TCA 217 Super Aquila

The Twin Crown Aerospace 217 Super Aquila is a medium-heavy-weight tactical fighter aircraft designed by Stardust. It was originally a modification of the FF-215 Aquila.

Project GOLDENROD HARPY
Twin Crown Aerospace Industries - Air Supremacy Project no. 9 was an internal TCA requisition for a conventional twin-engined combat aircraft with good all-around performance for air-to-air combat. ASP-9 was originally conceived of as a drone, and therefore engineering the aircraft was the responsibility of Advanced Combat Systems Division (ACSD). Development on ASP-9 was slow at the time of the internal program's introduction.

During its slow development, the [JS5] fighter program became active, and TCA submitted a few designs to the competition. TCA's initial submission was its ASP-7 aircraft (FF-215; Project GOLDENROD HARPY and TERMINATOR HARPY), which was similarly designed with the attributes of "twin-engine fighter aircraft", but it was pulled due to its mediocre performance. In its place, ASP-11 (FF-219) was submitted, an aircraft designed by TCA's rising Combat Aircraft Design Bureau (CADB). FF-219's flight performance was so notable for a convetional airframe, that ACSD took the FF-219 airframe and mated it to TCA's test UCAV body to create the now-venerable STARDUST-I combat testing drone.

FF-219 failed [JS5] trials, forcing TCA to return to the drawing board, with many options at its fingertips, but all very under-developed. ASP-9 was completed during this time and became the STARDUST-II, which itself proved to be a capable combat test drone. Seeing the potential in the ASP-9 airframe, CADB was given the task of taking the airframe and turning it into a manned aircraft with a cockpit. This was the beginning of ASP-9-2 (which probably should have been ASP-7 Extended due to the project being a twin-engined manned fighter, but internal documentation at this time suffered from a recent large fire in TCA's facilities, creating large disruptions in program organization).

CADB's conversion of the STARDUST-II airframe into a manned design did not take long, and ASP-9-2 received the official designation FF-217. Multiple design iterations and variants of the FF-217 airframe would be made before its first official combat deployment in a [JS5]-compliant configuration, using the FF-217J variant. The FF-217J Super Aquila featured additional auxiliary engines for increased combat TWR, breaking from the original twin-engine design outline to a 2-2 engine configuration.

Super Aquila
FF-217J would be the first airframe variant to see multiple blocks/subvariants, mainly J-5, J-6, J-7, and J-8, though the combat records of these are still unclear. Known configurations other than [JS5] are [RT]/[RT1], [FD], [FC], and [RP2]. FF-217K existed as a lengthened airframe for greater range and payload capacity.

In the interim waiting for a new contract, TCA received orders for older, more basic FF-215A airframes. These were delivered and saw combat in [RP1] configuration. Spare FF-215A Aquila airframes from this procurement were picked up by one “Manley” spaceflight program for flight tests.

Round Table II - Project Revival, Major Update 'M' Variant
Eventually, the long-awaited [RT2] fighter program arrived. This contract was addressed with a number of Air Supremacy Programs, with ACSD winning the first TCA internal selection bid with its advanced ASP-22 (FF-241), as well as the second bid with ASP-22 Extended (FF-242) when FF-241 failed the initial tests of the fighter program.

The [RT2] development program continued after an attack on the Round Table, with TCA development programs accelerating after the acquistion of new weapons and flight technologies. Both CADB and ACSD went through multiple semi-satisfactory FFX programs, with both suffering multiple setbacks. After some time, it soon eventually seemed that ACSD would win the internal TCA selection yet again with an upgraded 241 and a newer fighter, [DATA REDACTED], especially after CADB suffered from multiple unsatisfactory FFX24x series aircraft.

CADB was recommended to return to its standard affairs with more conventional airframes. The department decided to address its aging 217 airframe by upgrading it with modern materials and technologies, producing the 217M variant. The 217M features the largest airframe out of all 217s produced thus far, and is constructed with new airframe construction methods. The “augmented twin-jet” layout has benefited from far more powerful engine options, with [RT2]-specification J-119 engines as the primary engine set and TCA’s own TFJ-200 (High Output, Narrow Engine-60) engines as the augmentation engines. (The TFJ-200s actually provide more power at cruising speeds than the J-119s.)

This variant, in [RT2] competition flight testing, proved surprisingly very effective, overtaking the ACSD projects in results, which themselves ran into teething problems. The lack of stealth was compensated by the airframe’s flight performance capabilities and payload capacity.

FF-217M has proven to be an immense success, even without final verdict if it becomes the [RT2] final selection. CADB’s reputation and engineering experience was boosted by the 217M project, and the department has since gone on to design a number of other successful test airframes.

FF-217N has been produced as an option for buyers looking for a modernized 217 but with the form factor and size of the 217J or 217K, to ease operations management and transitioning. However, it comes at the cost of somewhat reduced maneuverability from the 217M.

Replacement
Final experiences from RT2 prompted the development of a newer clean-sheet design, though still heavily based off of Air Supremacy Program no. 9; this project was called ASP 9-3, culminating in the FF-230 Gryphon.

Jet Showdown 5
A three-ship formation of FF-217J Super Aquilas flown by Mirage Squadron were deployed to Jet Showdown 5. They were defeated in combat by the Shark Mk. IIIb.

Round Table II
FF-215M first appeared in Round Table II during the intense Summer 2021 testing period. It made an impressive first showing upon entry into the battlefield, immediately becoming a baseline for other aircraft to compare against.

In the Round of 16, the FI-217M interceptor variant was deployed as part of the two-ship flight from Mirage Squadron, piloted by "Swan".

In the Round of 4 that followed, the FI-217M encountered difficulties due to a BD AI update that broke the extension behavior it relied upon, and its place in the Mirage flight was replaced by an FF-217M, flown by "Vixen".

Potential Retirement
Based off of combat experiences and continued improvements in construction experience, the 217 Super Aquila has been considered for retirement, to be replaced by its evolutionary successor, the FF-230A Gryphon. However, replacement discussion is still ongoing, as the aerodynamic balance of the 217 airframe is still notably better than the 230's.

Design (Real Life)
The FF-215 Aquila is based off of the F-15 Eagle, as is very clearly evident in its appearance and designation/name, "aquila" being the Latin word for "eagle".

Major Variants

 * FF-217J
 * Initial variant, derived from FF-215M modification


 * FF-217K
 * Enlarged airframe for greater fuel capacity


 * FF-217M
 * Major airframe variant; rebuilt airframe with PWings, upgraded auxiliary engines to TCA TFJ-EJ200 'Typhoon'


 * FI-217M
 * Interceptor variant; primary engines replaced with B9 turbojets for high-mach cruise, primary armament replaced by single Arclight EML