Recurring elements in setting of the Ace Combat video game series are fictional Superweapons which consist of aircraft and military installations with extraordinary characteristics and capabilities, possessing either inconceivable armaments or provide tactical combat support to ground and aerial forces.

Arkbird

The Arkbird is a low-orbit aerospace craft depicted in Ace Combat 5 likely has inspirational elements in name and appearance of the mythical giant white Roc bird.

Information

Designed and built by the country of Osea from cuts in the country's defense budget by anti-war President Vincent Harling, the Arkbird was intended as a first step in construction of a joint project to produce an International Space Station with fellow superpower Yuktobania. Many of the components were based on the design of the XB-0 Hresvelgr of the Belkan War.

It is unknown how the Arkbird was built or how they managed to move such a sizable mass into the upper atmosphere without compromising structural integrity, however the Arkbird makes use of advanced engine technology such as stable fueled rocket booster and combined cycle engines which can presumably safely carry the necessary fuels in space for a prolonged period of time.^[1]

The primary function of the Arkbird was to hold Osean and Yuktobanian astronauts who would work on the Space station project as well as receive supplies and construction parts from its sister project the SSTO (Single Stage To Orbit) vehicle and its Mass driver based at Basset Space Center on the south west coast of Osea.

History

Reassignment

After the Belkans provoked outbreak of war between Osea and Yuktobania, President Harling approved the plans to utilise the Arkbird as a superweapon by adding a pinpoint laser (which also may have been based on technology utlizied by Belka See Excalibur similarities from Ace Combat Zero) to its underside where it can target with the aid of a recon plane and AWACS and shoot down conventional cruise and advanced burst missiles from enemy Yuktobanian forces, primarily the Scinfaxi-class submersible aircraft carriers, fired both at itself and the ground below it, thus putting heavy restrictions on the Scinfaxi-class deployment as well as perform pin point strikes on ground targets.

After the laser's successful launch and fitting onto the Arkbird, the weapon is not seen in use until a naval attack by the Yuktobanians on Osea's first line of defense: Sand Island Airbase. During this battle, it becomes known that the fleet is escorted by no less than the Scinfaxi itself, which fires its Long Range Burst Missiles against the Osean fighters. The Arkbird uses its laser to fire a pinpoint shot that destroys the Burst Missile. A second attempt by the Scinfaxi also ends with the vaporisation of the missile. The Yuktobanians are terrified by the beam of light ripping down from orbit, but the Scinfaxi counters by launching multiple warheads. The Arkbird with its single laser, cannot hit all the missiles at once, and many Osean planes are lost. However, after continued fighting, Arkbird locates the Scinfaxi and forces it to surface by firing upon it. With the help of Wardog squadron, the Scinfaxi is obliterated.

Enemies in the shadows

Later, the Arkbird's power generators are destroyed by a sabotaged shipment sent up by the Basset mass driver. This, secretly, is how the Belkans take control of it. The Arkbird is not heard of again for some time, until much later in the game when it is realised (through an intercepted transmission) that the Arkbird is indeed fully operational and about to commence in a nuclear strike upon the Yuktobanian city Ochtabursk. By this time, Razgriz squadron and many of their allies have realized that the Belkans started this war to pit the two countries of Osea and Yuktobania against each other as revenge for their defeat in the Belkan War.

In an effort to prevent a further escalation of the war, the player controlled squadron intercepts the Arkbird after the Osean astronaut aboard the huge spacecraft triggers its flaps to deploy. This slows down the Arkbird and causes it to drop into the lower atmosphere, leaving it vulnerable to attack. The astronaut ejects before he can be captured by the Belkans on board.

It becomes clear that the Belkan saboteurs have further modified the Arkbird, installing another laser atop the vehicle for anti-aircraft defense as well as several launchers for Belkan UAV Vogels and a conventional AA defense. Despite attacks from both laser cannons and the UAVs, the Arkbird cannot destroy the fighters, and uses its low altitude to make a course correction with the intent of detonating its nuclear weapon above Osea followed by the self-destruction of the Arkbird itself causing massive civilian losses.

After its Rocket booster and combined cycle engines are destroyed, the Arkbird once more attempts to get to Osea with its remaining engine. When that engine is also destroyed, the Arkbird plunges into the ocean taking its final weapon with it.

Dragonet Class Submarine

The Dragonet class submarines (ancestors of the Yuktobanian Scinfaxi class submarine in the Playstation 2's Ace Combat 5) were two superweapons in the Playstation game Ace Combat 2. These submarines were huge, and they both carried one Extra Powerful Cruise Missile, just like the one in the Fortress Intolerance, another superweapon in the game. They were used by the Usean Rebel Forces in the war at that time.

Both submarines were armed with machine guns and SAM's (Surface-to-air missile), and one EPCM. The Dragonet 1 was stationed in a submarine base on the south-eastern coast of the Usean/Erusian continent. It had very little to do in the war, as the players character "Scarface 1" destroyed it when he made a secret raid into the base, just as the Dragonet was leaving.

It is not known where the Dragonet 2 was built, possibly in the same submarine base, but as it arrived in the last stages of the war to the city of St. Ark, the city was already under siege of governmental forces. It proceeded to dive into the sea and left quickly to escape to the Fortress Intolerance, located in North Point. Just before it had managed to get on to the surface, it was detected and Scarface 1 was scrambled to the location. After a fierce fight, Scarface manages to hit the submarine fatally. All seems well until the last act of the now sinking sub is to launch its cruise missile at St. Ark, possibly hoping to eliminate any friendly forces left there. Scarface 1 proceeds to catch up with it. It is difficult as Scarface can't lock on to the target with his own missiles, but he manages to destroy the missile with his machine gun. Thus ends the terror of the Dragonet class submarines.

Excalibur

Information

The Excalibur is a fictional chemical laser weapon in Ace Combat Zero located in the Schayne Plains national park, Tauberg in South Belka.

Developed in 1981 by the then, extremely strong Belkan economy as a symbol of power and as a missile defence platform. Although concerns at the location of its construction (a national park) it was discovered that the flora, fauna and wildlife all adapted to the cannon rather ironically making Schayne an area of immense scientific interest for ecological research, not for the technological achievement itself.

Although rarely used before 1995, the facility was well designed and kept up-to-date with the latest technology developed by Anton Kupchenko and the South Belkan Munitions Factory which produced almost all of Belka's potential war power.

Because of the massive levels of power needed to fire the immense weapon, an underground geothermal generator, numerous solar panels and conventional power stations were positioned around the plains. Also built into the cannon were seven large cooling towers, this allowed rapid dumping of waste heat and allowed the cannon to recover to normal firing conditions in under thirty seconds, posing a threat to missiles launched in waves to avoid Excalibur's blast.

History

While admired as a technological marvel, the weapon got its first use against a target in 1994 with the discovery of the 1994XF04 asteroid, however, its inability to destroy it inspired the construction of a newer and up-to-date attack system to be built on the Usean Continent. The reality of such failure did nothing to help the Belkan peoples spirits in its escalating financial crisis.

A year before (and possibly in preparation for) the planetfall of the newly named Ulysses asteroid, Belka declared war on its neighbours, focusing on its ceded territory of Ustio as well as the superpower Osea, both of whom had massive amounts of natural resources the Belkans desperately needed in order to revive their economy.

It was at this time Excalibur was employed once again. Via the use of reflective satellites the cannon was put to extraordinary effect across the entire war from its safe haven in Tauberg. To further the Belkan advantage in the war, the Excalibur employed its pinpoint strike ability to act as an anti-aircraft weapon, used to great effect to obliterate both transport and fighter squadrons alike on the southern battle front. In light of this deadly re-purposing, the allied forces used mercenary fighter squadrons to fly a suicide mission into the impenetrable Schayne Plains in a desperate attempt to halt the Belkan onslaught. To the amazement of allied and Belkan forces alike, this wing of fighters achieved their objective and put an end to a brief but deadly threat.

With the destruction of one of Belka's most treasured landmarks and their most sizeable advantage to date, the entire of the battlefront was left open for the allied forces to strike using the full power of their combined air force and cruise missile resulting in the quick domination of South Belka, its secession from North Belka and finally its unconditional surrender to the allied forces.

Fenrir

The Fenrir is a fictional aircraft from Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception.

Fenrir
Fenrir 'Special 1' color
Type	Multi-Role
Manufacturer	Leasath
Primary users	Leasath Aurelia Air Force

Information

No official specifications can be found on the super aircraft type referred to as "Fenrir". The only information is that which is obtained during combat. The Fenrir was developed with the same fictional Digital Optical Stealth (DOS) Technology utilized by the Gleipnir. Besides DOS, the Fenrir could be equipped with a fictional directed-energy microwave weapon, capable of destroying a target by igniting its fuel tanks. The two main engines have two-dimensional thrust vectoring that control the aircraft's yaw, and the third, central engine is capable of providing vertical thrust to keep the aircraft stable at low altitudes. The Fenrir may be equipped with fictional Microwave Technology, which, working with a ground-based device, creates a slow-moving anomaly (seen as a sparking sphere of energy) that can overheat an aircraft's fuel and cause it to explode. The version of Fenrir that may be flown by the player lacks the DOS or microwave weapon, but may be armed with a pair of Long Range Shock Wave Missiles (LSWM), essentially smaller versions of the Shock Wave Ballistic Missiles (SWBM) mounted on the Gleipnir.

History

The Fenrir, under development ever since the start of the fictional Leasath-Aurelia War, was the reason Leasath invaded Aurelia^[2]. Its funding was massive, and so Leasath invaded Aurelia in order to gain the funds to finance the project through arms sales. Being a highly advanced fighter, the Fenrir employed most of the technologies tested on the Gleipnir, mainly its optical camouflage and ability to launch SWBMs. When Griswall was liberated by Gryphus One and Aurelian forces, Leasath commander Diego Gaspar Navarro fled to the Sentry Islands, an island chain in Leasath territory and the location of Archelon Fortress. The fortress was the location of the production facility of the Fenrir. By this time, the Fenrir was complete, but had yet to be exported. Only about 10 working models were produced by that time.^[3] Disturbed by the mysterious loss of a reconnaissance flight, Aurelian forces assaulted the area. Depending on the players actions, the Fenrir may have been fitted with a microwave weapon. When fired, a pink fireball tracks the target and ignites its fuel tanks. Its weakness is that it can not track an aircraft traveling over 700 miles per hour. In an alternate scenario (in which the HPM is not fitted), the Leasath elite Alect Squadron reaches Archelon Fortress is are given control of four Fenrir aircraft.^[4] Despite their capabilities, the squadron is unable to defeat Gryphus One and is destroyed along with Archelon Fortress. All working operational Fenrir models are destroyed with the fortress, except for one in the possession of the Aurelian military.

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: 1 (Pilot)
• Length: Unknown (Unknown)
• Wingspan: Unknown (Unknown)
• Height: Unknown (Unknown)
• Empty weight: Unknown (Unknown)
• Powerplant: 3× afterburning turbofans

Performance

• Maximum speed: 1,700 knots (3,148 km/h)
• Range: Unknown (Unknown)

Armament

• Guns: 2× Gatling Gun
• Missiles: 2× AA-8 'Aphid', 2× LSWM, 4× AS-14 Kedge, 4× AIM-120 AMRAAM

Trivia

• In Norse mythology, Fenrir is wolf, the son of Loki. Odin's son, Vioarr, slays Fenrir in battle. One of the medals in the game is The Mark of Vioarr.

Gleipnir

The Gleipnir (IPA: [gleɪpnɪəɹ]), in the video game Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception, is the first encountered superweapon of the Democratic Republic of Leasath, which developed it as a first-strike bomber. It is armed with the Shock-Wave Ballistic Missile (SWBM), a devastating weapon against aircraft, and a Shock Cannon for use against ground forces. It is also defended by conventional ordnance.

History

The Gleipnir's development is shrouded in secrecy, and how the project was funded was also kept secret for a while. However, it was in no way inconspicuous as it had appeared on the battlefield and dealt devastating attacks on Aurelian Forces.

In one instance, the Gleipnir had attacked Aurelian Forces during a Bombing Mission, which resulted in the defeat of the Aurelian Air Force. The Gleipnir decloaked, launched an SWBM and quickly re-cloaked in a few seconds. This attack had resulted in the loss of nearly all Aurelian fighters in the area,including the members of the Gryphus Squadron,save for Gryphus 1 and a heavily damaged wingman.

The Gleipnir then relocated to Terminus Island and began to attack Aurelian Ground Forces, which were advancing towards their allies in northern Aureila, with their SWBMs. Gryphus 1 and an Allied Squadron were dispatched along side the 1st and 2nd Aureilan Fleets, in an attempt to track down and destroy the Gleipnir. The 3rd Fleet was unexpectedly destroyed by the Gleipnir after using its Shock Cannon above the fleet itself. Gryphus 1 engaged the Gleipnir on sight, but due to its Cloaking Technology, had to engage it multiple times. Eventually its Cloaking capabilities were heavily damaged and became inoperational. The Gleipnir now turned its SWBMs onto the Aurelian Aircraft. Gryphus 1 attacked once more and disabled the Gleipnir's SWBM launchers. The Gleipnir climbed to escape the area and managed to get away, despite immense damage.

Gleipnir landed in Santa Elva and began to commence repairs. However, the Gryphus Squadron was launched when its position was confirmed. The Gleipnir was emergency launched upon the arrival of Aurelian Forces, despite repairs being incomplete. With Digital Optical Stealth off-line and the SWBM still inoperable, it engaged the Aurelian Fighters with conventional weaponry.

Gryphus 1 stripped it of its defenses and began to attack its engines. The captain of the Gleipnir urged the crew to use the Shock Cannon against the fighters, though it was intended for ground-attack. However, due to battle damage and the repairs not being finished, it was decided that using the cannon would only damage Gleipnir even more. The captain disregarded that and took the controls of the Gleipnir and unexpectedly, rolled it onto its back in an amazing show of its flyability. As the Gleipnir flew upside down it fired the Shock Cannon in desperation, multiple times.

Gryphus 1 evaded its attacks and finished off the Gleipnir, once and for all. Gleipnir crashed into a river near Santa Elva and exploded after travelling a distance downstream.

Another scenario that may appear in Ace Combat X under different mission circumstances is fighting a fully-powered Gleipnir over Santa Elva. After the aircraft was de-cloaked by Gryphus One and its SWBM destroyed, the captain again commandeered Gleipnir and steered the aircraft towards Santa Elva whilst powering up the Shock Cannon, with intent to destroy the city. Gryphus One destroyed the Shock Cannon before Gleipnir could unleash the cannon.Finally,the Gleipnir's captain tried to kamikaze into Santa Elva but fortunately,it overshot and crashed into the river.

Information

Gleipnir's main weapon in the game is the "Shock Wave Ballistic Missile". This SWBM is basically a ballistic missile which uses Sonic Booms with extremely destructive effect. Along with this weapon, it has a downward-facing cannon, called the "Shock Cannon". The Shock Cannon can be considered a defensive weapon for the Gleipnir, since it can only reach the ground. In summary, Gleipnir is a first strike weapon, intended for mass destruction.

Fortress Intolerance

The Intolerance was a fortification in the Playstation game Ace Combat 2, built in North Point. It was used by the Usean Rebel Forces in the war at that time. After both of their Extra Powerful Cruise Missile carrying submarines, the Dragonet 1 & 2, were destroyed, the rebels had still one EPCM left in the Intolerance. This is why it is often counted as a superweapon along with both of the giant submarines. After the battle at St. Ark, the rebel forces retreated to the fortress.

The fortress bears a strong resemblance to Megalith, a superweapon in Ace Combat 4. In fact, Megalith is on the island that you start AC2 in, while Intolerance is at North Point, where you begin AC4. The fortress has two power plants guarded by SAM's(Surface-to-air missile) and tanks, while around the main hill the Intolerance is built on are more SAM's, small forts and a small runway. The fortress has an extreme arsenal of F-15's in stock, and also has the Z.O.E. General, a pilot ace, flying in a common super plane in the AC series, the ADF-01. Inside the fortress itself is of course the gigantic cruise missile readying for launch. The players character in the game, "Scarface 1", is sent to destroy the Intolerance. After clearing out the tanks around the power plants, friendly forces are able to open a heat vent door in the Intolerance, which has just enough room for Scarface 1 to fly in and blow up the missile. After this is done, all the enemy forces are eliminated by a chain reaction of explosions

Megalith

Megalith is a superweapon in the fictional universe of the PlayStation 2 video game, Ace Combat 04.

Description

Megalith is a massive missile silo facility with the primary purpose of housing missiles designed to destroy asteroid fragments and alter the orbit of larger Near-Earth Objects (NEO). Given this, it was meant to be a secondary solution against NEOs or perhaps at some point replace Stonehenge. Megalith houses about 10 separate silos for launching smaller missiles, four larger silos, and a very large silo in the main complex for a single large scale missile (possibly a MIRV). There also appears to be six lasers, either for anti-meteor defense or tracking. Development of the facility took place before the Usea continental war and was functional by the war's end. Megalith was built upon an island to the south of Farbanti. Because it has the ability to launch missiles, its range surpassed that of Stonehenge, so much so that it not only covered the entire Usea continent, but the range easily went beyond North Point.

By October 2005 (In the Ace Combat timeline), it was commandeered by rogue officers from Erusea. In the in-game tactical map, Megalith is seen having a range greatly surpassing that of Stonehenge, clearing the entire Usea continent as well as North Point. Although unclear, a simulation was shown displaying impacting objects and their radius of damage. Either this was to show what would happen if Megalith did not shoot down any NEOs or if it altered the path of NEOs. One impact strikes Los Canas directly.

Megalith's only defense is the structure itself and three five-aircraft flights of Su-37s from Yellow Squadron. A key weakness of the structure was that its main power generators were exposed due to port tunnels. While small, it was large enough for any skilled fighter pilot to navigate through.

History

After the invasion of the Usea mainland, ISAF discovered Megalith, from a recon mission from a U2 spy plane during the 13th mission in the game. It is mentioned occasionally in the game after that, mostly to tell the player that ISAF wants to end the war before Megalith is completed. Its development continued, and ISAF was too late to reach its goal. When Erusea officially surrendered, a group of rogue officers commandeered Megalith, making it an immediate threat. Mobius sqadron and an ISAF ground unit were tasked with destroying the facility. Although the structure had no direct defense against aircraft, three five-aircraft flights of Su-37s from Yellow Squadron were deployed to defend it. The legendary Mobius One assisted the ground unit's infiltration and destroyed the facility's most powerful missile while it was being readied for launch, resulting in the destruction of Megalith.

Trivia

• A "Megalith" is a large stone, such as those used to build Stonehenge.

Meson Cannon

The Meson Cannon is a supergun battery depicted in Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception consisting of eight meson particle beam turrets.

Description

The Meson Cannon, built to defend the Aurelian capital, Griswall, consists of a battery of 8 turrets mounted on high towers. Depending on the players actions beforehand, the cannons may be fitted with the M.B.S.R (Meson Beam Stabilizing Regulator), changing the firing pattern to a concentrated beam that does major damage (although the Cannons cannot track anything going faster than 600 miles per-hour). If the player prevents delivery of the M.B.S.R, the Meson Cannon will fire rapid shots of energy. The Meson Cannon is protected by several Anti-Air sites, several YF-23A fighters and tanks. The Atmos Ring, upon which the Meson Cannon is built, completely isolates downtown Griswall from the rest of the city, preventing ground forces from entering. This is also to protect Gaiuss Tower, which is located in Downtown and is the central command of the Democratic Republic of Leasath.

History

Diego Gaspar Navarro, commanding officer of Leasath forces in Aurelia, used the Gaiuss Tower as his base of command but later fled from the Gaiuss Tower when Gryphus Squadron, led by Gryphus 1, single-handedly destroyed the Meson Cannon and all enemy forces in the area.

Satellite Orbital Linear Gun

The SOLG (Strategic Orbital Linear Gun) is a fictional superweapon created for the video game Ace Combat 5 for the Playstation 2 by Namco.

The Belkan War

Built by the huge superpower of Osea sometime during the Belkan war^[5] as a military attack satellite, although capable of launching conventional and nuclear warheads, it was specifically designed to launch hi-tech MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle) missiles.

Despite complex technology employed in the SOLG it is completely unmanned: its four pronged struts providing stability in orbit, its main length made up of a magnetically accelerated rail gun and six lines of three solar panels each providing power to its magnets. Instead the SOLG is operated by a control centre on Earth where all SOLG functions are based.

Due to the huge size of the project (it is approximately the same mass as the Arkbird however would have to have been built in orbit rather than on the ground, and is still even bigger in length than the Arkbird) it was never completed to see the end of the war, instead after the close of the Belkan War it was left in orbit half completed until the International Space Station project made plans to convert the fearful weapon into the start of the station itself.

The SOLG is unique in that it is the only unmanned permanent satellite that can receive SSTO shipments, the only other craft being the manned manuverable orbiting spacecraft, the Arkbird that occasionally must dive into the atmosphere to make use of friction for course correction.

Circum-Pacific War

Although the SOLG never saw operational use against Belka, in an ironic turn of events after covertly provoking full-scale war between Osea and Yuktobania, Belka under North Osea Gründer Industries (secretly a Belkan loyalist organisation), gained full access to the SOLG and established a command centre inside a secret tunnel which would have been used to transport troops secretly through the mountain range between Belka and Osea to reunite Belka with what it considers the stolen lands of South Belka (named North Osea)^[6].

From the SOLG, which was completed by Belka by using the Osean Mass driver and SSTO (Single Stage to Orbit) from Basset Space Centre^[7], the Belkans planned to launch a V2 MIRV missile, which was also secretly completed, at either Osea or Yuktobania, or eventually both, destroying almost all civilian and military centres in both countries and bringing about Belka's total victory.

After this information is intercepted by Yuktobanian agent known as 'Major' the newly formed allies of Osea and Yuktobania, spearheaded politically by President Vincent Harling and Prime Minister Seryozha Viktrovich Nikanor and led by the legendary Razgriz squadron, launched an attack on Sudentor where the command centre was successfully captured and destroyed by allied forces.

In a final act of defiance, Belka had programmed the SOLG in the event of loss of its data stream before launch of the V2 missile to drop into downtown Oured, the capital of Osea. Although guarded by Belkan aggressors Grabacr and Ofnir, Osea's blueprints of the SOLG from the war allowed an exploitable point to be found and destroyed by the Razgriz pilots, causing the SOLG to lose structural integrity and break apart in orbit. It would see as it was torn apart when a volatile section (possibly the missile itself) was detonated, causing a spectacular explosion and meteor shower over Oured bay.

MIRV missile

Although a fearsome weapon in its own right, the SOLG's purpose was to launch an experimental and presumably top-secret MIRV missile. Although called a missile, the MIRV would have been unlikely to have a propulsion device, as it would have been outside the atmosphere at launch. Using its ultra high altitude, the MIRV would break apart in mid flight and release seven individual targetable nuclear warheads. These warheads would then have dropped in selected areas, causing massive and instantaneous damage upon the country targeted. Although the MIRV design was created by Osea to be used against Belka, the Circum-Pacific war caused the design to fall into their own hands, where it was completed and built with materials it already was in possession of (Belka had been capable of and had indeed used nuclear weapons before) and was named V2.

Scinfaxi and Hrimfaxi

Scinfaxi (IPA: [sɪnfæksɪ]) and Hrimfaxi (IPA: [ɹɪmfæksɪ]) are the names of a pair of fictional gigantic Yuktobanian submarine aircraft carriers in the video game Ace Combat 5. They are named after the Norse mythology characters Skínfaxi and Hrímfaxi. It is nuclear powered and can remain submerged for long periods of time. It is armed with burst missiles that are able to destroy anything below an altitude of five thousand feet. As well, the Scinfaxi carries F-35 and Harrier aircraft, while the Hrimfaxi is equipped with UCAV drones she can launch while submerged from a vertical launch system.

History

Scinfaxi

In the game Ace Combat 5, Scinfaxi was first used to destroy two Osean aircraft carriers (the Buzzard and Vulture).^[8] In a battle on October 10, 2010, the Yuktobanians also deployed the Scinfaxi to help the invasion of Sand Island. Most of its missile attacks during this battle were shot down by the orbiting laser satellite Arkbird, rendering the Scinfaxi less effective. However, it was still able to bring down many "nuggets", or trainee pilots, using its burst missiles. At the end of the battle, the Wardog squadron, with the help of the Arkbird, was able to take out the submarine.^[9]

Hrimfaxi

The Hrimfaxi was later deployed in the North Sea at the Razgriz Straits. Its task was to drive back the Osean forces advancing on Cinigrad. However, it was sunk within 3 days of its deployment by the Wardog squadron. This victory against some seemingly invincible enemies served to bolster even more the Wardog squadron's fame and thus people started to associate them with the legend of famous demon which names the Razgriz straits.^[10]

Stonehenge

Stonehenge (also known as Stonehenge Turret Network) is depicted in Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies. Stonehenge is named and designed (the formation of the cannons) after the actual Stonehenge. This supergun battery also deals with astronomy related fields, and it is believed that site of Stonehenge is related to astrological cycles.

Description

Stonehenge is an array of eight massive Rail Cannons in a circular formation, though one of them was disabled from a meteor impact. Its primary function is to locate, track, and destroy or alter the orbit of Near-Earth Objects before they become a threat in order to safeguard those of the Usea continent. Its ground range is incredible, covering at least 600 miles ^[11]

Before the conflict in Usea, the Erusians, who had possession of the weapon, discovered another use for Stonehenge: anti-air artillery. The warheads it used could reach any target within its range within minutes, rendering all flight dangerous. During the war, Stonehenge was heavily fortified against aerial attacks. Including the seven functional rail cannons, several SAM sites and AA guns were deployed per cannon, along with a central radar jammer to prevent the locking-on of any rail cannon. Any aircraft that somehow managed to bypass all these defenses would be faced by Yellow Squadron.

Despite the many advantages Stonehenge had against aircraft, there were two major flaws. It could not hit targets that were below 2000 feet because of Terrain Masking. The second was that Stonehenge's targeting system was designed for NEO's, objects with predictable paths.

History

The asteroid codenamed Ulysses 1994 XF-04 and its accompanying meteor shower prompted the Erusian government to develop Stonehenge. Although originally intended to clear the skies of the meteor plagued Usea continent, the militant state found its use as an anti-air artillery weapon. Given the range, covering roughly 80% of the Usea continent, and effectiveness of Stonehenge as such a weapon, Erusea conquered the skies over Usea with ease. With air superiority given to the Erusians, they quickly conquered much of the Usea mainland against which what used to belong to the Independent State Allied Forces (ISAF). This offensive pushed ISAF back to North Point. Because of the fortifications Erusea fitted around Stonehenge, most long range conventional weapons were useless.

ISAF quickly responded with several strategic air strikes that were out of Stonehenge's range, including several key victories such as the sinking of Erusea's Aegir Fleet. ISAF's first encounter of Stonehenge's power during the war was the assault of an Erusian solar power plant. Although a key victory, ISAF HQ had not predicted that Erusea would use Stonehenge, even though the power plant was within its range. When Erusea used Stonehenge to make a counterstrike on the ISAF pilots, ISAF HQ ordered all pilot to decend below 2000 feet. The power plant however, was located on a plateau well above 2000 feet and most of the "safe zones" were valleys that were extremely difficult to navigate through. As a result, many pilots died either from the attack, or because they could not maneuver through the valleys. Although ISAF used fighters to assault the Tango Line, a defensive stronghold within Stonehenge's range, the terrain detail allowed a higher survivability rate as there were many open areas that offered elevations below 2000 feet.

Even though the central ground offensive was still far from Stonehenge, ISAF wanted it taken down as soon as possible. Taking advantage of Stonehenge's targeting system flaw, ISAF sent small groups of fighter pilots to fly unpredictable paths and then form up once near the site. The strategy worked and although there was a relatively high casualty rate due to the defensive weaponry deployed, the mission was a success. In a swift response, Erusea sent Yellow Squadron, their best fighter pilot squadron, to launch a counter attack on the ISAF pilots. The plan backfired, as Yellow 4 of Yellow Squadron was shot down by Mobius One. This resulted in a double victory for ISAF, since none of the fighter pilots had yet shot down anyone from Yellow Squadron.

References

1. ^ After the Arkird was launched it only uses its main engines once in the mission White Bird Part II
2. ^ Namco. Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception. Namco. Playstation Portable. Level/area: Scene 5 (in English). 2006-10-24.
3. ^ Namco. Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception. Namco. Playstation Portable. Level/area: 10B (in English). 2006-10-24.
4. ^ Namco. Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception. Namco. Playstation Portable. Level/area: 10A (in English). 2006-10-24.
5. ^ See AC5 cut scene Sea of Chaos ... your country began building during the war fifteen years ago, then abandoned in the peace that followed
6. ^ See AC5 Mission 27:Aces briefing Their ultimate goal is to reunite the two Belkas
7. ^ See AC5 cutscene Sea of chaos: Now even after the Arkbird was destroyed, the space centre's mass driver is still sending supplies into orbit
8. ^ Namco. Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War. Namco. Playstation 2. Level/area: Mission 5 (in English). 2004-10-24.
9. ^ Namco. Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War. Namco. Playstation 2. Level/area: Mission 7 (in English). 2004-10-24.
10. ^ Namco. Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War. Namco. Playstation 2. Level/area: Mission 13 (in English). 2004-10-24.
11. ^ "They're picking us off from over 600 miles away." -ISAF pilot during a Stonehenge attack after an air raid on an Erusian solar power plant

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