Nieuport-Saulnier Rapace

Nicknamed La Fusée (the rocket).

Armament


The Rapace is equipped with a single 30mm DEFA 530 cannon firing from under the port side air intake, fed by a linkless feed system with 130 rounds.

Primary armament consists of two wingtip rails for air to air missiles, and four underwing hardpoints for various stores, and two recessed hardpoints on the fuselage for R5 air to air missiles. In addition there is a single centreline hardpoint for an external fuel tank that precludes use of the recessed fuselage hardpoints. The two inner wing pylons are plumbed for 1200L drop tanks or may carry multiple ejector racks for various ordinance. The C2 model introduced stores racks for the inner wing pylons for the 1200L drop tank that also provided two rails for air to air missiles. The outer wing pylons are not plumbed but may carry lighter ordnance on multiple ejector racks as well.

The Rapace is capable of carrying an air defense load of ten MICA air to air missiles, two R5 air to air missiles, and two 1200L drop tanks.

Rapace V
Rapace V is a vertical takeoff and landing development of the standard fighter. Includes a 3-bearing nozzle on the main engine to direct thrust downward, as well as a shaft powered lift fan behind the cockpit, and a bleed air reaction control system. The main gun is deleted as well as some fuel capacity, and the internal weapons bay is reduced in depth to 30cm instead of the full 60cm. There is no two-seat version if the Rapace V.

Variants

 * Rapace C - Chasse. Primary naval fighter variant in Chezzetcook service.
 * Rapace B - Biplace. Two-seat trainer based on C variant. Lacks internal gun and has reduced fuel, otherwise fully combat capable.
 * Rapace A - Export fighter based on Rapace C1. Lacks some navalization such as arrestor hook and landing aids, fitted with Cyrano IV pulse-doppler radar, lacking some sensitive avionics.
 * Rapace D - Export trainer based on Rapace A. As with Rapace B lacks internal gun and some fuel to allow second seat.
 * Rapace E - Export fighter based on Rapace C2 with greater ground attack functionality. True multirole fighter. Lacks carrier capability as with Rapace A.
 * Rapace M - Export multirole fighter based on Rapace C3 retaining carrier capability.
 * Rapace V - Vertical Take Off and Landing variant.

Current
 Chezzetcook
 * L'Aéronavale