GAF-1 Varcolac

The GAF-1 Varcolac is an experimental delta wing fighter jet, born as a result of Olivieri Life Insurance's Golden Axe Plan.

Description
The GAF-1 Varcolac is an experimental fighter jet developed as part of the Golden Axe Plan, built solely as a personal fighter aircraft, as its name suggests, for the Varcolac Squadron. Like the Fenrir, it has two extremely powerful self-aiming GAU-22/A cannons that could possibly be even more powerful than the Fenrir's, and it is the only aircraft that has different sounding guns in the game. All four GAF-1 models are customized to each pilot's liking-- for example, Milosz Sulejmani's airframe is outfitted with a gatling gun in the rear section to destroy incoming missiles, as well as engage pursuing aircraft. Sulejmani's aircraft, which is the most modified out of them all, is also designed with speed, mobility and protection in mind, thus making the Varcolac an extremely deadly foe. The GAF-1 saw action during the Battle of San Francisco, piloted by the Varcolac Squadron; however, all aircraft were destroyed in combat one by one.

This aircraft is unlocked by completing the game in ACE difficulty and achieving S rank on mission 21A, in ACE difficulty. Three of the four GAF-1 combat programs can also become available by destroying ace aircraft in three of the last four missions.

GAF-1 type Defense/AG programme - used by Daniel Oruma - destroy enemy ace C-17A Globemaster III "Express" on mission 18 ACE Difficulty

GAF-1 type Speed/Intercept programme - used by Faryd Gaviria - destroy enemy ace F-15 S/MTD "Kelpie" on mission 19 ACE difficulty

GAF-1 type Mobility/AA programme - used by Tolia Kiriakov - destroy enemy ace Su-47 Berkut "Lily" on mission 20 ACE difficulty

The best parts the Varcolac can be tuned with for the best manoeuverability are

Engine-Rocket Motor MOD

Wing-Extra canard

Armor-Light armor

Avionics-GAF-1 Type AA Programme

NOTE: ranking doesn't matter, you can obtain Kiriakov's program with a C rank.

Ace Pilots/Squadrons

 * Varcolac Squadron (Golden Axe Plan Private Army/Ace Combat X2)

Standard Weapons

 * Gun: 2x GAU/22A 25mm Gatling Cannon (Semi-self aiming)
 * Missile: 2x AIM-9M Sidewinder
 * HACM: 2x AIM-9X Sidewinder
 * HWVM: 2x modified ASRAAM
 * LGWM: 2x Python 4

Special Weapons

 * LSWM: 3 -Modified Sea Eagle Missile
 * QAAM: 13 - R-73 (AA-11) Archer
 * ODMM: 20 -Modified AIM-120C AMRAAM
 * IRCM: 13 - Plasma Energy Spheres

NOTE: the IRCM is a defense mechanism that interferes with thermal targeting systems to avoid incoming enemy missiles. When activated, it looks like a HPM plasma energy ball, except that it is more blue than purple, and missiles appear to fly away from it, similar to the ADFX-02 Morgan's ECM system.

NOTE: both the Fenrir's and the Varcolac's LSWM, unfortunately and strangely, upon detonation only destroys anything that is within the inner cloud of bluish-green explosion. The shock-wave has absolutely no effect on anything, even when used on the Spiridus' Fire Suppression units it will only destroy one no matter where it impacts. It seems that damage and detonation range is decreased in exchange for ammo capacity.

Trivia

 * The GAF-1 Varcolac is, to date, the fastest aircraft in the Ace Combat series in terms of take off.


 * The Varcolac reuses the cockpit of the CFA-44 Nosferatu.
 * The GAF-1 appears to be a hybrid of the mainframes of the XFA-24A Apalis and the MiG-31 Firefox, a highly iconic fictional fighter from the eponymous novel Firefox.