Aerospace Vehicles
Vulture Space Fighter
Vehicle Data
- Vehicle Type: Space Fighter
- Designation: SF-6
- Crew: 1 pilot
- Weight: 16.2 tons
- Length: 14.1m
- Height: 4.2m
- Wingspan: 10.2m
- Max speed: Mach 4.86
Armament
- 1 x forward facing particle-beam cannon
- 1 x dorsal-mounted rapid-fire beam cannon
- 2 x fixed underwing hardpoints for various mission-specific heavy ordnance bombs and missiles
The SF-6 was developed in the early days of the Robotech Expeditionary Force as a replacement for the venerable Lancer space fighter. It saw heavy deployment on board the first groups of space vessels as the primary fleet defense fighter (strike roles were generally reserved for Veritech fighter squadrons). The Vulture remained as the primary space-based fighter craft in the REF throughout the 2020s, stationed primarily on board the larger Tri-Star and Tokugawa class vessels.
Ground-Based Vehicles
Ground-based vehicles are used primarily for personal, troop, and cargo transport in the Robotech Expeditionary Forces. There are a few armored combat vehicles but the majority of the frontline heavy military action is the realm of the REF Destroids, with more traditional armored vehicles relegated to support roles.
While the heavy armored vehicles are still wheeled (or tracked), many of the personal and cargo ground transports in the REF are hover vehicles capable of travel over a variety of terrain.
Light Hover Cycle
Vehicle Data
- Designation: M-32
- Vehicle Type: Personal ground transport
- Crew: 1 pilot + 1 passenger
- Weight: 170 kg
- Height: 1.2m
- Breadth: 0.8m
- Depth: 2.6m
- Cruising speed: 112 kph
- Max speed: 340 kph
- Range: 1600 km at cruising speed; 1290 km at max speed
Armament
- none
Additional Equipment
- Mini-radar: 6.5 km range, limited accuracy
- Radio/video communications: 150 km range
- High intensity headlight
The Hover Cycle is a mobile, high-speed combat and transport vehicle used by the Expeditionary Forces. The vehicle is frequently used for patrol and reconnaissance duties, and Military Police make use of it for policing military bases. The Hover Cycle hovers at 1m to 3m off the ground, and can execute a limited boost jump up to 9m.
Armored Assault Transport
Vehicle Data
- Designation: AAT-40
- Vehicle Type: Military all-purpose transport
- Crew: 1 driver + 1 gunner; up to 15 troops can ride in the cargo bay
- Weight: 8.6 tons
- Length: 10.97m
- Width: 3.0m
- Height: 1.7m
- Max speed: 240 kph
- Range: 1290 km at max speed
Armament
- Rapid-fire laser cannon
Additional Equipment
- Heavy-duty towline and winch
- Radio communications: 100 km range
- High intensity headlights
The AAT-40 is a cousin to the AAT-30, a heavily armored, all-terrain, six-wheel assault vehicle. The driver area is open but protected by a roll bar and side armor. The vehicle's primary weaponry is a front-facing rotary laser cannon that can elevate up to 45°.
Cargo and Maintenance Equipment
These are vehicles used in transport and maintenance roles in the REF.
Armored Mecha Retrieval Vehicle
Vehicle Data
- Designation: AMR-10
- Vehicle Type: Military transport vehicle
- Crew: Two; although another 2 or 3 passengers can easily fit in the pilot's compartment.
- Weight: 18 tons
- Length: 15.2m
- Width: 6.7m
- Height: 7.3m
- Crane Reach: 15.2m high, 8.4m length.
- Speed: 96kmph
- Max. Range: 480 km. Uses any type of gasoline.
- Cargo: 9.7m x 6.1m x 4.8m armored cargo bay can carry 56 troops comfortably (80 cramped), or 40 cyclone riders in full gear, or 50 tons of weight. Can also tow up to 50 tons.
Special Equipment
- Long-range radio with 80 km range.
- Front and rear towline and winch.
The biggest ground cargo transport vehicle is the AMR-10. This monster stands 7.3m tall, with a crane mounted on top of it providing an additional 8.4m of height (15.8m total reach of crane). Its primary purpose is to repair, retrieve, and maintain mecha. However, it is also used to haul cargo, transport troops, excavation, mining, and construction.
The crane can be fitted with a number of accessories, including a utility arm, electro-magnet, scaffolding, shovel jaw, drill and others. It is also fitted with a towline and winch in the front and back.
All-Purpose Tractor Hauler
Vehicle Data
- Designation: TCH-4
- Vehicle Type: Military heavy-duty all-purpose cargo transport and excavation vehicle.
- Crew: One, but up to 18 men can ride by hanging onto handhold bars along its outer body.
- Weight: 14 tons
- Length: 13.4m
- Width: 4.9m
- Height: 5.8m
- Arm's Reach: 9.8m high or 6.1m outstretched.
- Speed: 96kmph
- Max Range: 321 km. Uses any type of gasoline.
- Cargo: Can lift and carry 6 tons in one hand or 20 tons using both hands, or tow up to 35 tons (reduce max. speed by half). An additional cargo bed can be hooked up to the rear.
Special Equipment
- Long-range radio with 80 km range.
- Front and rear towline and winch.
The tractor hauler is another cargo transport vehicle primarily used in fitting mecha. It is a much larger and more powerful vehicle used to load missiles into destroids, dismantle mecha, and haul and tow mecha/vehicles/debris. Its huge claw-like hands have a maximum reach of 32ft (9.8m) and can hold as much as 6 tons in one hand or 20 tons using both.
The tractor treads provide mobility in rugged terrain and maximum traction when towing mecha or vehicles in distress. The tow strength is an impressive 35 tons.
Although the TCH-4 has no weapon systems, it is far from defenseless. The vehicle is heavily armored, surprisingly maneuverable, and jokingly said to be unstoppable (not quite true, but extremely durable). Its hands/arms can become lethal weapons when piloted by an expert. The clawed hands can tear and slash into mecha armor and its thumb can retract completely to use the two fingers like a sharpened crowbar or battering rams. The claws can crush rock, smash through concrete, snap steel beams and dig through earth. (It is often used to assist in mining and excavation operations.)
M.O.V. "Mole"
Vehicle Data
- Designation: M.O.V.
- Vehicle Type: Military mining and salvage vehicle
- Crew: One
- Weight: 5 tons
- Length: 5.5m including appendage/tool.
- Width: 1.8m
- Height: 3.3m
- Arm's Reach: 2.4m
- Speed: 80kmph. Digging speed varies with the soil, but usually about 150m per hour under the best conditions and 18m under the worst.
- Max. Range: About 8 hours of fuel or 400 km of conventional surface travel.
- Cargo: Can haul/tow up to 5 tons.
Special Equipment
- Short-Range Radio: 6 km range
- Independent Oxygen Supply
- Infrared Optics
- Night Sight Optics
- Ground Sensor System (seismic; 2km range)
- Oxygen tank, goggles and protective suit.
- Radiation Shielded
- Towline in front and rear.
The Mining Operations Vehicle is used by the REF in mining, construction, and salvage. A variety of accessory arms can be changed with relative ease. They include shovel, drill, utility arms and others. The pilot's compartment has its own air supply and purification/circulatory system, as well as special sensors ideal for mining.
Forklift
Vehicle Data
- Designation: ML-3
- Vehicle Type: Military cargo transport.
- Crew: One
- Weight: 2 tons
- Length: 4.2m including arms.
- Width: 1.8m
- Height: 3.2m
- Cargo: Can lift/carry up to 4 tons.
- Speed: 80kmph
- Max. Range: 240km before needing to refuel.
Special Equipment
- Short-Range Radio: 6 km range
The ML-3 is a one-man missile loading forklift commonly used to arm mecha, especially Veritechs. Both forks of the lift have grasping hands to better hold and position missiles. The fork arms can move individually or simultaneously. Maximum height of reach is 2.4m. It is also used for transporting other cargo and loading.
All-Terrain Vehicles
Ground-based Mobile Unit (GMU)
Also known as: Titan Transport
Vehicle Data
- Designation: MTA-1
- Vehicle Type: All-terrain transport and assault vehicle
- Crew: 26 (36 maximum)
- Weight: 1150 tons (loaded)
- Length: 68.3m (74.6m with cannon extended)
- Width: 32m
- Height: 23.2m (40m with cannon extended)
- Cargo: Mecha bay can contain 6 to 10 mecha and about 30 troops comfortably, or 250 tons.
- Max Ground Speed: 330kph
- Max Air Speed: 160kph (150m max altitude)
- Max Space Speed: 1040kph
Armament
- 1 x rapid-fire laser cannon in fixed forward position
- 1 x particle beam turret mounted atop the rear of the main cannon
- 1 x particle beam turret mounted above the bridge
- 2 x heavy missile launchers with 12 missiles each mounted to either side of the main cannon at the rear of the vehicle.
The Military All-Terrain Transport and Assault Vehicle, or GMU is a self-sufficient, ground based, mobile attack unit. Designed to function in any atmosphere and move across even the roughest terrain, the GMU can achieve speeds over 200 kph on land, 160 kph during flight, 1000 kph in space, and can even travel underwater, riding along on an ocean floor at 65 kph or like a submersible at 160 kph. The GMU can safely reach depths of almost 3.5km before pressure compromises the vehicle's structural integrity.
As mentioned, flight is possible, but very limited. In actuality, flight is achieved by combining the hovering mode with rear main thrusters for forward propulsion. The maximum flight and hover heights are the same: 150 meters. A minimum of 26 crewmen are necessary to operate the GMU and the maximum crew capacity is 36. Even with a crew of 36 and the standard transport ability of 48 Cyclone riders, 96 soldiers, and 6-10 heavy mecha and their crew, 10 additional passengers can be carried. In addition to the troops, the GMU features a formidable variety of weapons, the foremost being its rapid-fire laser cannon.
