Viper (TOS-RH)

This article has a separate continuity. This article is in the Richard Hatch continuation separate continuity, which is related to the Original Series. Be sure that your contributions to this article reflect the characters and events specific to this continuity only.

For the fighter specific to the Original Series, see: Viper (TOS).

The Colonial Viper is the primary space superiority fighter and attack craft deployed by the Colonial military. Capable of both atmospheric and long-range spacial flight, the Viper is a single-pilot craft with two-forward mounted laser-torpedo guns as standard.

In the 18 yahrens since the exodus of Man from the Twelve Colonies of Man, Galactica's numbers varied. In 7342, Galactica carried a compliment of 75 Vipers, whose numbers depleted to less than forty around 7352. In the few yahrens that followed this decline, the Fleet discovers a planet rich in the material resources to not only repair (and retrofit) ships, but also the creation of two new Viper classes to restore Galactica's depleted ranks (RH: Armageddon).

Variants

In both Richard Hatch's novels and the Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming trailer, new variants of the Viper are shown.

• Azure-class Viper: A successor to the Viper seen in the Original Series, and built on Hephaestus. This version is a rebuild of the earlier model of Viper available to Galactica, featuring a new pulsar system with efficient tylium usage, thereby reducing solium leads. More than forty were constructed before resources were allocated to its successor, the Scarlet-class (RH: Armageddon).
• Scarlet-class Viper: A successor to the Azure-class, Galactica began building these class of Vipers 18 yahren after "The Hand of God", circa 7360. The first one is given to Lieutenant Commander Apollo, with a second one slated for Captain Starbuck, who stuck to his older Viper (RH: Armageddon).

Original Series definition: unit of time akin to a "year" (see: Yahren)