VF-22S Sturmvogel II

Model number: VF-22S
Code name: Sturmvogel II
Unit type: special operations variable fighter
Manufacturer: General Galaxy
Operator(s): U.N. Spacy; New U.N. Spacy
Rollout: AD 2046
First deployment: February AD 2046
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard canopy-style cockpit
Dimensions: overall height approx 15.5 meters (Battroid mode), overall height 4.04 meters (Fighter mode); overall length 19.62 meters (Fighter mode); wingspan 15.36 meters (Fighter mode)
Weight: empty 9.34 metric tons
Armor materials: SWAG energy conversion armor; stealth composition
Powerplant: 2 x Shinnakasu Industry/P&W/Roice FF-2450B thermonuclear reaction turbine engine, power output rating unknown
Propulsion: 2 x 41,200 kg (atmosphere), 2 x 65,200 kg (space); 2 x three-dimensional independent convergent/divergent turning exhaust nozzle vane; 4 x dorsal sub-nozzle; 2 x pivoting slit nozzle; many x P&W HMM-6J high maneuverability vernier thruster
Performance: Fighter mode: maximum level atmospheric speed at 10,000 meters: Mach 5.07, maximum level atmospheric speed at 30,000+ meters: Mach 22+
Thrust-to-weight ratio: empty 13.61
Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown; capable of unassisted orbital velocity in an Earth-class planet; active stealth system; modified Brain Direct Image System (BDI); variable camber wing; enhanced Quimeliquola Queadluun-Rau special inertia vector control system; fixed Howard PBS-03F pinpoint barrier system; optional Shinnakasu Industry/OTEC FBF-1000A external prototype fighter fold booster
Fixed armaments: fixed Erlikon AAB-7 anti-aircraft converging beam cannon, mounted on head; 2 x Howard BP-14D multipurpose gun pod, mounted on hardpoints in Fighter mode, hand-carried in Battroid and GERWALK modes; 2 x shield, mounted on arms; 4 x internal Bifors BML-02S rapid-fire micro-missile launcher, mounted in central dorsal section; Bifors BMM-24 high-maneuverability micro-missile cluster, mounted in central dorsal section
Optional fixed armaments: OTEC XX-2C converging beam cannon, replaces Erlikon AAB-7 anti-aircraft converging beam cannon; 2 x Hughes/GE GV-17L internal cartridge-less Gatling gun pod, replaces Howard BP-14D multipurpose gun pods; 4 x internal Bifors BML-02S rapid-fire micro-missile launcher, mounted in central dorsal section, replaces Bifors BMM-24 micro-missile cluster; 2 x internal pallet, mounts reaction warheads
Optional hand armaments: none

In 2040, military contractors General Galaxy and Shinsei Industry competed in Project Super Nova to determine the successor to U.N. Spacy’s aging VF-11 Thunderbolt. General Galaxy’s YF-21 incorporated the revolutionary new Brain Direct Interface System (BDS) and Brain Direct Image System (BDI), which translated a pilot’s thoughts into movements. Although the YF-21 performed admirably during the testing stage and in the Sharon Apple Incident, Shinsei’s YF-19 won the competition and entered mass production in 2041 as the VF-19A Excalibur. Following Project Super Nova, General Galaxy went back to the drawing board and redesigned the YF-21 into the VF-22S Sturmvogel II. Part of the redesign included simplifying the BDI System to work in conjunction with a standard manual operating system. The VF-22S’ cockpit was also redesigned with an overhead spherical canopy that offered improved visibility. Its armaments included a converging beam cannon, two converging energy cannons, arms shields, a pinpoint barrier system, missile launchers and two gun pods. Thanks to its improved and simplified design, the VF-22S was adopted as a special operations fighter by U.N. Spacy in 2042. In February 2046, two VF-22S fighters were manufactured aboard the Macross 7 fleet for use by legendary ace pilots Maximilian and Milia Fallyna Jenius. Following the Protodeviln War, the VF-22S was used by multiple U.N. Spacy teams and later New U.N. Spacy. In 2060, a VF-22S piloted by Wright Immelmann dropped a Dimension Eater weapon on planet Windermere IV, which ended an independence war started by the native population earlier that year.

Pilot(s): Maximilian Jenius, Milia Fallyna Jenius, Gamlin Kizaki, Wilbur Garland, Aegis Focker, Suzie Newtlet, Syun Tohma, Wright Immelmann, Arad Mölders
First appearance: Macross 7
Original mechanical designer: Shoji Kawamori

Head

Howard BP-14D multipurpose gun pod

Rear view (Battroid mode)

Rear view (GERWALK mode)

Underside view (Fighter mode)