(JR1.F)  FIGHTERS AND BOMBERS         

        The Peladine were late in the production of fighters; they were able to use this to their advantage, however, by skipping production of the slower fighters and starting with the more advanced designs (through careful use of intelligence and captured enemy fighters).

        All Peladine fighters are of the Piranha-series (a Pike-series was planned, but was obsolete by the time production could begin and therefore never built).

(JR1.F1)  PIRANHA-1 FIGHTER (P-1):  This drone-armed fighter was the mainstay of the Peladine carrier forces.  An excellent unit, the Piranha-1 was equipped with two phaser-3s in the nose, and two each standard (type-I) and light (type-VI) drone rails.  Performance was outstanding, and the unit had a top-rate dogfight rating.

        Piranha-1s can fire two drones per turn (of any type) if both are aimed at the same target.  If not firing other types of drones on the same or different impulses of a given turn, a P-1 can fire all its type-III drones (each at a different target) in a single turn (on different impulses).  See (J4.242).

        The Piranha-1 dominated carrier-based fighters, mainly because reloading a drone fighters was more energy efficient than re-arming a plasma fighter.

        There were successive generations of Piranha-1 fighters:

        Piranha-1A (P1A):  Piranha-1s were modified as Piranha-1As to carry two type-III drones on Special Rails in addition to their other weapons in Y176.

        Piranha-1B (P1B):  Most were modified as Piranha-1Bs to carry four type-III drones on Special Rails in addition to the original P-1 weapons in Y180.

        Piranha-1C (P1C):  P-1s were modified in Y183 to replace the light (type-VI) drone rails with standard (type-I) rails.

(JR1.F2)  PIRANHA-2 FIGHTER (P-2):  The plasma-F fighter of the Piranha-series.  This unit was armed with a plasma-F launcher mounted centerline, and two phaser-3s in the nose.  It packed a heavy punch, but was not particularly effective against other fighters.

        The Piranha-2 was designed to be deployed on a 50/50 basis with the Piranha-1s.  This did not happen due to the energy requirements of re-arming a plasma fighter.  The P-2 was deployed on both the CVA and CA;  however, half of those on CVAs were replaced when the newer Piranha-3 (below) was deployed.

        Piranha-2K (P2K):  Most Piranha-2s were modified as Piranha-2Ks to carry two plasma-K in addition to their other weapons in Y183 for additional drone defense. 

(JR1.F3) PIRANHA-3 FIGHTER (P-3):  In an attempt to provide a plasma fighter that would not be a great drain on the power systems of the carrier, the Piranha-3 was deployed in Y182.  Equipped with two Plasma-D launch tubes replacing the one F-torp launcher of the P-2, as well as the two nose-mounted phaser-3s, the P-3 enjoyed greater success in dogfighting enemy fighters (plasm-D are rather effective in this respect).

        Upon deployment, the Piranha-3 replaced 50 percent of the Piranha-2s onboard CVAs; they sometimes (but not always) replaced some or all of the P-2s on a CV.

        Piranha-3D (P3D):  Piranha-3s were modified to carry two additional Plasma-Ds, for a total of four, in Y183.

        Piranha-3K (P3K):  A number of Piranha-3s in Y183 received a pair of Plasma-Ks, rather than Plasma-Ds. These were meant for use on the Kzinti front and against Lyran carrier groups, where the K-torps would provide a less-expensive drone defense.

(JR1.F4)  SUPER PIRANHA HEAVY FIGHTER (P-H):  The largest of the Peladine fighters, the Super Piranha was a combined drone/plasma fighter.  Armed with 2 type-I, 2 type-III and 2 type-VI drones, 2 plasma-F launchers, a phaser-2 and two phaser-3s, this unit was the ultimate fighter.

        The P-H did not see widespread deployment, however, as the Skate-class interceptor entered production in Y179, filling the role envisioned for the Super Piranha.  Only a very few ever served on carriers, where they replaced two P-2s.  A CVA with 12 P-1s and 6 P-Hs was, in effect, an early SCS.

        This is a heavy (two-space) fighter; see (J10.0).

        Piranha-HF (PHF):  The engines of the Super Piranha were upgraded in Y180, bringing the unit up to the speed of the best fighters of the day.

(JR1.F5)  MORAY MEDIUM BOMBER:  First introduced in Y173 for planetary defense, the Moray was a combined drone/plasma bomber.

        Moray-1 (M-1):  As originally produced, the Moray-1 was so slow as to be obsolescent. Unfortunately, it would be three long years before advances in engine technology would permit the introduction of the...

        Moray-2 (M-2):  With double the maximum speed of the Moray-1, the Moray-2, introduced in Y176, was a far more effective bomber.

        Moray-3 (M-3):  In Y180, further advances in shuttlecraft engine techology permitted the speed-15 Moray-3 to enter production.

(JR1.F6)  SUPER MORAY HEAVY BOMBER (M-4):  With four Plasma-Fs and an assortment of drones, the Super Moray was a potent unit; a squadron of these would make any planetary governor feel a bit safer.