Gaiaterra: Elysea's Conflict/Pulsar Drone Missile

"Pulsar Drone online!"
 * - Pulsar Drone Operator

The Pulsar Drone MIssile is a type of drone used by the Federation of Aquila. The unit's operator is planned to be voiced by *TBA*

History
"Beep!"
 * - Pulsar Drone Operator, getting "into character"

The Aquila Norwell-Hucks Corp ASM-1303 Pulsar Drone Missile is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which the Aquilan Air Forces describes as a MALE (medium-altitude, long-endurance) UAV system, named after its inventor, Dr. William Claymoore. It was designed to serve in a reconnaissance role, providing an expendable, long-range recon asset. The aircraft, in use since 1990 V.C. has seen combat over Gaiaterra. In addition, the Aquilan Air Forces, working in conjunction with Task Force Apollo, has used it to deliver a Red Matter-based Singularity Missile.

The ASM-1303 Pulsar is a system, not just an aircraft. The fully operational system consists of four air vehicles (with sensors), a ground control station (GCS), and a Jupiter-derived primary satellite link communication suite. In the overall Aquilan Air Force integrated UAV system the Pulsar is considered a Tier IV vehicle. Initially, the Pulsar was used for mid-altitude border scanning of the Hawke border, but quickly found itself serving in a combat reconnaissance role. In short-term fly-by recon it was eventually replaced with the Hermes UAV, a much faster, smaller squadron based scouting unit, but for long-term observation the Pulsar was unmatched. The small, low-profile vehicle generates minimal noise and thus was often ignored by ground-based Destroyer gunners, allowing the UAV to monitor battles for hours on end and give Aquilan operators valuable targeting and intelligence information. It also had the benefit of a stealthy profile and non-magnetic composition, allowing it to gather intel unharrassed as well as giving it immunity to the Magnetic Satellite.

After a year of combat operations a push was made to arm the Pulsar. Experiments in the field with single Aurora bombs were generally successful, and the project was approved. Testing showed an powerful potential role for the Pulsar, as a delivery system for a large missile. As the technology for stable ICBMs were currently out of Aquilan hands, this would level the playing field against the Voshkod, who had recently unveiled the Vacuum Imploder.

Inspired by the Aquilan weapon and the Andoran's own "Spatial Distortion Field" (aka Black Hole Armour), Aquilan scientists created the Singularity Missile, which uses a magnetically contained capsule of Red Matter to create artificial, temporary holes in space-time, comparable to black holes. Anything caught within the singularity will be crushed by the immense gravity, and units who stray too close can be dragged in. In particular, the missile has proven extremely useful against infantry and structures. Nothing is able to fall through the singularity itself, which limits the lifetime of the singularity and prevents possible tampering with the space-time continuum.

When the MLA exploited by introducing the Anti-Radar Missile, it became clear that the Pulsar could not evade detection or destruction by the MLA's computer-controlled missiles. A flare dispenser was added to confuse enemy target acquisition systems; the flare was designed to resemble the engine of the Pulsar in arming routine, which is more than enough to draw fire away from the real drone and any surrounding Allied forces. As of today the Aquilan Air Force’s fleet stands at 195 recon outfit Pulsar and 280 Singularity Missile equipped Pulsars, with 600 more units on priority order.