NationStates Jolt Archive

History:

The GO-02 Lightning HLCSV project is the first front line combat vehicle to be build for export by the combined Feles Industries and General Ordnance Development Centre.

The Praetonian Government plans to buy 825 of these to outfit its Mechanised and Special Operations Divisions.

Design Principles:

The GO-02 Lightning HLCSV (Hover Light Combat Vehicle) is the first hovercraft that makes up a major part of a nation’s military yet designed and it is perfectly capable of fulfilling it’s role.

The simple fact that it is a hovercraft gives it several unique abilities, notably the ability to cover almost any type of ground, even water, without any speed impediment. This particular hovercraft is designed as a troop and cargo carrier. It is slightly larger than an average MBT, and can carry up to 12 men inside (larger requirements can be negotiated) or the seats can be removed for cargo space. It can also be adapted to act as a field ambulance.

It also contains a revolutionary new cannon system. Equipped with two autoloaders, one on each side, the cannon can fire DU cored AT rounds (for use against armoured targets) or HE rounds (for use against infantry) and almost instantly switch between the two.

The vehicle is also equipped with the same computer control systems as the GO-11 Tiger Standard MBT, making control of the complex relatively easy for a trained crew.

The main disadvantages of hovercraft are also addressed, notably the vulnerability of certain parts of the craft. The distinctive hovercraft ‘skirt’, which surrounds the bottom of the craft, is fitted with aluminium alloy flaps that protect against anything up to (and including) .50cal machinegun fire. The turbines and rudders are also proof. The main body of the tank is given the same armour that you would expect on a similar troop transport.

The vehicle is given increased stability by ‘fins’ on the sides craft which contain small turbines which automatically correct small to medium instability. The craft can, however, sustain damage to both fins, one of the rudders and small sections of the skirt and still carry on operating.

The final feature of this revolutionary vehicle is an optional gas-turbine engine, which provides excellent performance for a relatively heavy craft, although fuel consumption increases.

Specifications

Crew: 3 Commander / radio operator, gunner, driver
Cargo: 12 fully equipped troops or 1 metric tonne

Armament: 30mm auto-cannon w/dual autoloader, 1 7.62mm co-axial machinegun, 1 12.5mm machinegun in copula

Ammunition: 2,000 30mm HE rounds, 2,000 30mm AP 3,000 machinegun rounds

Armour: 120mm effective armour front and turret
80mm effective armour side,
65 effective armour rear, turbines, rudder, fins and side flaps

Weight: 30 tonnes

Dimensions: 8.5m X 6.8m X 3m (landed) 4m (hovering)

Performance: 96kph (gas-turbine)
70kph (diesel)

Fuel Capacity: 55 gallons

Range: 400km (gas-turbine)
475km (diesel)

Features:

• True all-terrain capability

• Fast

• Gas-turbine engine optional

• Computer interface system makes complex vehicle easy to use

• Previously vulnerable components protected from small arms

• Revolutionary dual loading 30mm auto-cannon

• Can carry troops or up to tonne of cargo

• Can take damage and stay operational

Summary

This hovercraft is an excellent vehicle in its field and incorporates some truly revolutionary systems that have implications for many other vehicles. This vehicle is the proving ground for hovercraft designs to come and, if successful, could lead to the hovercraft being given a vital role in any combined force.

This is the perfect tank for:

• Equipping a Mechanised Infantry Division

• Equipping a Special Operations force

• Delivering supplies to the front over difficult ground


Price is negotiable
Unit Cost: 6,500,000 (6.5 million)
Options:

Minus Gas Turbine Engine (replaced with diesel) -1,000,000 (1 million)
Minus Double auto-loader system (replaced with standard gun) -500,000 (5 hundred-thousand)
Minus Turret and weapons (cargo only) –1,000,000 (1 million)

Production Licence Cost: Not openly available but is negotiable


Specific requirements can be negotiated
Discounts and extended payments are negotiable and offered for bulk orders

The following nations benefit from an automatic 5% discount due to their help in the vehicles design via the focus group:

Kelonian States
Jordaxia

Axis Nova finds this vehicle an interesting design, but would prefer to stick with our own combat car design. We suggest improving the skirt armor with a beryllium-tungsten weave-- it will make it much more resistant to damage.

Axis Nova State Department

Praetoria find your suggestion interesting. Would you be willing to work with us on an upgrade?

Quite nice. Currently have no funds due to an expensive purchase, but in 2 days, we'll see. (Long live the JXN-87! (My WIGcraft. Blatant ad.))
It's actually similar to your craft in a few ways. Especially its ability to travel over land. As long as it's flat. It can hit 300mph though, and is better at AS-AT work. Usless against infantry. I only sell it to allies now though, so it is redundant me "advertising" it now.

That sounds impressive, perhaps we could arrange some kind of swap? If you prefer to stick to only selling to allies then thats fine too.

I don't sell them anymore, normally, but I do tend to give away 100 (A small amount) to people who request them, and if they are happy, they buy more. If you want, you can have 100. (but you can't sell them on.)

Thats a generous offer, thankyou. Pending field-trials we may buy more.

Wait a tick here, this vehicle hovers and has not one, but TWO shell cannons? I mean, correct me if I'm reading that wrong, but one shell cannon on a hover vehicle is crazy. Two is insanity.

Why? Allow me to explain. You see, when you fire something as huge as a tank shell, you should be damn sure you'll feel it both on the receiving and sending ends. This means that, if the craft is hovering when it fires these cannons, it will shoot the craft in the opposite direction at an intense speed. Granted, the cannon will fire, but the craft will be devestated afterwards. While the craft is flying backwards, there is an extremely high chance that the wind might catch it and flip it over, a risk which is elevated exponentially when the cannon is angled anything more than 0 degrees.

All this means that the hovercraft is all but unusable as an attack vehicle on land, and entirely useless as one on water. I reccommend you leave these as transports, and take off all shell weapons except for light machine guns and, at most, hand-held anti-tank weaponry.

It only has one cannon (a double loader, which doesnt fire anything) and it is only a 30mm cannon. For a vehicle that is fairly heavy and powered by a gas-turbine engine, with plenty of stability modifications, aswell as a good shock-absorber, it can cope with it. We wouldnt be selling it if it couldnt.

It only has one cannon (a double loader, which doesnt fire anything) and it is only a 30mm cannon. For a vehicle that is fairly heavy and powered by a gas-turbine engine, with plenty of stability modifications, aswell as a good shock-absorber, it can cope with it. We wouldnt be selling it if it couldnt.Alright, just checking. I've seen plenty of hover insanity in my day, and I didn't want this to be yet another GodMod.

Personally, I just equipped my hover unit, the Plasma Tank (http://members.cox.net/resicorp/plasmatank.htm), with all energy weapons. No recoil there.

That looks incredibly powerful, but Im guessing its future tech so I shall not buy any... nice though.

That looks incredibly powerful, but Im guessing its future tech so I shall not buy any... nice though.I make more powerful things. A single one of my Prota, Vek, or Massive Ravens could annihilate about 25 of those Plasma tanks.

Yes, it is future, but if you ever decide to go the way of ubertech, you can visit my storefront at:
http://members.cox.net/resicorp/

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We would like to purchase 15 of these vehicles for supplying our troops in far-flung locations. Taking into account our discount, this would come to 92,625,000 - If the vehicles are successful we will be back for more.

And Jordaxia, would it be possible for us to get hold of some of those craft, too? :P

We'll see. I said 100, but do you mind 50? If so then sure. It's just I have been distributing to quite a few people recently, and as you can imagine, constant freebies=bad for business. I will always give the 50 that I now give, but only one per potential customer. By the way, 50 is a very small number. They are like fighters, but slower, with more firepower, and fly at a very low altitude.
In fact. I'll give you 100, but this is the last time.

I, personally, have more than 15,000. So that is an indicator.

Kelonian States order confirmed. The 15 are being dispatched immediately. We look forward to doing business again soon.

Jordaxia, we thankyou for your kindness in offering us any at all, they are vey much appreciated. Also, do you have any specs you could send us. Thankyou again.

specs! SPECS!!!! I am outraged.

Uh, fine, I'll fetch 'em someday. what ones do you want? I could get uber-detailed, useless specs, or more useful ones. Specify, and they shall be yours.

Well useful ones would be good. Information like speed, cargo capacity etc.

ok then. Speed. 2 options. A cheaper prop, speed 130mph, or the new Jordaxian added, somewhat more efficient jet, 300mph.
Cargo. Zilch. This holds only what is attatched to it. Namely. 6 AS missiles, or 12 AT missiles, or 1 Big cruise missile
Rigorous testing needs to be done to get exact weights, so this is very unprecise. Needless to say, it's fairly useful. Crew. 1, with three extra.
(Spec ops insertion possibility, given the speed and flight altitude.)
You won't be carrying lots of provisions for it.
Of course. I do sell the pelican. Which is Big. Same tech, carries 17 M1A2 Battle tanks w/ supplies, crew and fuel, on the bottom deck, and about 700+ troops above. (can fit more, tends to get cramped.) All troops with full kit, but few extra provisions. Needless to say, you could strip it out, and put just cargo inside. I sell the pelican for a negotiable price, given its size. (favourite statistic, quote it everywhere. Wing area. 1 acre.)

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