MAVERICK-CLASS MULTI-ROLE AEROSPACE FIGHTER
Role:
Multi-role Aerospace Fighter
Dimensions:
Overall Length: 13.4 meters
Overall Beam: 9.85 meters
Overall Height: 4.01 meters
Crew Complement:
1 (Pilot)
Velocity:
Cruising: Warp Factor 4
Maximum: Warp Factor 6
Duration:
Standard Mission: 1 week
Propulsion Systems:
Warp: 2 LF-6X4 Advanced Compact Linear Warp Drive Units
Impulse: 2 FIB-2X3 Compact Subatomic Unified Energy Impulse Units
QASR-M Micro-Beam Manoeuvring Thrusters
Weapons:
2 Type V phaser array (Nose)
1 Type VII phaser array (Hull)
2 A-205 Microtorpedo Launchers (1 per wing)
Deflector Systems:
“Galahad” shield system
The Maverick is a new strike craft designed after the Dominion war, based on the Peregrine-class.
By the 2360’s strike craft, like all purely military equipment, had been largely neglected. Starfleet of the later 23rd century had several very effective strike craft. But after 70 years of piece, the Federation had diverted most of its resources into exploration and other scientific assets. Meaning by the time of its deployment in 2365, the Peregrine was the only remaining strike craft in Starfleet inventory.
Due to this the Peregrine was expected to fill the role of an interceptor, heavy fighter, attack craft and even a light bomber, a heavy burden for a single craft. Despite being relatively well armed for a craft of its size and though its powerful Impulse engines give it an impressive sub-light speed, the Peregrines large frame severely reduces its manoeuvrability. And whilst it can carry full sized torpedoes on wing-mounted hard points, 2 under each wing, doing so drastically reduces its shield strength and warp speed. Because of these limitations, the Peregrine was limited to use as a heavy fighter during the Dominion War, deployed in fleet actions to cause enemy vessels to split their fire amongst multiple targets.
Following the war, Starfleet determined a single craft could not fulfill the multiple roles expected of the Peregrine, so ordered the design of 3 new strike craft, a torpedo bomber, a heavy fighter and a multi-role fighter, the latter being designated the Maverick. Due to this increase in fighter classes, Starfleet hoped to reduce procurement cost by having these new craft as joint projects between the fleet and the SFMC, so a joint team of both OAR and SFMC R&D designers were assigned to the project.
To adapt the Peregrine to a multi-role fighter, considerable changes were made to the design. Its warp nacelles were positioned next to the cockpit, its two impulse engines were moved closer together, and the cockpit was changed from a side-by-side tandem design to a single seat, reducing the crew to a single pilot. The Peregrines large delta wings were replaced with smaller tapered ones, that fold just before the micro-torpedo launchers, further reducing the crafts width, and the length of the design was reduced. These changes drastically reduce the crafts overall size to 13.4 m long, 4.01 m tall and 9.85 m wide, only 6.1 m with the wings folded.
Along with these physical changes many of the crafts internal components were changed. The Maverick is equipped with 2 LF-6X4 Advanced Compact Linear Warp Drive Units, giving the craft a cruising speed of warp 4 and a maximum speed of warp 6. Roughly the same as the Peregrine, it allows the craft to operate independently from Starships, conducting patrols or serving as pickets for their support carrier or station. While warp travel is an important aspect of the design, the Maverick is expected to primarily operate in normal space. To that end it is equipped with 2 FIB-2X3 Compact Subatomic Unified Energy Impulse Units, these are large engines for a craft of this size and gives the Maverick an extremely impressive sub-light speed. And when used in concert with its QASR-M Micro-Beam Thrusters, the Maverick is extremely manoeuvrable in real space, flying circles around the Peregrine.
The Maverick’s defensive and offensive systems are no less impressive. Its 2 Type VI phasers are effective against other fighters and its 2 micro-torpedo launchers and Type VII phaser make it equally dangerous against light capital ships and harden ground targets. For defence the Mavericks hull is coated with light ablative armour, and it is equipped with the Prentice-Schafer “Galahad” shield system, affording the craft considerable protection during combat.
Starfleet decided the torpedo bomber project, designated the Avenger, would take preference, so the first Maverick prototype wasn’t completed until 2379 and the design didn’t enter full scale production until late 2380. Despite this initial delay the Maverick proved extremely popular with Starfleet and SFMC officers, and unlike the Avenger it saw large scale orders straight away. Ware as the Avenger and its capital ship torpedoes were seen as a threat to the delicate post war peace, the Maverick was seen as a smaller, less powerful craft designed to replace the more heavily armed Peregrine, so there was no push back from in or outside the Federation, and by the mid 2380’s a full quarter of squadrons had their Peregrine’s replaced by Mavericks.
The crafts mix of firepower, protection and manoeuvrability make it the perfect multi-role fighter and its obvious superiority over the older Peregrine proved the final nail in that design’s coffin, being replaced by Mavericks in all frontline squadrons. Despite the success of the Maverick, Starfleet didn’t want to repeat their mistakes and become over reliant on a single fighter design. So used the heightened tension of the post Mars attack to ensure the Super Peregrine project was completed, and the Maverick now serves alongside the Super Peregrine and Avenger, as part of Starfleet’s new multi strike craft defence.
