Aircraft
From Command and Conquer Wiki
Aircraft are flying vehicles used for combat, transport, or utility purposes. Traditionally, there were two types of aircraft: planes and helicopters. With the advent of Orca Technology, the line between the two have begun to blur. The first planes were made in the early twentieth century, and first saw combat in World War I. Typically less well-armored than ground vehicles, they are immune to most enemy fire when airborne, but specialized anti-aircraft units are capable of shooting them down. Scrin spacecraft, such as motherships, can also function in Earth's atmosphere.
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[edit] Red Alert Universe
[edit] Great World War II
During World War II, the Soviet Union enjoyed almost total air superiority. They possessed Yaks, older planes equipped with machineguns to shred enemy infantry, and MiGs, a newer, faster design with powerful missiles that did great damage to vehicles. They also possessed Mi-24 Hind helicopters, which had a powerful anti-infantry cannon. Soviet Commanders were also allowed to call upon Tupolev Tu-16 Bombers: slow, heavily armored planes that could drop paratroopers or heavy bombs. The Allies only had the Longbow Apache, a heavily armored helicopter that possessed anti-tank Hellfire missiles. Both sides also utilized CH-47 Chinook helicopters during the war. To compensate for their lack of air superiority, the allies developed far superior anti-aircraft weaponry.
In an alternative timeline, however, aircraft technology has taken a much more different path. For information, see: Cold War-era Aircraft.
[edit] Tiberium Universe
[edit] First Tiberium War
During the First Tiberium War, Nod used older Apache helicopters, modified with anti-infantry cannons. Nod also used cargo planes like the C-130 Hercules to transport vehicles to the battlefield. Nod also had some highly advanced American aircraft, such as the RAH-66 Comanche and the F-22 Raptor. The GDI chose a newer, untested slant-rotor design: the ORCA Assault Craft. The Orca's success in the war led to it being the technological predecessor to many of GDI's aircraft designs for the next several decades. GDI also possessed A-10 Warthog support aircraft, which had the ability to drop napalm bombs that devastated infantry. GDI also possessed fighters like the carrier-based F-18 Super Hornets and highly advanced YF-23 Black Widows. Both sides used UH-60 Blackhawks, Ch-47s and Ch-46s as aerial troop transports.
[edit] Second Tiberium War
During the Second Tiberium War, the GDI expanded upon its Orca designs. Almost all their aircraft were replaced with Orca technology. GDI possessed field Orca Fighters, powerful Orca Bombers, Orca Dropships, Orca Carryalls, which as the name implied were transports, and the Orca Command, a heavy ship that was given to GDI commanders. Nod chose to utilize newer Harpy scout helicopters, which were lightly armored and had a fairly weak machine gun, and the Banshee, equipped with a powerful plasma weapon. The Banshee seemed to be a radical departure to typical designs, leading some to believe they were alien in origin.
[edit] Third Tiberium War
By the Third Tiberium War all aircraft lack ejection seats and all aircraft were often heard screaming through transmissions when shot down.
GDI Air Force
Following problems with ion storm interference, many of the Orca aircraft were scrapped, the only remaining Orca planes in service being the fast scouting Orca Gunship with anti-tank missiles. Older Orca fighters continued to serve as high speed strike craft. The newer Firehawk Multirole Jet was faster, and could be equipped with either Air-Interceptor Missiles or powerful bombs. The Firehawk could be upgraded with stratofighter boosters, allowing it to avoid most anti-aircraft weapons. The newer GDI Transport was the V-35 Ox. The Ox's fragility meant that Commanders were not allowed to build them directly. They were kept out of the combat zone until transport was requested. The GDI Hammerhead was a throwback to older helicopter designs, with a unique twin rotor system and anti-infantry guns.
TWIII-era surveiliance data has revealed that the GDI was reported to be in possession of some various, prototypical and exotic aircraft, including the Ironside transport and the Supersonic fighter, as evidenced in Operation: "The Doctor Vanishes".
Nod Air Force
Nod replaced the now-obsolete Harpy with the Venom, a slant wing VTOL similar to - and based on - the ORCA aircraft family. It was equipped with a machine gun (upgradeable with Spitfire laser capacitors or particle beams). Although ineffective against armored targets, they could strike aircraft, giving the Venom an edge over the Orca, and their low cost allowed many to be deployed at once, mitigating their fragility and weakness. Nod replaced the Banshee with the Vertigo, a flying-wing stealth bomber. Although not as versatile as the GDI Firehawk, the Vertigo was more effective against ground targets, and its speed and stealth capability often meant it had greater survivability than the Firehawk. Noting the effectiveness of the older Orca Carryalls, Nod improved on the basic design, creating the Nod Carryall. Like the Ox, Carryalls stayed outside the combat zone until they were called.
In a throwback to the Badger Bombers and A-10s of the previous wars, Nod also called upon Armageddon heavy bombers, which were capable of deploying a number of weapons, from FASCAM mine-dropping bombs to a destructive Tiberium vapor bomb. Armageddons could even drop Tiberium in a way that would seed the ground with rapidly growing crystals, increasing the spread of Tiberium. The Black Hand refuses to operate aircraft, preferring ground engagements with their elite infantry.
Scrin Space Fleets
Technically being spaceships, the alien Scrin had significant air power. Cheap Stormriders, very similar in appearance to the Banshee, patrolled the skies. The Scrin had enormous Devastator Warships, with powerful plasma weapons and forcefields. They also built Planetary Assault Carriers, massive ships that could launch great numbers of smaller craft and were rumoured to create artificial Ion storms. The ultimate Scrin aircraft was the Mothership. Though slow and vulnerable, once a mothership reached an enemy base, victory was all but guaranteed thanks to its powerful catalyst cannon. While Earth-built aircraft are damaged by Ion Storms, Scrin aircraft actually self-repair and get stronger during these dangerous storms.
The radical 17th Sect of the Cult of the Reaper lacks much of the Scrin's advanced airpower, focusing instead on ground assault. Additionally, the Traveler Cult prefers not to place forcefields on their capital ships, preferring Traveler Engines to increase their speed.
[edit] Fourth Tiberium War
Aircraft of both GDI and Nod changed differently.
