Bigger and Badder
Somewhat larger than the Warhawk, the Crusader represents the pinnacle of fighter technology. She is faster, more armored, and more deadly than any previous fighter. The problem is she is even more expensive, and her close-placed engine pods give a slight maneuvering penalty. But pilots say it is worth it. The Crusader mounts two railguns under the nose and a 20-cm chemlaser fixed to each wingtip. There are also two heavy modular missile bays on the top of the aft fuselage, and a pair of slightly smaller bays on the underside. The large wing provides both an extensive fuel capacity but also the ability to enter atmospsheres and land on a planetary surface. The Crusader is used for both anti-fighter and anti-starship missions, and it is manufactured on Avalon by the Boeing/Airbus Consortium.
Behind the Scenes
The name for this fighter comes from another fine aircraft from the Vought corporation, but the actual design was inspired by the Y-Wing fighter from the original Star Wars movie.