WASP

As Jericho Tactical Industries engineers like to tell it, they were sitting around one day sketching out a new style for an assault helicopter over coffee when the discussion drifted to the creation of a small, highly maneuverable multi-roll fighter. The truth of the matter is that, the WASP became a reality because JTI needed such a fighter to fill this gap in their growing line of Stellar and Atmospheric Fighters. After submitting their initial technical data, the proposal was approved and given the development name: Project Cobalt.

Virtual design work began shortly after Project Cobalt was approved. Several prototype variants were presented and, after all of the test results were reviewed, work proceeded on a design with dorsal and ventral control and variable angle wing surfaces for use in atmospheric flight.

Seven years after the initial proposal, the first Pod prototype was produced. The revolutionary design incorporated the powerplant directly into the pod, itself. Thrust Vectoring was used, and ensuing flight tests proved it to have been the best decision they could have made. The Mag-Core RD-62 microreactor gave the Pod a thrust to weight ratio better than anyone could have predicted. Performance was off the charts. As one pilot described a test flight, "It's like stapling your eyes open and strapping yourself onto a Proteus-6 'booster without bothering to run the stabilization routines first."

Project Cobalt had proven its viability as a platform and research and development of the theories and technologies continued despite unstable flight characteristics during intial tests. It was quickly discovered that the Pod had a tendency to change or reverse direction in mid-flight, seemingly on a whim. Sadly, this revelation resulted in serious injury to several pilots while performing atmospheric and gravity influenced flight testing. Thankfully, none were killed, but the problem grounded the project for close to two years while the data was analyzed and a solution was found.

Several solutions were eventually settled on to rectify the problems facing Project Cobalt:

1. The development of a neural interface helmet to augment the stick controls and ease the interaction with the Pod's ever increasing number of AI sub-systems.

2. Custom fitted pressure suits would be made specifially for each pilot. The suits would use an added sensor suite that strapped onto the pilot's shoulders and upper body to monitor the smallest of changes in vital signs and allow the life support systems to react instantaneously, preventing injury to the pilot. Additionally, as long as suit integrity was maintained, the sensor suite could place the pilot in a form of hybernation and stablize all vitals for up to three days in the event of an emergency.

3. The implementation of a new generation of AI into the control and anti-grav subsystems.

4. A complete redesign of the anti-grav system to include recent breakthroughs. Not only did this improve planet-side landings it allowed the Pod, with the integration of the new pilot systems, to achieve true instantaneous direction changes much like an insect. This time, however, it occured only as desired.

As the end of prototype testing neared, the Pod became known officially by JTI as the Winged Assault Pod. It is unclear where the fighter's moniker came from origianlly, but it is rumored to have surrounded the humming vibration felt near the Pod when its anti-grav systems are in operation and several conceptual drawings depicting the pod with a large tiger-shark paint scheme, used on various fighters of Terran history, that gave the pod a more insect-like appearance. As a result, the Winged Assault Pod has become known as the Wasp.

Armed with two Ion cannons for distance and two Particle cannons for close-in fighting, the Wasp has a very powerful "sting" and has proven itself a worthy addition to the Terran Defense Forces in the 5 years since it went into service.

While many areas of Project Cobalt and the Wasp's production remain under a shroud of secrecy, there have been rumors of other such programs. Of particular interest is one document, recently discovered, which refers to a "sister" project code named Obsidian. JTI officials declined to comment when asked to confirm or deny the existance of any further Project Cobalt related research or development.

Below are the few photographs of the Wasp have been released to the public, including two photographs of test pilot Lt. Miyuki Tanaka in her flight suit with prototypes of the neural interface helmet and sensor suite.

Photos courtesy of Jericho Tactical Industries and the Terran Defense Force.

JTI Index

All images on the relatated pages are copyrighted by Joel Jacobsen unless otherwise noted. Do not copy or link to these pages without permission.