Arsenal Bird

{{Featured|February 2020}}
{{Superweapon
| image        = Arsenal Bird Deployment.jpg
| manufacturer = [[Osean Army]]
| function     = [[MQ-101|UAV]] aircraft carrier<br/>Defense of [[International Space Elevator]]
| creation     = 2010s
| operators    = <s>[[Osea]]</s><br>[[Erusea]]
| deployment   = ISEV defense<br>[[Lighthouse War]]
| destruction  = '''Arsenal Bird ''Liberty'''''<br>August 19, 2019<br>[[Operation Dragon Breath]]<br><br>'''Arsenal Bird ''Justice'''''<br>October 31, 2019<br>[[Operation Daredevil]]
}}
{{Quote|That beast rains missiles. That's some serious shit.|[[Clown]]}}
An '''Arsenal Bird'''{{Ref|PSX2016-Extended|[[:File:Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown - New Years Showcase Trailer]].}}{{Ref|E32017Trailer|[[:File:Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown - E3 2017 Trailer]].}}, also known as an '''Aerial Arsenal Ship''' ('''AAS'''),{{Ref|AC7-M03-Briefing|[[:File:AAS.png]]}} is a class of unmanned [[aerial warship]]s that can carry up to 80 [[MQ-101]] UAVs. Two Arsenal Birds were developed by the [[Osea|Osean Federation]] to defend the [[International Space Elevator]].{{Ref|E32017Gameplay|[[:File:Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown - E3 2017 Demo Gameplay]].}}{{Refcall|FamitsuInterview}}

==Design==
The Arsenal Birds are massive, unmanned aerial warships with wingspans of {{convert|1100|m}}. They can receive commands from ground-based control centers but mostly operate autonomously using an onboard AI.{{Ref|AAW19-082|''[[Aces At War: A History 2019]]'', page 082.}} They can carry up to 80 MQ-101s at one time. When these drones are launched, they are dropped from their holds in the aircraft's wings, flipping over and extending their wings to take flight. Arsenal Birds are also equipped with anti-air missile launchers on the dorsal wing surfaces, with the production model "''Justice''" having additionally been equipped with pulse laser turrets on the ventral wing surfaces and a nose mounted tactical laser beam system. For long range engagements, they can launch a [[Helios|"Helios"]] burst missile, which is an airburst type warhead effective against aircraft. Instead of jet engines, Arsenal Birds utilize large contra-rotating{{Ref|AAW19-082|''[[Aces At War: A History 2019]]'', page 082.}} electric propellers for thrust, which can provide long endurance.{{Ref|AC7-ArsenalBird-Trailer|[[:File:Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown - PS4 XB1 PC - Arsenal Bird Trailer]].}}

[[File:Arsenal Bird defense range and Selatapura plan view.jpg|thumb|175px]]
The Arsenal Birds are each equipped with a [[Microwave Powered Dome]] that has a large rectenna to receive microwave energy from the [[International Space Elevator|Lighthouse]]{{Refcall|AC7-ArsenalBird-Trailer}} via wireless transmission as their main source of electrical power. The dome also doubles as a central component of a defensive mechanism, called the Active Protection System (APS), that first projects a large halo of energy before generating a shield of electric energy to destroy incoming projectiles and other aircraft that are caught in the field.{{Ref|AAW19-082|''[[Aces At War: A History 2019]]'', page 082.}}  The APS, however has limits. It cannot stop large projectiles at high speed, such as a projectile from [[Stonehenge (Strangereal)|Stonehenge]].<ref name="AC7-M12"/> If the microwave transmission from the ISEV were to cease, the Arsenal Birds would stop activating APS to conserve power.

When exiting combat the Arsenal Bird can recover its launched drones by docking them back into the same bays they launched from. Resupply and maintenance is achieved via a repurposed [[Single-stage-to-orbit|SSTO]] supply ship which attaches a reusable supply unit between the central propellers; the Arsenal Bird's internal systems become vulnerable when the resupply vessel is undocked. They also appear to have a limited self repair capacity, being shown to be able to restart destroyed engines after a short period of time. The Arsenal Bird cannot land for repairs, and as such relies entirely on supply ship maintenance and self-repair in order to keep constant flight.

==History==
The Arsenal Birds, knownly formally as Aerial Arsenal Ships, were developed sometime in the 2010s by a partnership between the International Space Elevator Corporation and the [[Osean Defense Forces]] to defend and support the ISEV.<ref name="AC7-M03">{{Cite game|AC7|M03}}</ref> Two units were developed, ''Liberty'' and ''Justice'', with the former being a prototype and the latter being a production variant.{{Ref|Famitsu Interview June 14th, 2018.|https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DflfJWKU8AEjxhi.jpg}} ''Liberty'' underwent three months of weapons and supply ship verification testing before ''Justice'' joined it in its 1200 square kilometer defense network. Both Arsenal Birds were launched from the [[Tyler Island]] [[Mass Driver]] using a combination of solid-rocket boosters and the electromagnetic catapult of the mass driver.{{Ref|AAW19-086|''[[Aces At War: A History 2019]]'', page 086.}} Thereafter, the mass driver was used solely to launch the supply ships that would provide maintenance, ammunition, and fuel and keep the Arsenal Birds in working order.<ref name="AC7-M17">{{Cite game|AC7|M17}}</ref>

At the start of the [[Lighthouse War]], [[Erusea]] captured the space elevator and the Arsenal Birds fell under their control. This gave Erusea air superiority over the entirety of western [[Usea]];<ref name="AC7-M12">{{Cite game|AC7|M12}}</ref> if an attack were to occur, Erusea could simply send one Arsenal Bird to deal with the threat, while the other would continue to defend the space elevator. This was first demonstrated on May 30, 2019, when the Arsenal Bird ''Liberty'' attacked [[IUN]] forces in the [[Chopinburg Rainforest]], forcing them to retreat.<ref name="AC7-M03"/> On June 6, ''Liberty'' was deployed again against the IUN-PKF, this time at the space elevator during the IUN's [[Operation Lighthouse Keeper|failed rescue]] of former Osean President [[Vincent Harling]].<ref name="AC7-M04">{{Cite game|AC7|M04}}</ref>

On July 27, Helios projectiles were launched from at least one of the Arsenal Birds towards the [[Spare Squadron]], but failed to destroy them.<ref name="AC7-M09">{{Cite game|AC7|M09}}</ref>
[[File:Liberty destroyed.png|thumb|250px|''Liberty'' after being shot by Stonehenge]]
On August 19, 2019, the Osean Ground Defense Force secretly reactivated the eighth railgun of [[Stonehenge (Strangereal)|Stonehenge]]. ''Liberty'' was deployed to eliminate all forces in the area. With the help of the [[Long Range Strategic Strike Group|LRSSG]], ''Liberty'' was shot down by Stonehenge and crashed in the [[Hatties Desert]].<ref name="AC7-M12"/> The destruction of ''Liberty'' dealt a major blow to Erusea by drastically reducing the effective patrol area around the space elevator; the remaining Arsenal Bird, ''Justice'', could not travel far from the space elevator without risking its safety. This led to Erusea losing most of its air superiority over Usea, allowing Osean forces to free over half of the Usean continent.<ref name="AC7-M13">{{Cite game|AC7|M13}}</ref>

Following the destruction of Erusea's satellite network by Osea, ''Justice'' fell into the control of the [[Erusean Radicals]]. On October 31, 2019, ''Justice'' was deployed to the space elevator in order to eliminate the Osea-Erusea coalition forces in the area. [[Trigger]] shot down the Arsenal Bird and it crashed into the sea, ending the Arsenal Birds' threat for good.<ref name="AC7-M19">{{Cite game|AC7|M19}}</ref> After the war, the role of ISEV defense that the Arsenal Birds once served was presumably continued by the IUN Peacekeeping Forces.

==Gallery==
<gallery bordersize="none">
AC7 Arsenal Bird Deploying MQ-101s.png|''Liberty'' deploying its MQ-101s
AC7 Arsenal Bird Ring.jpg|''Liberty'' deploying its APS
AC7 Arsenal Bird Ring 2.jpg|''Liberty'' deploying its APS
AC7 Arsenal Bird Top.png|''Liberty''
AC7 Arsenal Bird Props.png|''Liberty''
AC7 T-50 Cockpit Arsenal Bird.jpg|''Liberty'' as seen from a [[Su-57]]'s cockpit
AC7 T-50 Cockpit Arsenal Bird 2.jpg|''Liberty'' as seen from a Su-57's cockpit
F-16C Arsenal Bird Flyby.png|An [[F-16C Fighting Falcon|F-16C]] underneath ''Liberty''
F-22 versus Arsenal Bird.png|An [[F-22A Raptor|F-22A]] facing ''Liberty'' in the distance
Ace Combat 7 Announcement FAS.jpg|Aerial shot of an Arsenal Bird
FAS and flamingos near crater.jpg|Aerial shot of ''Liberty'' over a [[Ulysses 1994XF04]] crater
Ace Combat 7 F-22A and FAS by Lighthouse.jpg|''Justice'' and an [[Osea]]n F-22A near the International Space Elevator
AC7 Mission 3 Briefing Map.png|A map showing the patrol area of the Arsenal Birds (Patrol area is within red circle. ISEV is located in the center)
Distant Arsenal Bird over Chopinburg.png|''Liberty'' over Chopinburg Rainforest
Arsenal Bird Battle AC7 Website.png|An [[F/A-18F Super Hornet]] with ''Liberty''
Arsenal Bird MQ-101 Swarm.jpg|''Liberty'' and its MQ-101S
Shielded Arsenal Bird ISEV.jpg|''Justice'' protected by its APS
Arsenal Bird Shield.jpg|''Justice'' protected by its APS
Arsenal Bird Shield Ring.jpg|''Justice'' deploying its APS
Arsenal Bird MQ-101s.jpg|''Liberty''
Arsenal Bird Distant Clouds.jpg|''Justice''
Arsenal Bird Stonehenge Wreck.png|''Liberty''{{'}}s wreckage in Hatties Desert
Arsenal Bird Underwing AC7.jpg|''Justice''
Arsenal Bird Propeller 2 AC7.jpg|''Justice''
Arsenal Bird Propeller AC7.jpg|''Justice''
Arsenal Bird Flyby AC7.jpg|''Justice''
Arsenal Bird Body 2 AC7.jpg|''Justice''
Arsenal Bird Body AC7.jpg|''Justice''
Arsenal Bird Shot Down 2.jpg|''Justice'' shot down
Arsenal Bird Shot Down.jpg|''Justice'' shot down
Arsenal Bird Microwave Powered Dome Exposed 2.jpg|''Justice'' with its APS unit exposed
Arsenal Bird Microwave Powered Dome Exposed.jpg|''Justice'' with its APS unit exposed
AC7 Justice Laser Battle.jpg|''Justice'' firing its laser weaponry
Justice Sunrays.jpeg|''Justice'' battles the coalition forces
Liberty over Chopinburg.png|''Liberty'' and its MQ-101s approach Chopinburg
Arsenal Bird Belly with Drones Deployed over Chopinburg.png|''Liberty'' approaches Chopinburg airspace
</gallery>

==Trivia==
*The Arsenal Birds were referred to as "FAS" in 2015 promotions for ''Ace Combat 7''.{{Ref|DualShockersFAS01|[http://www.dualshockers.com/2015/12/05/ps4-exclusive-ace-combat-7-gets-first-awesome-4k-screenshots-and-information/ PS4 Exclusive Ace Combat 7 Gets First Awesome 4K Screenshots and Information]. DualShockers. Published December 5, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2015. The file featuring the FAS has "FAS" in its filename. The "01" is used by other images in the same article, which means there is no secondary "-01" designation.}}{{Ref|FamitsuInterview|[http://www.famitsu.com/news/201512/17095217.html 『エースコンバット7』開発陣インタビュー完全版！　「3つの軸を追求します」]. Famitsu. Published December 17, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2015.}} This name may have been changed to the AAS (Aerial Arsenal Ship) designation in the final game.
*The [[Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown #Strangereal Edition|''Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown'' - Strangereal Edition]] features a 40 cm:500g diecast model of the Arsenal Bird. Using the official 1,100-meter wingspan, this puts the diecast model at 1:2750 scale.{{Refcall|AAW19-082}}
*[[Knocker]] used the nickname "Big Baby Huey" to refer to an Arsenal Bird in [[Two-pronged Strategy]], which is a reference to the cartoon character {{Wp|Baby Huey}}.
*The Arsenal Birds resemble the {{wp|Northrop YB-35}} with its flying-wing design and rear-facing counter-rotating propellers.
**The Arsenal Birds also resemble other fictional aircraft that were based on the YB-35's design, including the airships from {{Wp|Studio Ghibli}}'s ''{{Wp|Howl's Moving Castle (film)|Howl's Moving Castle}}'' and the Rostock heavy bomber from ''{{Wp|The Sky Crawlers}}'' (the latter of which had [[The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces|a prequel game]] developed in part by [[Project Aces]]).
*The Arsenal Bird's also resembles the [[Arkbird]]. Both incorporated similar weapons systems, were developed by [[Osea]], and are capable of launching similar UAVs. They also employ identical resupply methods. The [[SSTO]]s and their supply compartments used for the resupply of both craft are also of similar design, if not the same.
*In order to have unlimited station keeping time, the Arsenal Bird would require some form of self-repair. Historically all aviation endurance records have been limited by mechanical failures.
*The Arsenal Bird's propellers do not {{Wp|Propeller (aeronautics)#Feathering|feather}}, and as such would cause significant control problems during an engine shutdown.

{{Reflist}}
[[ru:Птица-арсенал]]
[[zh:軍械巨鳥]]