Raptor

Raptor
Race:	Colonial
Type:	Military
FTL:	Yes (short range)
Propulsion:
Crew:	2 (Pilot and ECO)
Capacity:	Approximately 5-10 passengers
CO:	{{{co}}}
XO:	{{{xo}}}
Role:	Reconnaissance and surveillance, electronic countermeasures support, transport
Weapons:	Missiles and bombs (special missions only); normally unarmed
Armaments:	{{{arm}}}
Defenses:	{{{def}}}
Aircraft:	{{{aircraft}}}
Aviation facilities:	{{{facilities}}}
Fate:	{{{status}}}
Emblem:	[[Image:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]]
Other Images:	Gallery
Dimensions
Length:	28 feet (8.6m)
Width:	{{{width}}}
Height:	9.5 feet (2.9m)
Weight:	50 tons (Miniseries)
Wingspan:	18.34 feet (5.6m)
Other:	{{{otherdi}}}
Game Information
Cost:	{{{construction}}}
Construction Time:	{{{construction}}}
Hull Size:	{{{hull size}}}
Hull:	{{{hull}}}
Mobility
FTL Cooldown:	{{{ftl cooldown}}} turns
Speed:	{{{speed}}} m/s
Turn Rate:	{{{turn rate}}}°/turn
Armor Sum
Armor Total:	{{{armor total}}}
Armor Left:	{{{armor left}}}
Armor Right:	{{{armor right}}}
Armor Front:	{{{armor front}}}
Armor Rear:	{{{armor rear}}}
Armor Top:	{{{armor top}}}
Armor Bottom:	{{{armor bottom}}}
Armament
DRADIS Range:	{{{dradis range}}} m
Processing Power:	{{{processing power}}}
Munition Slots:	{{{munitions}}}
Munition Cooldown Period:	{{{munition cooldown}}} turns
Squadron Slots:	{{{squadrons}}}
Squadron Size:	{{{squadron size}}}
Special Abilities:	{{{special abilities}}}
Additional Information

Overview

The Raptor is a multi-role vehicle used by the Colonial Fleet. It is generally operated by a crew of two (one pilot, one ECO), is capable of atmospheric flight and is also equipped with a short-range Jump engine, allowing it to make short faster-than-light hops.

The Raptor is designed to fulfill a number of roles, the primary being that of reconnaissance / scout operations. Additionally, the Raptor can also undertake the following roles:

• Airborne warning & control and electronic countermeasures platform supporting Viper operations (Miniseries, "33")
• Marine assault craft ("Bastille Day," "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II," "Pegasus")
• Ambulance / evac vehicle (Miniseries)
• General purpose transport ("Flesh and Bone," "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down," "Home, Part II")
• Combat Search and Rescue("Fragged," "Resurrection Ship, Part II")

As an ECM platform, the Raptor contains a full suite of electronic countermeasure and monitoring tools, enabling it to:

• Jam wireless or relay transmissions (by wireless or optically) from other spacecraft (Miniseries, "33")
• Scramble control signals used by guided weapons (Miniseries)
• Undertake IFF operations for Viper squadrons (Miniseries)

In the role of a scout, Raptors can operate independently of, or in concert with, other Raptors and Vipers (The Hand of God). As a scout, Raptors can:

• Undertake short and medium-range scans to detect electromagnetic, heat or other signatures from other vessels
• Scan planetary surfaces for signs of life, energy output, or to assess mineral or other content / location ("Water," "The Hand of God")
• Scout ahead of its parent warship in other planetary or celestial systems for any signs of hostile intent or stellar conditions prior to the parent ship's arrival (Miniseries)
• Undertake search & rescue operations after an engagement with Cylon forces.

As a transport vehicle, a Raptor is capable of carrying around eight to ten adults in addition to the two-person crew. As a marine assault vehicle, it can carry a squad of some eight marines plus their equipment (Bastille Day).

Due to its size and shape, Raptors aren't launched from a battlestar's launch tube. Raptors launch from the forward end of a flight pod.

Typically, a battlestar operates with a single squadron of eight to ten Raptors: one Raptor assigned to each operational Viper squadron aboard the battlestar, and potentially two "reserve" Raptors.^{[citation needed]}

Atmospheric Operations

The Raptor is designed for atmospheric as well as space-based operations. However, a critical element to atmospheric operations is that to remain airborne is fuel: once in an atmosphere, the engines must be run constantly to retain lift surfaces. Depending on the composition of the atmosphere itself, this can place severe strain on the Raptor's engines (You Can't Go Home Again).

Due to their overall configuration and bulk, Raptors may also suffer from poor handling at low speeds, and rely heavily on directed thrust to remain airborne.

FTL Operations

A Raptor seems to be able to make at least ten, and probably at least 20 FTL Jumps before refueling as seen in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I." However, these Raptors have been carrying more than a typical amount of fuel for that mission.

Life Support

The main flight deck / cabin of a Raptor is fully pressurized. However, crews operate in flight suits and helmets to help protect them against any hull breach (Miniseries). The cabin can also be depressurized and used in space rescue operations (You Can't Go Home Again).

Technical Specifications

Colonial Raptor ©Universal (credit: Zoic Studios)

Propulsion

• 2x sublight engines mounted aft
• 1x small-scale FTL system
• RCS points

Armament

Offensive:

Raptors are normally unarmed as they make for a poor general-purpose fighter. The craft can be equipped with bombs (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II) or missiles similar to those used on Vipers (Fragged).

Defensive:

The Raptor's contours provide it a reduced DRADIS signature to avoid detection. In addition, the craft carry an assortment of pods to aid in communications or defense.

• Up to 6 decoy drones
• Up to 4 communication drones
• Up to 4 sets of flares
• Up to 4 chaff pods

Layout

The Raptor is a boxey vehicle built for purpose, not style. The forward section of the vehicle contains the flight cabin, with side-by-side seats for the pilot and ECO (who occupies the rear section of the vehicle during normal operations). This opens into the main body of the vehicle, which contains bulkhead-mounted racks of electronics equipment and sensors. A large canopy provides good forward and side visibility for the crew, which is no doubt of considerable benefit during atmospheric flight. A section of this canopy can be jettisoned in an emergency, to allow the crew to eject using the flight deck seats.^{[citation needed]}

A large hydraulic door mounted on the port side of the vehicle provides general ingress and egress to the vehicle. In addition, a floor-mounted hatchway provides a further point of egress. The central door is linked to a pressurized docking skirt that can be extended from the underside of a Raptor, enabling it to dock to the hulls of other vessels. In the case of an assault, marines can use the skirt to breech a hull and board a hostile vessel (Bastille Day).

Aft of the pressurized area are the FTL engine and main sublight engines. Winglets on either side of the hull help to give stability during atmospheric manoeuvers. RCS thrusters are placed throughout the craft for landing, manoeuvering and stabilization (Miniseries).

Notes

• Commonly seen Raptor pilots include Lt. Sharon "Boomer" Valerii and Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson (who also serves as an ECO).
• Boomer blames a malfunctioning gimbal for a rough landing in the Miniseries.
• The design of the Raptor was based on the US Army's Apache helicopter. Ronald D. Moore thinks of it "as analogous to the Navy's EA-6 Prowler (a variant of the A-6 Intruder popularized in "Flight of the Intruder")."