Editing Stuka

{{InfoBoxASF
| image = [[Image:Stuka_3025.jpg|191px]]
| name = ''Stuka''
| manufacturer = [[Lycomb-Davion IntroTech|Lycomb IntroTechnologies, Inc.]]
| model = STU-K5
| Class = Heavy aerospace fighter
| Tech Base = [[Inner Sphere]]
| Cost = 6,156,000 [[C-bill]]s
| production year = 2530
| year reference = <ref>''[http://www.masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/3110/stuka-stu-k5 MUL online date for the ''{{PAGENAME}}'']''</ref>
| mass = 100 tons
| structural integrity = 10
| frame = [[Lycomb 11]]
| power plant = [[GM 300ATF]]
| armor = [[AeroScale Plus]]
| Fuel = 400 - 5 tons
| armament = 
* 4x [[Large laser]]s
* 3x [[Medium laser]]s
* 1x [[LRM-20]]
* 1x [[SRM-4]]
| communications system = [[O/P 9000AT]]
| tracking & targeting system = [[O/P 2500TGFD]]
| heat sinks = 30 [[single heat sink]]s
| BV (1.0) = 1,537<ref>''Record Sheets: 3039'', p. 303</ref><ref>''AeroTech 2 Record Sheets'', p. 183</ref>
| BV (2.0) = 1,794
}}

==Description==
First designed in [[2530]] for the [[Star League Defense Force]], the '''''Stuka''''' is meant for prolonged battle, boasting 30 [[single heat sink]]s that allow it to stay in the fight longer. Though somewhat outgunned by some medium fighters, it has 15 tons of armoring which gives it superior protection, and its [[Monitor 200]] guidance system gives it the maneuverability of a medium fighter. Mostly used by [[Federated Suns]] forces thanks to their monopoly on its construction, the ''Stukas'' have proven a thorn in the side of [[House Kurita]] forces on many occasions.

[[Lycomb-Davion IntroTech]] originally manufactured the ''Stuka'' from their facilities on [[Demeter]]<ref name="HD(TFS)p152">''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 152: "Lycomb-Davion IntroTech"</ref><ref name="FR2765:FSp11">''Field Report 2765: AFFS'', p. 11: "Arcadian Cuirassiers"</ref> along with a number of other designs. In [[2795]] the [[Capellan Confederation]] destroyed the Demeter facilities in an attempt to deny the [[Armed Forces of the Federated Suns]] supplies of ''Stukas''. While the [[Capellan Confederation Armed Forces]] strike was successful, the Confederation was unaware their overall goal wasn't met as Lycomb-Davion IntroTech were constructing a second manufacturing facility on [[New Avalon]] that was well on its way to being complete.<ref name="HD(TFS)p152"/>

Because of similarities in its design, the ''Stuka'' has on occasion been mistaken for a ''[[Lightning (Aerospace Fighter class)|Lightning]]'', a mistake which has often proven deadly.

==Weapons and Equipment==
The STU-K5 ''Stuka'' carries a mix of weaponry, a [[Simpson]] [[LRM-20]] rack, [[Holly]] [[SRM-4]], and a [[Medium_laser#Martell|Martell]] [[medium laser]] rounding out the payload in the nose. The wings mount two [[Exostar (large lasers)|Exostar]] [[large laser]]s each, and two medium lasers face to the rear.

==Variants==
*; STU-D6 : A variant created by the newly created [[Federated Commonwealth]], which introduces recovered [[Star League]] technology into the design. Based on the K5, the fighter's weaponry gets an additional two [[LRM-20]]s on each wing, with two tons of ammunition. The nose launcher is replaced by a pair of [[SRM-6]]s with four tons of ammo. The fighter's engine is replaced with an [[XL engine|XL model]] and it drops 10 of its [[single heat sink]]s to upgrade the remaining ones to [[Double Heat Sink|double strength]]. BV (1.0) = 1,838<ref>''Record Sheets: 3039'', p. 299</ref><ref>''AeroTech 2 Record Sheets'', p. 184</ref>

*; STU-D7 : This variant introduces technology that was conceived at the [[FedCom Civil War]]. Using the D6 as base design, the two [[LRM-20]] launchers are replaced with [[RAC/5]]s with two tons of ammunition. The [[large laser]]s are completely replaced with nine [[ER medium laser]]s, three placed in each of the wings, one mounted in the nose with the [[LRM-20]] and two [[SRM-6]]s, and two facing aft. All of the D7's launchers have been enhanced fitted with a [[Artemis IV]] guidance systems, and ship boasts 21 [[double heat sink]]s to counter the massive heat the weapons produce. BV (2.0) = 2092<ref>''Record Sheets: 3039'', p. 300</ref>

*; STU-K5b : This variant replaces the [[large laser]]s with a pair of [[ER PPC]]s in each wing. Except for the pair of [[medium laser]]s covering the rear, the other weapons are replaced with a nose-mounted [[AC/20]] and medium laser to deal with enemies who came in close. Three tons of autocannon ammunition kept this version in the fight for a long time before it needed to return to base to reload. To keep heat levels manageable, the [[Heat Sink|single heat sink]]s were upgraded to [[double heat sink|double strength models]]. BV (2.0) = 2,190<ref>''Record Sheets: Operation Klondike'', p. 90</ref><ref name=HOKp161>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 161</ref>

*; STU-K10 : This variant replaced the three [[medium laser]]s with two extra [[single heat sink]]s and four [[Small_Laser#ExoStar|Exostar]] [[small laser]]s, and is mostly seen in the [[Draconis March]] Militia. BV (1.0) = 1,565,<ref>''Record Sheets: 3039'', p. 301</ref><ref>''AeroTech 2 Record Sheets'', p. 185</ref> BV (2.0) = 1,767

*; STU-K15 : This variant, which only saw limited production, reduced the armor by three tons and added six [[small laser]]s. BV (1.0) = 1,403,<ref>''Record Sheets: 3039'', p. 302</ref><ref>''AeroTech 2 Record Sheets'', p. 186</ref> BV (2.0) = 1,683

==Notes==
* Author [[Blaine Lee Pardoe]] stated in a [https://web.archive.org/web/20221102192457/https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/16/out-of-the-archives-the-battlemechs-i-wrote-about-or-designed/ blog entry] that, according to his memory which he admitted could be wrong, the ''Stuka'' was among the aerospace fighters for which he invented the name and wrote the original background as initially published in TRO:3025, after being given only its art and game stats to work with for the TRO entry. He noted there was some pushback about the name which references an infamous [[w:Junkers Ju 87|German warplane from the Second World War]], but that it was eventually cleared.

* The sourcebook ''[[Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3]]'' includes [[Random Assignment Table]]s for the [[Escorpión Imperio]] which contain the 100-ton "Thunderbird Strike Fighter"; stats for this unit would supposedly be published in ''XTRO: Deep Periphery''. However, ''XTRO: Deep Periphery'' was canceled and former [[BattleTech Line Developer]] [[Herbert A. Beas II]] stated that the "Thunderbird Strike Fighter" should be exchanged for the STU-K5 ''Stuka'' in the RAT. (See [[Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3#Notes|''IEISP3'' Notes section]] for further references.)

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Stuka_3025.jpg|Original STU-K5 ''Stuka'' from ''[[Technical Readout: 3025|TRO:3025]]''
File:Stuka HH3025.png|STU-5K ''Stuka'' from ''[[Technical_Readout:_3025#German_Edition|Hardware-Handbuch 3025]]''
File:Stuka TRO3025Revised.png|STU-K5 ''Stuka'' from ''[[Technical Readout: 3025 Revised|TRO:3025 Revised]]''
File:Davion_Lightning_(MW1e).jpg|[[AFFS]] ''Stuka'' from ''[[MechWarrior: The BattleTech Role Playing Game|MechWarrior]]''
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
<div class="desktop-3-col">
* ''[[AeroTech 2 Record Sheets]]''
* ''[[Combat Operations]]''
* ''[[Field Report 2765: AFFS]]''
* ''[[House Davion (The Federated Suns)]]''
* ''[[Master Unit List: Battle Values]]''
* ''[[Record Sheets: 3039]]''
* ''[[Record Sheets: Operation Klondike]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3025]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3025 Revised]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3039]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3057]]''
</div>


[[Category:Aerospace Fighter classes]]
[[Category:Heavy Aerospace Fighter classes]]
[[Category:Federated Suns Aerospace Fighters]]