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AAF722 Hornet
Though a much different design to the original Hornet, it is much more manuverable and has atmospheric capability. The original Hornets main armament of four laserlances was retained, plus a number of other nuclear weapons. An unusual feature is the four 'fins' (two on top and two on the underside) which were added for stability purposes during atmospheric ascent/decent. Sensor boosters were also added into the fins, and retract behind the ship when landing. The high quality articulated platelet armour, originally developed and introduced on Proximan K4 Interceptors, has been upgraded to counteract the latest generation of armaments.
The AAF722 is now employed in most aspects of the TDA's offensive and defensive requirements, being the standard interceptor to be found at most military bases and battle fleets when carried aboard interceptor carriers and battleships.
Proof of the ships fighting abilites came when a patrol of five Hornets operating near Petersen 3, were ambushed by a pirate force of more than three times their number. The pirate group, which had recently tried to establish themselves in the systems asteroid belt, had been attacking shipping and a prize of captured military hardware was, in the pirates eye's, worth the risk. However, after nearly twenty minutes of intense fighting, only three pirate ships were left, the rest being reduced to smoking, blackened hulks. Having being in service for around forty years, the popular Hornet will see many more years of service before it is replaced.
The scene above depicts an early model drifting through the Oort cloud of the Procyon system on a deep-space patrol, two small Pluto-sized planetoids can just be distingushed in the background.