Kanazawa Ka-99 (FT)

Designed solely for space operations, the Ka-99 is known for its extreme maneuverability in space, to the point that on-board systems are programmed to prevent pilots from overloading the inertial compensators and get crushed to death by G-forces. However, the design is not aerodynamic at all and it is unable to fly within planetary atmospheres, though the cockpit "ball" is rated for emergency atmospheric reentry.

Produced in massive numbers in the years leading up to reunification and following the formation of the New Greater Empire, the Ka-99's shortcomings were finally exposed by the Second Hyperpower War. The Ka-99 was too lightly armed and armoured to adequately defend against the large numbers of aerospacecraft used by the Union, while the lack of atmospheric capability limited the Imperial Navy's ability to support ground forces with close air support without deploying dedicated craft.

Today the Ka-99 has been entirely supplanted in the aerospace superiority fighter role within the Imperial Navy by the multirole atmosphere-capable Mi-59 Reppu II fighter, though some units still utilise modernised Ka-99 variants for scouting purposes. The Ka-99 has also found use in the civilian market, and can still be found in use by private security companies in the Human Sphere despite the advanced age of the design.

General characteristics

 * Crew: 1
 * Length: 7.24 m
 * Wingspan: 6.7 m
 * Height: 8.82 m
 * Powerplant: 2 × Niinuma Dynamics Kiso-4 ion engines

Armament

 * Guns: 1 × 30mm Arisaka Type-99-3 automatic cannon
 * Hardpoints:
 * 2 × internal weapons bay with 3 × hardpoints each
 * 1 × external hardpoint for drop tank, sensor pod, or additional ordnance