VF-11C Thunderbolt Protect Armor Pack

Model number: VF-11C
Code name: Thunderbolt Protect Armor Pack
Unit type: mass production variable fighter
Manufacturer: Shinsei Industry
Operator: U.N. Spacy
Rollout: AD 2028
First deployment: September AD 2045
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard canopy-style cockpit
Dimensions: overall height 14.5 meters (Battroid mode)
Weight: empty 9.0 metric tons (variable fighter only); max gross unknown
Armor materials: SWAG energy conversion armor
Powerplant: 2 x Shinsei Industry/P&W/Roice FF-2025G thermonuclear reaction turbine engine, power output rating unknown
Propulsion: 2 x 28,500 kg (2 x 279.69 kN); 2 x vertical two-dimensional vectored exhaust nozzle; 2 x dorsal auxiliary thruster pod; many x P&W HMM-5B high maneuverability vernier thruster
Performance: Fighter mode: maximum level atmospheric speed at 10,000 meters: Mach 3.5+, maximum level atmospheric speed at 30,000+ meters: Mach 8.2
Thrust-to-weight ratio: empty 6.33 (variable fighter only)
Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown; optional APS-11 Protect Armor Pack
Fixed armaments: fixed rear anti-aircraft pulse laser gun, mounted on head, large reactive armor shield, mounted on left forearm; 4 x beam gun, 2 mounted on each shoulder; 16 x HMMM-Mk.6 micro-missile launcher, mounted on APS-11 Protect Armor Pack
Optional hand armaments: GU-XS-06 long-range high-piercing round gun pod

Beginning as far back as the Bird Human Incident of 2008, U.N. Spacy created multiple Protect Armor systems for its variable fighters. Usually, these Protect Armor systems came with the caveat of restricting a variable fighter to Battroid mode only, unless the parts were purged. In the 2040s, the VF-11C Thunderbolt was capable of equipping the APS-11 Protect Armor Pack, which added new armor, a shield, multiple micro-missiles and a long-range gun pod. In September 2045, Diamond Force leader Kinryu of the Macross 7 fleet piloted a Thunderbolt Protect Armor Pack in battle against the Varauta. While Kinryu was able to destroy multiple enemy units, he was ultimately killed in action.

Pilot: Kinryu
First appearance: Macross 7
Original mechanical designer: Shoji Kawamori

GU-XS-06 long-range high-piercing round gun pod

Hand

Leg (armor ejected)

Rear view (Battroid mode)