Gen:Lock Vehicle Analysis Part One
Because Gen:Lock has become my new hyperfixation, I’m going to spend way too much time analyzing the design of the Vanguard vehicles. I’ll be focusing on 4 main designs- the Vanguard Interceptor fighter, the Vanguard Razor attack VTOL, the Vanguard Strider Mech-Suit, and the unnamed heavy transport dropship.
First Up- the Interceptor Fighter
This design is the one that Chase flies in episode 1. It’s really neat, and I could honestly see it as a military aircraft fifty or so years from now. It’s a nice mix of modern-day and futuristic, Macross-style technology.
For propulsion, the Interceptor appears to rely on six separate engine sources. The main forwards thrust comes from the two stern engines. I don’t think they’re traditional jet technology, as they don’t appear to have visible intakes anywhere on the fuselage. The four rotary fan engines mounted in the wings appear to be primarily for lift and maneuvering purposes, and they enable the interceptors to pull off maneuvers that would be impossible for most standard fighter jets today, such as quite literally flying backwards.
The fans appear to be able to rotate 360 degrees in any direction.
I GUARANTEE you no fighter jet today could do this, with the possible exception of the AV-8 Harrier or the US Marine version of the F-35.
Now, onto weapons fit. This is where the Interceptor is most similar to the combat aircraft of today. The primary weaponry of the Interceptor are air-to-air missiles and nose-mounted cannons.
As seen in this picture, the Interceptor carries six air-to-air missiles, which are practically direct visual copies of real-life missiles like the AIM-9 Sidewinder or the AIM-120 AMRAAM. Two of the missiles are mounted on the forward wings (canards is the technical term IIRC), and four are mounted underneath the hull.
The Interceptor also carries two nose-mounted automatic cannons. If the real-life aircraft influences are anything to go by, they’re probably gatling type-weapons. An interesting divergence from modern-day aircraft is the presence of two nose cannons- most U.S. fighters tend to view a single nose-mounted cannon as sufficient.
Lastly in terms of weaponry, the Interceptor carries a single ESD. I don’t think we were told what the ESD acronym stands for but it’s also referred to as “Threat Pulse Weaponry”. The weapon is concealed in the hull until it is used, which is a common trick on stealth fighters to lower radar signature. The other missiles are carried on outboard pylons, so I don’t think that’s why the ESD is carried inboard, though. The ESD has a significant charging time, during which the interceptor is vulnerable. The main purpose of the ESD seems to be to deactivate weaponized Union nanotech, which it does-if it manages to go off. The Union appears to be able to detect a charging ESD and pre-empt its detonation, making the weapon practically useless.
The final point of interest when it comes to the Interceptor is the wings. To be precise, the wings’ ability to change position. This isn’t some new, futuristic technology either- we’ve had variable geometry fighters since the 1970s, when the U.S. Navy introduced the F-14 Tomcat. (there may have been earlier variable-geometry aircraft, but the F-14 is the earliest I know of. The purpose of the variable-geometry wings on the interceptor appears to be similar to the purpose of the F-14’s variable geometry: one configuration is built to increase aerodynamics and speed, another is built for maneuverability in close combat.
The speed-focused configuration.
The maneuverability-focused configuration.
That’s about it for the interceptor. This ended up way longer than I thought it would be, so I think I’ll call it here for this post. Next time, the Vanguard’s Strider Mechs!
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