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Vulture Gunship

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Targetdrone.gif This article is about the Vulture Gunship. For other uses of Vulture, see Vulture (disambiguation).
A Vulture Gunship

The Vulture Gunship is an attack gunship based upon the Valkyrie troop carrier, with similar hover and VTOL (Vertical Take-off and Landing) capabilities.

Overview

Like the Valkyrie, the Vulture is operated by the Imperial Navy and attached to Imperial Guard units, particularly Drop Regiments lacking heavy armour and artillery support. The Vulture is operated by a crew of two, a pilot to fly the craft and a weapons operator to aim and fire its armament. A single Vulture will typically fly in support of a flight of Valkyries whose variable weapon configurations allow a variety of missions to be fulfilled: anti-tank, infantry suppression or bombing enemy strongpoints. They often remain after the Valkyries' passengers have disembarked and the transports have retreated acting in a direct air support role, aiding the drop troops in tougher firefights. Although they can mount extra fuel tanks to accompany Valkyries on long-range operations, this does reduce their weapons payload.[1a]

The standard armament on the Vulture is its nose-mounted Heavy Bolter, with four wing hardpoints, along with Extra Armour and a Searchlight. The two inner wing hardpoints, besides extra fuel tanks, typically mount twin-linked Multi-lasers, although these can be replaced with Lascannons, Missile Launchers, Autocannons, or Rocket pods. The two outer wing hardpoints, besides extra fuel tanks, typically mount two Hellstrike Missiles, but can also be replaced with two Hellfury Missiles,[2] two Rocket Pods, two bomb racks for a total of six Heavy Bombs or Heavy Smart Bombs, or two missile racks for a total of six Hunter-killer Missiles.[1b] For extreme firepower, the Vulture can replace all of its wing-mounted munitions for a twin-linked Punisher Gatling Cannon, while all gunships can be modified with additional upgrades.[2]

Technical Specifications

Technical Specifications
Type Attack Gunship[1c] Operational Ceiling 11,000m
Vehicle Name Vulture Max Speed 1100kph
Forge World of Origin Mars, Voss, Artemia, Estaban VII, Agripinaa, Phaeton, Lucius Range 2,000 km in atmosphere
Known Patterns I-X Main Armament Nose mounted Heavy bolter
Crew Pilot, Weapons Operator Secondary Armament 4x under wing hardpoints for various weapon systems
Powerplant 1x F200-KW4 Afterburning Vector-Turbojet Main Ammunition 200 rounds
Weight 9 tonnes empty Secondary Ammunition Varies by weapon type
Length 19.2m Armour
Wingspan 14.2m Superstructure 75mm
Height 4.9m Hull 75mm



Known units that include Vultures

See also

Sources


Imperial Navy Ships
Battleships ApocalypseEmperorOberonRetributionVictoryNemesisVanquisherInvincible ClassGothic ClassGraiaAdjudicator
Grand Cruisers AvengerExorcistVengeanceFurious
Battlecruisers ArmageddonMarsOverlordChaliceDominionMercuryLong Serpent
Cruisers DictatorDominatorGothicLunarTyrantCardinalAggressorAmbition
Light Cruisers DauntlessDefiantEndeavourEnduranceEnforcerDefenderSiluriaStyges
Heavy Frigates TurbulentInvictorInexorable
Frigates SwordFirestormTempestFalchionHavoc
Destroyers CobraViperStalwartConstrictor
Corvettes Claymore
Support Armed FreighterCarrackCastellanCetaceusCetaceaConstellationDefense MonitorEscort CarriersFast ClipperFuel TransportOrionQ-ShipTaraskTroop TransportHeavy TransportUniverseGolgothaViper
Attack Craft Faustus InterceptorFury InterceptorStarhawkShark Assault Boat
Planetary Aircraft AvengerChiropteranLightning (Strike) • Marauder Bomber (DestroyerColossusVigilantPathfinder) • Thunderbolt (Fury) Valkyrie (VendettaSky TalonVulture)
Landing Craft Aquila LanderArvus LighterDevourer DropshipTetrarchAngantyr-Class Dropship