The Essential Guide to Force Exile/Valkyrie starbomber

Valkyrie starbomber

Description
A sizable flying-wing bomber, the Valkryie was designed to augment the nimble Shoto starfighters by fielding heavy ordnance to deal with larger targets. The first squadron of Valkryies were produced in 9 BBY. To increase survivability, particularly on approach and egress from target zones, the Valkyrie employed similar technology to the Ataru-class gunship to create a reduced sensor signature and paint scheme that made it considerably more difficult to detect a flight of incoming bombers. To allow Valkyries to make long-range standoff precision strikes on single targets, the bombers were equipped with a revolutionary new miniaturized hyperdrive and were well-shielded to again increase survivability. For such an ungainly craft, the Valkyrie handled well in atmosphere, aided by its aerodynamic shape and sophisticated guidance and control system. The flying wing design allowed the craft to cruise effectively at high altitudes and their large fuel reserves gave them incredibly long sublight range and loiter time. The first generation of bombers could make up to 4 hyperspace jumps with the aid of an onboard astromech.

However, the powerful defensive and offensive capabilities of the Valkyrie were offset by its lack of maneuverability and its modest sublight speeds. The bombers were notoriously hard to maneuver and the complex stealth technology was not optimized for such a small scale, meaning that Valkyries spent a lot of time in the maintenance hangar. These weaknesses, coupled with the staggering cost of a single Valkyrie (150,000 credits per craft) meant that they were never fielded in great numbers. Another issue was its space performance. Valkyries excelled in atmosphere due to their wing geometry, but in space, once discovered, their lack of maneuverability and defensive armament made them easy prey for hostile gunners and TIE fighters.

Valkyries carried dual ordnance pods that allowed them to carry a large variety of munitions due to their modular configuration. For patrol missions, sensor pods could be deployed, as could space mines. For heavy bombing missions, proton bombs or seismic charges could be loaded into their bays-though these were either dropped from high-altitude or in risky low-level attacks. The most common configuration was to carry large numbers of the same fairly light concussion missiles employed in the Shoto starfighter, which could either be deployed against smaller craft, or fired in salvoes against larger targets. The most uncommon use was to deploy drop husks in the ordnance pods, which contained passengers. The husks were just as stealthy as the Valkyrie and could be used to make covert orbital insertions of special operations, YGI, or Elite Guardian units in small numbers. To reinforce these covert operatives, Valkyries could also deploy stealth cargo pods from the safety of orbit via the use of their ordnance pods.

History and use
While Valkyries could be used for long-range precision strikes, they were large and could not be carried en masse. Also, due to their maintenance, size, control, and cost issues, they were not produced in large numbers. In 6 BBY, 3 years after the introduction of the Valkyrie, only 2 squadrons were operational and planned production was scaled back.

Moreover, until the launch of the Niman-class cruiser-carrier, the Yanibar Guard did not have a ship capable of carrying them. Instead, their pilots were forced to remain in the cramped and uncomfortable cockpits for the duration of the mission. One on mission, a long-range stealth strike and exfiltration over Brentaal IV that involved twelve out of the forty-eight Valkyries operational at the time, the Valkyrie pilots were in the cockpit for fifty hours straight. However, the mission was carried out successfully, as the Imperial Star Destroyer Impenetrable was severely damaged by Nighthawk missiles launched by the Valkyries and an accompanying Ataru-class gunship. The Yanibar Guard vessels were able to launch their missiles and escape to hyperspace having completely achieved the element of surprise-the Empire never discovered who perpetrated the stealth strike.

The shortcomings of the Valkyrie forced the Yanibar Guard to acquire the plans for the Rebel Alliance B-wing fighter, which was used instead on Niman-class cruiser-carriers instead of the Valkyrie. Throughout their operational life, Valkyries were continually rotated back through Yanibar in order to receive new stealth coatings, and 3 dozen of the craft were stationed on Yanibar permanently anyway when at full strength. A major refit in 0 ABY upgraded the hyperdrive and targeting sensors of the Valkyrie, allowing it to fire missiles first and then transmit targeting data, preventing the bomber from having to reveal itself before firing.

Shared Components
Valkyries adopted many of the same sensor-baffling techniques employed in the Ataru-gunship, as well as the same variable-yield laser cannons used in the Shoto starfighter. However, the dorsal turret, engines, ordnance bays, and other components had to be designed from scratch to suit the unique vehicle’s mission requirements.

Appearances

 * Hard Code
 * Yanibar Guard Sourcebook