Z-90 Crusader
Template:Vehicle (air)The Ward Industries Z-90 "Crusader" Is a multirole fighter aircraft designed to attack both air to air targets and air to ground forces over tactical battlefields. The design was built during the phasing out of the Z-80C in the late 2070s, and serves in limited numbers in Air Forces around the world.
Initially designed as a replacement for the Z-80, the XZ-90 Prototype featured an additional Juno jet engine above the Panther afterburning turbofan to increase the overall thrust to weight ratio.
Production began in 2080, but the arrival was not well recieved with the active units that began comparing them alongside Z-80s. With a fuel range comparable to the Z-80's, the problem of time-on-station remained which frustrated pilots and limited the airborne reaction ability of the Zokesian Air Force. The type's design was however revered when it came to the ground attack realm. The ability to ingress and egress high-threat environments led to successes such as Operation Shady Sands, where the Zokesian Air Force destroyed hundreds of armored ground targets without a single loss.The Z-80 never was fully retired as a result, and newer upgrade packages brought the craft back to the forefront of the Zokesian fighter force. The Z-90, however, was relegated to storage for a year, before in 2085 they were returned to service and given a dedicated air-to-ground attack radar and designated "Z-90-II."
