RAE XDF-21D "Gladius"

---

General Information

Name = RAE XDF-21D Gladius

Company = RAE

Type = Precision Fighter / Tactical Swing-role

Control Method = Unmanned Remote Control, Unmanned A.I, or Manned EVOC (External Vision Obstructed Cockpit) System

Generation = 4.5th, although some journalists prefer to refer it as 5th generation due to how many high-tech equipments installed on this aircraft.

Cost = 45M$ For LAAF use, 50M$ for export

Reliability = 4k$ maintenance cost per month, and 1 hours of service for 4 days of nonstop flight.

---

Specifications

Powerplant = 2x Astell ST-241VT

OS = RAU-M6

Max range = 2500km

Top speed = Mach 4.3 (Around 5100kmh) at 14km Above sea. But limited control-wise to Mach 3 due to aerodynamic heating issues.

Service Ceiling = 18Km

Armaments =

2x Cellbash CEA-M 2.2 Electromagnetic Rail Cannon (EMRC)
2x Cellbash CER-M 4.2 High Irradiance Concentrated Laser (HICL)
6x Shikosa GM-5 General Purpose Air-to-Air Missile (GPAM)

Electric Powerplant =
2x Astell TA-14 Turbine Alternator
2x Astell AA-2 Wind-driven alternator fan mounted in back of HICL

Expendable Equipments =
2x Fuel/Electric Battery Pod

---

Flight Modes

This plane has 4 different modes

DGP Mode (Green) - Cruise mode. Default mode for general purposes.

CAD mode (Red) - Dogfight mode. Enables canard, which improves agility. Optimizes the A.I. for Dogfights. Activates automatically when selecting GPAM, or can also be activated manually by pressing AG2.

EWC mode (Blue) - Energy weapons mode. Redirects more power to energy weapons and increases the amount of electric power the jet engine alternator produce. Increases energy weapon efficiency while decreases engine performance(Engine isn't affected in gameplay). Also increases Energy weapon accuracy by redirecting the processing power of the A.I. for aim calculations. Activates automatically when selecting HICL or EMRC.

LRC mode (Yellow) - Increases engine efficiency and decreases weapon efficiency. The A.I. on this mode prefer to escape than fight when there is a combat. Rotates the vertical wing to a dihedral of 50° to increase aircraft stability and provides extra lift that can help with engine efficiency. Activates automatically when afterburner is on.

---

Controls

AG1 = Activate Afterburners and LRC mode
AG2 = Manually activate CAD mode
AG3 = Fire all GPAM in salvo
AG4 = Drop external pods
Trims = Flaps

---

Visual Documentations

A normal flight

LRC Mode

Firing HICL in EWC mode

Firing EMRC

Missile Salvo

Dropping external pods

---

A popular picture of HICL test-firing dubbed "The Elysium Rain"

---

Some fun facts

The airplane needs so much energy that the engineers decided to install a wind-driven turbine in the HICL section to generate electricity during flight.

The wing paint scheme for the craft is meant to represent 2 sides of the craft. An accurate and smart precision strike side, and a pure cursed genocidal and wide-area blaster side.

---

Credits

Ouroboros, ViciousTNT for testing and feedback.

---

Author's note

I am sorry if the airplane is, kind of, slightly lower quality. I did rush the polishment process for this plane and the extensive testing. And some part of the description may be incorrect to the actual airplane itself. Once again, i am sorry if that is the case.

For compensation, here is a peek to next build.

---

Thanks for checking in! I'll see you later.