Pilot Compartment:120
Pilot Seat:2
[3] Engines (2):160 each
[4] Wing Lift Turbo-Fan Engine (2):30
[4] Protective Doors for Wing Lift Engine (4, top and bottom):30 each
[5] Main Body:320
Landing Gear (3):30 each
Magical Armor of Ithan Force Field (3 times per day):150

Notes:
[1] These are small and difficult targets to strike, requiring the attacker to make a "called shot;" but even then the attacker is -4 to strike.
[2] Destroying a Wing will cause the craft to crash if flying. Destroying wing will also destroy the ballast system which will cause it to sing if underwater.
[3] The destruction of one engine will reduce the craft top speed by half and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving a -15% penalty to piloting. Destruction of both engines will cause the craft to crash. Pilot may attempt an emergency landing or pilot can choose to eject.
[4] Destruction of doors protecting side lift engines will increase drag. Reduce top speed by half and the craft has a -4 to dodge in flight and piloting is at -20% at high speeds (Above 400 mph / 644 kph). If underwater, the craft will have a -10% to stealth rolls. To damage the side lift engines, a called shot at -3 is required and the shielding doors either must be open or destroyed. If a side lift engine is destroyed, the flying submarine cannot hover in flight.
[5] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the craft down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight and sink if it is underwater. Damage to the main body will also reduce the aircraft's stealth, for every 10% of damage to the main body, reduce the aircraft's stealth by 10% of its total.

Speed:
Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when traveling and not on take off or landing.
Flying: The flight engines of the Shadowray are purely technological in design. The Shadowray is designed to be able hover and has a maximum speed of Mach 0.95 (704 mph / 1,134 kph.) The maximum altitude of 45,500 feet (13868.4 meters.) The flying submarine must slow down to 100 mph (160.9 kph) before entering water. Due to the fact that all ordnance is carried in internal bays, the aircraft's performance reduction when fully loaded is negligible.
Surface Travel: Can Float on the surface or can travel as a hydrofoil on the surface of the water with a top speed of 200 mph (322 kph / 174 knots.) The aircraft does not take off from the surface of the water and instead leaps from underwater.
Underwater: Has a maximum speed underwater of 40.3 mph (35 knots/ 64.8 kph)
Maximum Depth: 1 mile (1.61 km)
Maximum Effective Range: Engines do not overheat while underwater but will overheat over extended flight. Thrusters overheat after 10 hours of use from 200 mph (321.9 kph) to 600 mph (965.6 kph), and 4 hours of use over 600 mph (965.6 kph).

Statistical Data:
Height 10.5 feet (3.2 meters)
Wingspan: 60.7 feet (18.5 meters) wings extended / 23.6 feet (7.2 meters) with wings folded.
Length: 67.3 feet (20.5 meters) including tail
Weight: 13.8 tons (12.5 metric tons) empty and 28.4 tons (25.8 metric tons) fully loaded
Power System: Nuclear, Should have an average lifespan of 20 years
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment), does not include ordnance bays. Ordnance bay, of emptied of ordnance can carry up to 4,000 lbs (1,816 kg) of cargo.
Black Market Cost: Sells on black market for 80 to 100 million credits.

Weapon Systems:

  1. TK Machine-Guns (2): Fairly lightweight and around the size of an old style heavy machine-gun or standard rail gun. The telekinetic machine-guns are mounted in the front of the flying submarine. The machine-guns retract when not in use to reduce drag. They are enchanted by a series of spells so the cannon acts as a more powerful version of the TK Machine-gun. This increases the weapon's damage and instead of being reloaded, the cannon must be recharged by the spell Telekinesis and 50 P.P.E. each once per month. The cannon does full damage to targets that are impervious to energy.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).
    Mega Damage: 6D6 each and 12D6 for both (Counts as one attack)
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5)
    Payload: Unlimited, although the spells must be renewed every month whether the cannon have been used or not.
  2. Mini-Missile Launcher: A small mini-missile launcher is mounted under the flying submarine over. The launcher is retractable to reduce the craft's drag. Launcher can use both mini-missiles and mini-torpedoes. This weapon is mostly used against enemy aircraft, missile volleys, and other aerial opponents, or on strafing runs against troops and other ground targets. The weapon has a much larger punch than the telekinetic machine-guns.
    Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile or torpedo types, mini-missiles or mini-torpedo only (Go to Revised bomb and missile table or Revised Rifts Torpedoes).
    Mega-Damage: Varies with mini-missile or mini-torpedo types (Go to Revised bomb and missile table or Revised Rifts Torpedoes).
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the total number of hand to hand attacks per melee. The missiles can be fired one at a time, or in volleys of two, four, or eight.
    Payload: 16 total.
  3. Internal Ordnance Bay: The flying submarine has two large bays in the main body that can carry a wide variety of different ordnance types. Ordnance types include missiles, bombs, or torpedo types. Missile and bomb sizes may be mixed between different types of ordnance but an ordnance drop or launch must include the same type and size of ordnance. Ordnance may be carried at the rate of four short range missiles, four light bombs, four light torpedoes, two medium range missiles, two medium bombs, or two medium torpedoes for one long range missile, heavy bomb, or heavy torpedo. Both guided and unguided ordnance may be carried. Special medium range amphibious missiles are also used. Medium range amphibious missiles (can be used as missile or torpedoes, have the same damage as equivalent missile, double cost, but can travel to underwater targets and are +2 to strike). Missile speed underwater is 120 mph (192 km) and has a range of 20 miles (32 km).
    Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile and varies by altitude bombs are dropped at for missiles and torpedoes (Go to Revised bomb and missile table) or by torpedo type (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes).
    Mega-Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table) or by torpedo type (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes).
    Rate of Fire: Ordnance is dropped or fired one at a time or in volleys of two to sixteen but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles, bombs, or torpedoes in a volley)
    Payload: 8 short range missile or light bombs / torpedoes, 4 medium range missiles or medium bombs/torpedoes, or 2 long range missile or heavy bombs/torpedoes each bay. Ordnance can be mixed.
  4. Magical Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispenser (1): In many ways this system is similar to technological versions of the Chaff/Flare system. The anti-missile system works by combining three spells. The three spells are Fire Bolt, Apparition, and Telekinesis. The physical effects of the system are identical to the Triax Anti-Missile chaff but instead of being reloaded, it is recharged by spells.
    Effect: Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind flying monsters that fly through cloud. They will suffer the following penalties: reduce melee attacks/actions, combat bonuses, and speed by half. Duration: 1D4 melee rounds.
    Payload: 10 Uses before being recharged. The dispenser is recharged by the spells Apparition (20 P.P.E.), Fire Bolt (7 P.P.E.), and Telekinesis (8 P.P.E.).
  5. Techno-Wizard Modifications: The Shadowray has the following Techno-Wizard Modifications built into the Aircraft. These require P.P.E. or I.S.P. from the pilot.
    Special Features:

Special Equipment:
The Shadowray has all the standard features of a standard fighter (same as standard robot minus loudspeaker and microphone) plus these special features listed. The special equipment is a combination of both magic and technology.

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[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2002 & 2005, Kitsune. All rights reserved.

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