Arkbird

THE ARKBIRD

- the Osean Space Plane -

Specifics
Purpose: Orbital Space Plane Delivery System, ICBM Deterent, Planetary Debris Defense

Manufacturer(s): Osea, Yuktobania, USEA, Erusea, Versua, Anea, and Norland.

Date Started: Unknown

Date Completed: 2005

Date Destroyed: December 19th, 2010

Armaments: Anti-Aircraft Missile Launchers, Light Laser Barrels, Heavy Laser Cannon Firing Range: 242 statute miles Energy Source: Solar and Thermal Energy Speed: Propulsion: two Boosters, two Support Boosters, one Main Thrust Booster.

History
In the year 2008, the summit was held by Anea, Federation of Central Usea, Osea, Yuktobania, Verusa, Nordland and Erusian provisional government. This summit aimed not only at easing the tensions between Erusian survivors of the last war and ISAF, but also at resolving the refugee problems that could be ascribed to the war and Ulysses. As for Erusea, the situations were quite precarious, but Osea invited Erusea to the summit for the purpose of bringing peace to the entire world by sweeping out all the political issues that Erusea had to deal with, gathering up international co-operations.

Though Osea and Yuktobania were once in a cold war, both of them are now trying to rebuild and further their relationship by "joint space development project". Osea's top secret Mass Driver project was realized with the help of Yuktobania's high engineering technology.

Let's see why Osea chose Arkbird.

During the cold war, the Osean-Yuktobanian relations were getting worse, starting from Mutual Assured Destruction to Countervailing Strategy. At last, both of them reached Strategic Defense Initiative. This was because the qualities of strategic weapons such as ICBM were improved rapidly and the platforms like reconnaissance satellites and alert systems advanced as well. What was more important was that Satellite Based Laser and Anti Satellite Technologies were deployed in addition to the existing ground to air missile defense systems. Arkbird was originally designed to go beyond all these SBLs and ASATs. Arkbird, which is able to keep flying without landing, was expected to detect enemy missile launch, go up to the point where the missile is about fly through and intercept it by means of its hyper laser weapon in any phase.

Just before Arkbird took flight, Ulysses was discovered to be coming close at hand. It was also found that Ulysses would surmount Roche limits of Earth and crash down mainly on Usean continent. It was Stonehenge that was deployed to shoot it down. Stonehenge combated Ulysses, but it never became a solution to the space debris that Ulysses left behind. In this phase, Arkbird took its first flight as a suitable replacement of Stonehenge to get rid of these debris which might jeopardize not only Usean continent but also Osea, Yuktobania and others.

Osea was first planning to equip Arkbird with Airborne Laser unit of their own, but it was Yuktobanian Anti Space Debris Hyper Laser unit that was finally chosen. The missiles were also equipped in order to destroy debris too big to remove by laser unit. Arkbird so far met the expectations or more, by removing 80% of Ulysses offspring. Arkbird has now become an infrastructure for a permanent space station building project. Usea and Verusa have already declared participation in this project.

Now that the cold war is over, the Osean-Yuktobanian relations are drastically encouraging democracy, the market economy and social justice. Disarmament ensues. Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and Strategics Arms Reduction Treaty 2 are respectively ratified. The legacies of the cold war has now turned out to be peacemakers and will hail the new era of outer space. This is how the whole world reached the Arkbird Declaration.

While it was a symbol of peace, it was eventually used in war.

When the Osea-Yuktobanian / Circum Pacific War began in 2010, Yuktobanian Forces quickly disabled the Osean Navy and any first strike capabilities that they had. When Osea had discovered that Yuktobania was operating the Hrimfaxi, the decision by the Osean Government was made. It’s operations became extremely pivotal and it turned the tide of the war in Osea’s favor. However, it was sabotaged weeks later by unknown operatives and it’s operations stopped. Contact was lost with the Arkbird afterwards.

As the war continued the Arkbird was taken over by a group of Belkan extremists, still angered with the Osean Allied victory in the Belkan War, 15 years ago. A Nuclear weapon, from that time, was unearthed and shipped to the Arkbird; it then embarked on a mission to destroy Okchabursk, Yuktobania. Then over the Ceres Ocean, a captive Osean Astronaut escaped from the Arkbird in an Escape Capsule. Before he escaped he succeeded in making the Arkbird dive deep into the Atmosphere.

While the Arkbird tried to recover from the dive, it was engaged by four unknown Black aircraft with Red Tail fins. “The Ghosts of Razgriz” opened fire on the Arkbird and combat ensued. The Arkbird had used it’s full weapons capacity to attempt to shoot them down. As the battle ensued the Arkbird lost it’s ability to leave the Atmosphere and attempted to re-direct towards Osean Territory. It was eventually shot down and fell into the Ceres Ocean.

The Arkbird was destroyed on December 19th, 2010.

SOURCES: Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (the game itself) http://www.acecombat.jp