Firehawk (Tiberium Wars)

The Firehawk VTOL fighter attack jet is a new GDI weapon system combining AI programming and human piloting skills. The jet possesses a dynamically unstable airframe with downward-canted forward-swept wings with downward-canted canards requiring an AI controler to stay in flight while the pilot issues commands. However, it is capable of quickly altering the course and speed of the craft, making it an excellent air superiority fighter. The embedded AI functions as a highly sophisticated targeting system, threat assessment and tracking module as well as weapon control and navigation. The AI also controls the airframe stability during combat. the jet can also act on aircraft carriers where the catapult will launch the FireHawk at higher speeds giving it a better chance to engage air to air targets. Firehawks have a crew of two: pilot and weapons officer.

Firehawk attack jets have variable weaponry, and commanders can choose between two highly destructive Hellcat firebombs or four Rattlesnake missiles, allowing it to act both an anti-air unit or an anti-ground unit. The Hellcat bombs do massive damage to structures, but are not very effective against vehicles (Compare this to the Vertigo, which can kill a Mammoth 27 with only 4 bombs). A single bomb will also kill any infantry, provided it hits them (since the bombs themselves are unguided). The Rattlesnake missile is highly effective against other air units and only air units. 2 of them are enough to bring down a Venom. However, commanders must be careful, since the blast from the missile will also damage the Firehawk if it happens to fly through it. At first, pilots only fired the missiles one at a time, but later training has them firing the missiles in volleys of 2 at a time. The weapons may only be changed once the Firehawk has landed at the Airfield. The need for the Firehawk to reload at the airfield, however, is a very significant drawback and has cost many pilots their lives at the hands of Venoms and Stormriders, which do not need to reload.

The fighter can also be upgraded with stratosphere navigation systems and special Stratofighter boosters, allowing it to move much faster through the battlefield by traveling through the stratosphere and engaging targets where they least expect it. With the boosters the Firehawk can ascend to such a high altitude, and at such great speed, that it is untouchable by enemy anti-aircraft weaponry. The immense heat generated by this boost means that the pilot must wait a short period of time before he can utilize the Firehawk's boosters again. With proper planning, a Commander can have Firehawks utilize their boosters, pummel targets across a battlefield with impunity, then return them home in the same manner without retaliation. However, most of the time, these missions end up as suicide missions, since most commanders do not micro-manage the Firehawks to such a degree. The upgrade costs 2500 credits and is bought at the Tech Lab.

Another upgrade aviable to this Fighter-bomber is the ceramic armor, only used by GDI ZOCOM. This new alloy dramatically increases the number of hits a Firehawk can take.

The last upgrade for this versatile unit are the Hardpoints. This new feature lets GDI United Peacekeepers or Steel Talons Firehawk carry more ammunition (2 more Rattlesnakes and 1 more Hellcat), allowing them to cause even more damage to a target. This upgrade is not available to ZOCOM, preferring added survivability to firepower.

Service Record
A Firehawk (piloted by Captain Hunter) tried to provide air support during the retaking of the Pentagon but was shot down and killed by Venoms. During the retaking of the White House, a squadron of Firehawks from the newly recaptured Langley Air Force base carpet-bombed a large group of Nod forces in preparation for the eventually-successful ground assault by a brilliant GDI Commander. A squadron of veteran Firehawks were guarding the Guns of the Amazon emplacement, operating from a GDI Aircraft Carrier. Firehawks also attempted to hold back the Scrin during the initial invasion, sustaining massive losses and losing many of their best pilots and crew as they were greatly outmatched by the vastly superior air force of the Scrin harvesting force, signaling the final end of long standing GDI air superiority once and for all.

Assessment
Firehawk's good points:
 * Missiles are great at taking out Scrin aircraft.
 * Devastating against structures.
 * Stratofighter boosters allow it to strike heavily defended targets.
 * Extremely fast.

Bad points:
 * Needs to reload at airfield.
 * Only available at tier 3.
 * Relatively expensive.
 * Low armour.
 * Lousy against tanks.