U.S. E-32 Pelican Support Aircraft

Excerpt from Fox's Combat Aircraft of the World, 2090 to 2091:

The E-32 Pelican began its life as the CSA (Common Support Aircraft) in the early 1990s. It was designed to replace a number of fixed-wing aircraft operating from the decks of the US Navy's aircraft carriers. These aircraft were the C-2 Greyhound, S-3B Viking, EA-6B Prowler, E-2C Hawkeye, and ES-3A Shadow. The main thought for the CSA was cost. Using one common airframe for many or all support functions would cut back on development coasts and lower the per-unit cost. Maintenance crews would only need to be trained on one type of aircraft rather than many. Parts commonality meant reduced logistical requirements with engines, avionics components, tires, and so on being common to all models. All of these reasons drastically reduced the cost of developing and operating the Pelican. Furthermore, in a constrained environment of budget crunches or in an emergency battle damage control situation, cannibalization of some aircraft could keep others flying and functional.

Development of the E-32 was delayed because of the services life extension programs for the Hawkeye, Greyhound, Viking, and Shadow. In addition, production of the EF-18G Growler to replace the Prowler was interpreted by many in Congress that the Navy was not serious about the program. However, the Navy did need the new airframes and development began in earnest in the last years of the 2000's. The first prototype flew in 2012, but several problems with the design arose that had to be worked out. The first operational units went to sea on the USS Midway in 2018.

In the Twenty-Thirties, the revolution in new materials made most aircraft obsolete. As they were only support aircraft, the Pelicans were not immediately refitted with these new ceramics and composites. In the later part of the Twenty-Forties, new fusion turbine engines became available. Although there was some discussion to developing a new support aircraft to replace the Pelican using these new technologies, funding was not available. Instead, a services life extension program for the Pelican was initiated. Over the course of the next fifteen years, the Pelican airframes were completely rebuilt, giving them an additional twenty years of service. The upgraded Pelican was supplemented by variants of the new V-22N Super Osprey, but remained invaluable in the Navy. It was eventually replaced by the EV-84 Kingfisher VTOL, although it is still used by a few smaller nations around the world.

The E-32 Pelican was built in several variants to fulfill a number of roles for the US Navy. These included carrier on-board delivery (COD), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), electronic surveillance (ES), electronic warfare (EW), aerial refueling, and airborne early warning (AEW). The COD variant has a crew of two with space for up to twenty passengers or twelve tons of cargo internally. The COD can also be used assault transport and can carry 14 light or medium power armors in place of the normal passenger load. The ASW version has a crew of four with two sensor operator. This version carries magnetic detection equipment, provision to carry eighty sonar buoys, and an internal weapons bay for torpedoes or depth charges. This takes up all of the aircrafts ability to carry passengers or cargo. The wing hard points normally carry torpedoes for use against submarines. The EW/ES variant has the weapons bay replaced with an extended crew cabin and powerful electronic sensors and jamming equipment. A crew of six including four sensor operators operates the aircraft. The AEW version carries powerful radar and sensory equipment including two side mounted phased array radar systems. The aircraft also has a crew of six including four sensor operators. While most of the passenger space has been removed, the E-32B is designed to carry an extra officer to act as a commander. The aerial refueling variant has only a crew of two, but carried thirty thousand pounds of fuel that could be transferred to other aircraft. When the Pelican airframes were upgraded in the Twenty-Forties, these aircraft were no longer needed and were either retired or sold to other nations still using conventional aircraft.

Model Type:C-32ACarrier Onboard Delivery (COD)
S-32AAnti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
E-32AElectronics Warfare (EW)/Electronic Surveillance (ES)
E-32BAirborne Early Warning (AEW)
K-32AAirborne Refueling
Class: Military VTOL Jet General Platform
Crew:C-32A2 (Pilot and Co-Pilot)
S-32A4 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, 2 Sensor Operators)
E-32A6 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, and 4 Sensor Operators)
E-32B6 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, and 4 Sensor Operators)
K-32A2 (Pilot and Co-Pilot)
Troops:C-32A20 Normal and 14 in Light or Medium Power Armor
S-32ANone
E-32AE-32B 1 (Commander)
E-32BNone
K-32ANone

M.D.C. by Location:
[1] Wings (2):120 each
[2] Elevators (2):50 each
[2] Rudders (2):50 each
Cockpit:65
Cargo Bay Doors:65
Side Doors (2):35 each
Top Radar Sensor (E-32B - Early E-32B Only):100
Phased Array Radar Pods (2, Sides - Late E-32B Only):100 each
[2] Engines (2):125 each
[3] Main Body:200
Landing Gear (3):15 each

Notes:
[1] Destroying a wing will cause the aircraft to crash.
[2] Destruction of rudders or one elevator will still allow the aircraft to be controlled by the varying of power levels of the engines but aircraft has a penalty of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting rolls. Destruction of both of the elevators will leave the aircraft uncontrollable and the crew must eject to survive. The destruction of one of the engine will cause the aircraft to crash.
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the aircraft down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.

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 maximum speed of the aircraft is 600 mph (965.6 kph) with a maximum altitude of 45,000 ft (13,716 m).
Maximum Effective Range: The older conventional models had a range of 2700 miles (4345.2 km). The newer fusion powered models had virtually unlimited range. The cooling system was very good for its day, but did have its limitations. The aircraft can fly up to 18 hours if flying at less than 500 mph (256 kph) and can fly for 8 hours at 500 mph (256 kph) or greater.

Statistical Data:
Height: 20 feet (6.1 meters)
Width: 72 feet (21.9 meters)
Length: 60 feet (18.3 meters)
Weight: 20 tons (22 metric tons) fully loaded.
Cargo: C-32A: 12 tons, passengers or troops can be carried instead. K-32A: None. S-32A: Normally has little cargo space due to carrying sonar buoys. If they are not carried, a maximum of 6 tons may be carried. E-32A/B: Minimal (Storage for small equipment). Cargo loads do not include external hard points on any of the models.
Power Source: Nuclear, Should have an average life span of 20 years.
Black Market Cost: Not Available on the black market. If available, the COD model would be worth around 8-10 million, the ASW model would be worth around 25-30 million credits, the EW/ES version would be worth about 40-50 million credits due to advanced sensor systems, and the AEW version would sell for around 70-80 million credits due to advanced sensor systems.

Weapon Systems:

  1. Internal Ordnance Bay (S-32A only): The aircraft has a large bay in the main body that can carry a wide variety of different ordnance types. Ordnance types include torpedoes, missiles, and bombs. While depth charges can be carried, their limited utility means that torpedoes are carried. As the S-32A is designed for anti-submarine warfare, it almost always carries torpedoes internally. 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, two medium range missiles, or two medium bombs for one long range missile or heavy bomb. Both guided and unguided ordnance may be carried. An equivalent number of torpedoes or depth charges to the number of missiles and bombs may also be carried.
    Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile type and varies by altitude bombs are dropped at (Go to Revised bomb and missile table). Torpedoes: 20 miles (32 km) for medium range and 40 miles (64 km) for long range torpedoes.
    Mega Damage: Varies by missile, torpedo (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes) or bomb type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
    Rate of Fire: Ordnance is dropped or fired one at a time or in volleys of two but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley)
    Payload: 8 light torpedoes, 4 medium torpedoes, or 2 heavy torpedoes. Ordnance can be mixed and torpedoes and depth charges may be carried as well as missiles and bombs.
  2. Ordnance Hard Points (S-32A & E-32A only) (4): The aircraft has four hard points with two under each wing. Missiles, rocket packs, and bombs can be mixed or matched but all ordnance on a hard point must be the same type.
    1. Bombs and Missiles: The only restriction is that a hard point must carry all the same type of missiles or bombs. Both unguided and guided bombs can be carried. These are often replaced by torpedoes on the S-23A Anti-Submarine Warfare model.
      Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile type and varies by altitude bombs are dropped at (Go to Revised bomb and missile table). Torpedoes: 20 miles (32 km) for medium range and 40 miles (64 km) for long range torpedoes.
      Mega Damage: Varies by missile, torpedo (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes) or bomb type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Rate of Fire: Missiles and Torpedoes can be fired and bombs can be dropped one at a time per hard point. Multiple hard points can be linked as one attack but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles, torpedoes, or bombs in a volley)
      Payload: One Long Range Missile, Long Range Torpedo or Heavy Bomb per Hard Point. Two Medium Range Missiles / Medium Range Torpedoes / Medium Bombs or four Short Range missiles / Light bombs can be substituted for One Long Range Missile/Heavy Bomb.)
    2. Mini-Missile Pod: Large capacity mini-missile pod. Each pod requires one Hard Point. The Aircraft normally carries missile pods for ground strafing, anti-troop, and anti-emplacement attacks. Normal missile used are armor piercing, plasma, or fragmentation mini-missiles.
      Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles only (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Mega Damage: Varies with mini-missile types (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Rate of fire: Each pod can fire one at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 8, or 16 and can be linked with other mini missile pods for greater number of missiles (Counts as one attack no matter how many missiles in volley)
      Payload: each pod carries 16 mini-missiles.
  3. Anti-Missile Chaff Dispenser: Located at the very tail of the aircraft are two chaff dispensers. When tailed by a missile, a cloud of chaff and other obtrusive particles can be released to confuse or detonate the enemy's attack. Rifts Earth decoys systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World missiles due to technological difference. Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (Add +20% to rolls for smart missiles.)
    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: Eight (8)

Special Equipment:
Standard:
The aircraft has all the standard features of a standard fighter (same as standard robot including loudspeaker and microphone on this aircraft) plus these special features listed. These are carried on all models except where it is replaced by better systems.

Special Equipment for the S-32A Anti-Submarine Warfare Model:

Special Equipment for the E-32A Electronic Warfare/Electronic Surveillance (EW/ES) Model:

Special Equipment for the E-32B Airborne Early Warning Model:

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

By Kamikazi (co366thaw@hotmail.com).

Copyright © 2006, Kamikazi. All rights reserved.

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