F-61 Condor

Template:Vehicle (air)The Cyten F-61 Condor is a single-engine, supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by Cyten Aerospace Industries for the Aeserian Air Force, later succeeded by the Aenian and United Continental/Imperial Air Forces. Designed originally as a light air defense fighter, it has evolved into a successful full-spectrum multirole tactical aircraft. High development emphasis on agility and simplicity has established the F-61 as a highly versatile weapons platform, with several iterations of the Condor providing record-breaking combat proficiency. Over thirty years after its initial introduction, the Condor family remains a renowned and integral component of her operators' air arsenals.

Due to an Aeserian military export ban in 2060, the aircraft received little recognition in the international market during its introductory period; however, the F-61A and F-61C Condor derivatives have maintained exceptional combat performance in over three decades of Tau Coalition service. Mass produced in the hundreds and having operated in airspaces across the world in countless air engagements, including the Second Continental War and Operation Shadow Realm, the F-61 family at present holds the Kerbin world record of 880 air-to-air victories while retaining a 4-1 kill-loss ratio. Its deployment as the Tau rear guard during the First Continental War coined the phrase by allied pilots saved by F-61 squadrons, "Stick with the Condors, and you'll make it through."

Development

In the immediate aftermath of the 2057 Aeserian Civil War, the Provisional Government assembled panels of aerospace engineers, contractors, and defecting aircraft weapons instructors in order to kickstart an indigenous fighter program for the fledgling country. One clique of innovators, led by engineer Marcus Cyten and quickly known as the "Fighter Mafia," and other emerging technocrat committees were enrolled in the Lightweight Fighter (LWF) Program, tasked with developing a 'front-line fighter' with easy capability for mass production and a distinct appearance. The provisional Aeserian territories held considerable quantities of captured UASR aircraft from the Yakovich-Vladimirov and Lyagushka aeronautics corporations; however, the initiative was not just to develop a modern fighter, but also to assist in establishing a new national identity, to further disassociate the new government and society from its communist origins and the late Arcadian regime.

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The two main competitors for the LWF Program, 2057. The F-93 lies in the foreground and the F-61 in the back.

Based on experiences in the Civil War and recovered Arcadian technical studies from the Arkadii-Sovie conflict, Cyten and his development group devised the "energy–maneuverability theory" to model a fighter aircraft's performance in combat. They envisioned a small, lightweight aircraft that could maneuver with a minimum possible energy loss, which also incorporated a high thrust-to-weight ratio. Upon receiving a grant from the emergent Aeserian civilian government, prototype YF-61s achieved airworthiness and were submitted to the LWF Program in September 2057. Initially called the "Viper" by test pilots due to a perceived resemblance to the snake, YF-61s performed favorably against the competing YF-93, submitted by another provisional research board, who opted for the delta-wing and front canard wing configuration which had already proven successful in contemporary Kafrican designs. Through several trials of combat analysis, the YF-61 prevailed in categories of cost, maneuverability, and top speed, being awarded the LWF contract the following month. By winter of 2057, it received the official designation "Condor" and low-rate initial production began immediately. Afterwards, following the initiative's success, the Fighter Mafia reformed as Cyten Aerospace Industries, becoming a prominent member of the FRA's military-industrial complex after the presidential ratification of the Arms Privatization Acts of 2060.