Reich Marshal of the Belkan Reich

RM Side Story 8: 8492nd (Part 2)

Currently the cutting edge of fighter design, the Arias are characterized by being designed from the start to operate in a network-centric combat environment and to feature extremely low, all-aspect, multi-spectral signatures employing advanced materials and shaping techniques.

They have multifunction AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radars with high-bandwidth, low-probability of intercept (LPI) data transmission capabilities. The infra-red search and track sensors incorporated for air-to-air combat as well as for air-to-ground weapons delivery in the active-service aircraft (Phantoms and Harriers) are now fused in with other sensors for Situational Awareness IRST or SAIRST, which constantly tracks all targets of interest around the aircraft so the pilots need not guess when they glance. These sensors, along with advanced avionics, protective glass cockpits, helmet-mounted sights (not currently on the Phantoms and Harrier), and improved secure, jamming-resistant LPI datalinks are highly integrated to provide multi-platform, multi-sensor data fusion for vastly improved situational awareness while easing the pilot's workload. Avionics suites rely on extensive use of very high-speed integrated circuit (VHSIC) technology, common modules, and high-speed data buses. Overall, the integration of all these elements is to provide the Arias with a "first-look, first-shot, first-kill capability".

A key attribute of the Arias is their small radar cross-section (For their sizes, at least). Great care has been taken in designing its layout and internal structure to minimize RCS over a broad bandwidth of detection and tracking radar frequencies; furthermore, to maintain its VLO signature during combat operations, primary weapons are often carried in internal weapon bays that are only briefly opened to permit weapon launch. Furthermore, stealth technology has advanced to the point where it can be employed without a tradeoff with aerodynamic performance, in contrast to previous stealth efforts. Some attention has also been paid to reducing IR signatures on the Arias due to their capability of supercruising at Mach 2 with the "Beast Mode" loadout.

Detailed information on these signature-reduction techniques is not yet clear to Bryn, but in general includes special shaping approaches, thermoset, and thermoplastic materials, extensive use of advanced composites for the body structure, conformal sensors, heat-resistant coatings, low-observable wire meshes to cover intake and cooling vents, heat ablating tiles on the exhaust troughs, and coating internal and external metal areas with radar-absorbent materials and paint (RAM/RAP). Bryn also notices that a series of runic enhancements are added beneath the armor of the aircraft. From what she can infer, they passively consume the mana to keep up a signal-jammer field, masking the signature of the Arias, even though they are gigantic in size. There should be more magical enhancements and utilities onboard, but Bryn still hasn't gotten the chance to test them out yet.

The AESA radar offers unique capabilities for fighters (and will also quickly become essential for next-gen aircraft designs, as well as being retrofitted onto some Phantoms and Harriers). In addition to its high resistance to ECM and LPI features, it enables the fighter to function as a sort of "mini-AWACS", providing high-gain electronic support measures (ESM) and electronic warfare (EW) jamming functions. Other technologies include integrated electronic warfare system (INEWS) technology, integrated communications, navigation, and identification (CNI) avionics technology, centralized "vehicle health monitoring" systems for ease of maintenance, fiber optics data transmission, stealth technology, and even hovering capabilities. There's also a suite dedicated to dealing with magical threats, Bryn can't help but wonder what Yuki will be fighting when she places the Aria in active service.

Maneuver performance remains important and is enhanced by thrust-vectoring, which also helps reduce takeoff and landing distances. The Arias, though, has the added VTOL capability and is capable of reaching Mach 4 in Beast Mode. Without equipping external payload, the Arias can reach the top speed of Mach 5. And due to the exceptional control surfaces, the Arias can maintain good agility while in supersonic. It will, however, requires the pilots to be able to handle the ludicrous amount of Gs. Yuki and Bryn have performed a simulated dogfight while supersonic. After that, the instrument has shown that they have hit numbers higher than 10 Gs regularly for a long period of time. If it wasn't for the specialized G-suit that she is wearing, even Bryn will be hard-pressed to maintain that amount of G-force, much less Yuki.

On a side note, Yuki lost that engagement due to her body being unable to keep up with the strain. Bryn is quick to comfort her though, Yuki is still young and not even a formal pilot, yet, she has regularly gotten Bryn on the backfoot. Bryn only won because Valkyrie outlasted Yuki. Although Yuki pouted for a bit, she soon get over it and flies closer to Bryn's Aria.

"So Valkyrie," Yuki, callsign Empress, addressed Bryn with her callsign." How are you liking Aria? Better than a cup of coffee in the morning, no?"

Chuckling at the comparison, Bryn replies. "Empress, that is not even a fair comparison by a large margin. Never have I piloted an aircraft that is as pleasant to fly and fight in as Aria. I am honestly surprised with her maneuverability, even with all the wing-mounted weapons." Bryn spares no effort in complimenting Aria, the name-giver of her class.

Though Bryn can't see her, she has a feeling that Yuki is shrugging in her Morgan, the personal name of her aircraft. "What can I say, Dreamer and I may have been a bit too crazy to design something as ridiculous as the Arias. Just one aircraft alone is enough to wipe out a fleet of warships. Though currently, these girls are money guzzlers. It will take a while to outfit our air fleet with them. For now, we should be content with refitting our existing Phantoms and Harriers with the technological breakthroughs we have thanks to the Arias."

"Alas, it all boils down to money. I wonder, will we ever be able to get a good dogfight with us already achieving aerial supremacy by technologies alone?" Bryn pondered aloud, prompting Yuki to answer.

"Maybe in the future, who knows? Japan has Vill-V, when she knows of our military technological advantage, she will have a fire lit beneath her ass. That girl may become a thorn in our side, sooner or later."

"Language, young lady." Bryn chuckled, making Yuki rolls her eye. "Though if Vill-V is trouble incarnated, why don't you make plans to deal with her?"

"I have plans, yes, but I would rather not resort to underhand means. For what it's worth, Vill-V is still an emotional pillar for Amaterasu. I am not ready to burn the bridge with her unless it's absolutely necessary. In a way, Amaterasu is just like me, starving for affection that only Vill-V can provide. I have inferred that much during my stay in Japan." Yuki explained with a sigh, earning herself a nod from Bryn.

"I understand. Let's not discuss this matter anymore." Bryn suggested a change in their topic.

"Yeah," Now sounding chippier, Yuki says. "This is supposed to be a time of fun in the sky, free of the burdens of the ground. Let's make the most out of it."

Bryn smiles at the words she heard. "Great! From what I can see in the loaded bearings, you seem to have organized a live-firing range for us. Care to put the ground-pounding ability of the Arias to the test?"

"With pleasure!"

Bryn and Yuki are just about to change their heading when their chatter is interrupted by a new voice.

"Sorry to ruin your fun, but may I render your service for the moment?" 

"Yggdra?!" Yuki exclaimed, surprised that she and Bryn were addressed telepathically by Yggdra. "What happened?"

"Yeah," Bryn chimed in, amazed that Yggdra suddenly requested their help. "Is there something wrong on your end? Do you need us to return?" If Yggdra needs them personally, then a thing of major importance has cropped up.

The pair of pilots then hear Yggdra chuckles, amused by their reactions. "My dears, something did come up but it's not as bad as you think. It's more a... Otherworldly kind of trouble."

Hearing that, Bryn is not sure how to respond so Yuki beats her to it. "Otherwordly...?" Yuki then takes on an admonishing tone. "Yggdra... What the Hell did you do this time?"

"This time?" Bryn caught on to the wording of that question. "Wait, Yuki, what did you mean by saying 'this time'?"

Sighing, Yuki clarifies. "Ever since that week-long date with me in another universe, Yggdra now has the habit of spying and messing around with other realities. I can hazard a guess that she has done something troublesome and is now requiring us to fix it."

Listening to that, Bryn can't help but twitch her eyebrow and direct a blaming look at the towering Tree of Life behind their aircraft. As if feeling her gaze, Yggdra proceeds to tap a knuckle atop her hair, saying. "Tehe~!"

"Damn it, Yggdra! You're too old for that!" Bryn said in annoyance. It's basically confirmed that Yggdra has fucked up something.

"Urgh..." Yuki gave up reprimanding her lover, instead, she went straight to the point. "Talk to us, Yggdra. What sort of help do you want from us?"

Smirking, Yggdra replies. "The explosive kind."

"... Hah?" Bryn could just about see Yuki with her mouth gaping right now. "What, you want us to bomb something now? That's not helping that's literally erasing your wrongdoings then!"

Even though Yuki said it in exasperation, Yggdra just laugh due to getting a rile out of her smaller lover. "Fly to the tip of the World Tree. I will be presenting the circumstance while you're at it. Once you're ready, I will be opening a portal to another world for you two."

"Ugh... Fine. This diversion better be worth it." Though Yuki and Bryn complained, they still change course for the top of Yggdrasil.

Yggdra does follow up with a sentence though. "Don't worry, there will be no better honeymoon than this for Bryn and you, Yuki."

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You know, something is seriously wrong when instead of a welcoming party for your first day at the new workplace, you're forced to pick up arms and mounted a desperate defensive operation against a numerically and technologically superior enemy instead. Well, it's not like she is the one on the frontline right now but still, getting your building shot at is also not a very pleasant experience. 

Feeling her command center rocked by another explosion, losing track of the number of times it has been already, Gentiane quickly barks at the wireless radio headpiece she has near her head. 

"Goddamn it, Echelon 1, I thought you said you already took care of the Jaguars!"

"W-We just did!" Came a flustered voice, unbefitting of her WWIII veteran status, drowned out by the numerous impact sounds left behind by plasma bolts. To be fair, the situation is too damn precarious to even keep a semblance of calm. "H-Hey, Commander, we need some help over here! They're sending a line of Strikers to flush us out!"

"Goddamn it, I will see what I can do!" Aside from sending in Echelon 4, which is her bodyguard, Gentiane has no one else to send over to the frontline. Well, technically she can send over her human subordinates but they are barely trained and ill-equipped in the face of armored T-Dolls armed with plasma rifles. Still, Echelon 1's firing position is slowly being encircled on the tactical map, and if she loses both the Echelon and the position, Gentiane will soon lose Base S09.

Without any choice, she must send in her last Echelon which has been acting as a reserve unit to alleviate the heat off the frontline. Doing this has the risk of the enemy flanking and just hitting the unprotected command center but it's a risk she has to take now. She is armed with an FN Five-seven and the humans at the base can mount a desperate resistance if need be. Gentiane is just about to give an express order Centaureissi for her Echelon 4 to be deployed when suddenly, a majority of the enemy markers on the tactical map are wiped out. This phenomenon is followed soon after by a rumbling of sonic booming and cascading explosions. The shockwave from those explosions can even be felt in the command room.

Without wasting any time, Gentiane immediately hails Echelon 1 who is holding the high ground. "SCAR-L, SITREP on those explosions!"

It takes a few seconds filled with nothing but statics but thankfully, SCAR-L responds with a shaky voice. "Hey, Gentiane, did you call for CAS by any chance?"

"... Hah?" Understandably, Gentiane was dumbfounded by SCAR-L's sudden question.

"I will take that as a no then. Regardless, we have just been saved by two unidentified aircraft. They just bombed the living crap out of the Strikers that had been suppressing us. And from the look of it, they're going for anoth-! Fuck, danger is close!"

SCAR-L's report is cut short by a relentless thumping of smaller explosions on her end. Soon after, Gentiane can hear the 'Brrrrttt' sound of a Gatling and the screeching of a high-speed jet flying overhead of Echelon 1.

"What the fuck is going on out there?!" Gentiane scratched her solid pastel pink hair in frustration. Her exasperated question is immediately replied to by SCAR-L. "Well, the fucker in the air just strafe a line of Rippers near us, that's what! The bastard saved our hide though. Whoever they belonged to, the aircraft are supporting us by bombing Sangvis scums to pieces! Warn the rest not to engage them, Gentiane!"

"Arggh...! Fine! Continue holding Hill Foxtrot until you're out of ammo or are unable to! Do not let them flank the main gate!" Gentiane then stops to warn the other elements of the new development. "And somebody gives me a damn visual on the unknown fliers!"

SCAR-L is the one to respond immediately. "Oi, SCAR-H! Tracks those aircraft, now!"

"Yeah, yeah. Transmitting data now, though I hope you can make head and tail from this Gentiane for I sure as hell can't." Said a nonchalant voice before a video feed is opened in a corner of the electronic command table.

"...Seriously, what the fuck is going on?" Gentiane asked again, earning a snarky response from SCAR-L. "Should have bargained for a higher paycheck when I was reactivated.

Even though SCAR-H is looking at one of the aircraft, her advanced electronic eyes can't seem to maintain a proper lock onto the target. The red aircraft, while can be seen visually as a blur, barely register in their scanners even at close range and low altitude. The only visual identification Gentiane can infer from is that they are armed to the teeth and their black, red, and white color scheme. Switching to another, probably of the same type but different in color scheme, Gentiane can't help but think that these two pilots are experts at their work. When one goes in for an attack, the other hangs back to provide coverage. The pair regularly switch places, never missing a beat and never hitting her Echelons. Though "Danger close!" warnings are given out regularly by her dolls.

"What sort of war Angels have rendered us aid now?" Gentiane asked a question, not really expecting an answer.