UPDATE:
I replaced the guns to provide the impression that this is an older generation fighter. I also moved the front landing gear back a little bit.

HISTORY:
Planet Xena is known for its military, especially its air power. Such a reputation was made possible with the SF-1A Zenko. The Zenko was developed by the Xenan State Aerospace Administration under the order of King Dugon. King Dugon was determined to globalize his socialist monarchy, so he launched a military campaign to conquer all of Xena. This military campaign became known as the "Dominion War". Along with the advent of the Dominion War, came the demand for a multi-role fighter that can establish overall tactical dominance on any battlefield, whether it be in the air or in space. The end result was a fast, maneuverable, and hard-hitting space craft that out-performed any other star fighter in existence. The fighter was officially named the "Star Fighter Mark 1" or "SF-1" for short. The pilots, however, thought this was a dull name, so they took to calling it the "Zenko", which is the Xenan word for "shadow". The Zenko was famously known as the fighter that won the Dominion War for King Dugon, the fighter that won the Great War of the Galaxy, as well as the fighter that burned Vontara to the ground. The Zenko is still in service today with modern variants being produced with upgrades.

ARMAMENT:
14x short ranged unguided air-to-ground rockets
4x medium ranged radar guided fire-and-forget air-to-ground inferno missiles
2x medium ranged radar guided air-to-air guardian missiles
2x long ranged radar guided fire-and-forget air-to-air interceptor missiles
Dual 50 cal. KVA-2 MKI machine guns

OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS AND ADVICE:
Action group 1 engages the main thrust engines.

Action group 2 engages the gyroscope.

Action group 3 engages the VTOL engine.

Action group 4 engages the VTOL RCNs.

Action group 5 illuminates the exterior lights.

Action group 6 jettisons all munitions.

Action group 7 deploys the arrest hook.

Action group 8 primes all munitions.

Do not pitch down too hard and too fast while launching any missiles or rockets, otherwise they might collide with the craft mid-flight and destroy it.

To use the VTOL, first engage action groups 2, 3, and 4. Next, throttle up until the craft starts levitating upward. Once a suitable altitude has been reached, rotate the VTOL nozzles backward (VTOL slider up) to push the craft forward. Then drop the throttle all the way down, deactivate action groups 2, 3, and 4, and activate action group 1. This step must be done relatively quick. While action group 1 is engaged, throttle back up again to start flying forward.

The RCNs (AG4) can be activated at any time, they can help maneuver the craft even when not in VTOL mode. This would be useful while flying in regions with low air density.