F-302 fighter-interceptor



"''Now, while many of the 302's systems were retro-engineered from Goa'uld technology, it is entirely human built."
 * —Samantha Carter

The F-302 fighter-interceptor is the production model of the X-302 fighter, an air and space superiority vehicle operated by the Federation. It became Earth’s first space-worthy fighter-interceptor. The Prometheus and Daedalus-class warship carry one and two squadrons of F-302 fighter-interceptors. The USS Intrepid-A carries two squadrons of these vessels respectively. In 2385 Colonel John Sheppard ordered that all other fighters be replaced with F-302s on the USS Intrepid-A. They have been used for planetary defense and stationed on off-world at locations such as the Alpha Site on P4X-650, the Gamma Site and Icarus Base. In addition to aerial combat, they are also designed to transport and deploy objects such as satellites into orbit. It has, thus far, proved superiority over both Death Gliders and Xindi fighters mainly due to its torpedoes, which are more effective in dogfight scenarios than forward firing energy weapons.

Design process
"If this performs the way it was designed to, the X-302 will be the first human-built space craft capable of interstellar travel".
 * —Samantha Carter

The X-302 was the pre-production designation of the F-302, Earth's second attempt at constructing a combat-capable spacecraft. It was developed using recovered alien technology at Area 51. Unlike the X-301 Interceptor the X-302 was constructed entirely from technology designed and built on Earth. Its form and wing orientation are based on those of Goa'uld Death Gliders like the one the X-301 was built from. It was powered by a pair of jet engines modified with aerospike boosters for high altitude maneuvers. It also possess a rocket booster for additional thrust in outer space. Unlike other Earth jet fighters the X-302 was designed with inertial dampener], allowing the pilot to accelerate and maneuver much more quickly than would ordinarily be possible. The X-302 Also incorporated a Naquadria-based hyperspace window generator, intended to make it Earth’s first interstellar vehicle.

Features
After the largely successful testing of the X-302 hyperspace fighter, the craft entered production with only slight modifications. The hyperdrive, which had originally been intended to allow interstellar travel, was altered to provide only short intra-system hops. Also, the two jet exhausts were modified so as to function as rockets in outer-atmosphere combat.

Engines
The F-302 fighter-interceptor has four different sets of engines: air breathing jets, modified aerospikes for high altitude, a rocket booster, and a hyperspace window generator. The Goa'uld Death Gliders are not capable of entering hyperspace because the engine to create a hyperspace window would be much too large. But, because the F-302 uses Naquadria to power the hyperdrive window generator, the F-302 has a more compact hyperdrive engine and thus became the first human-built space craft thought to be capable of interstellar travel. Because of the instability of the Naquadria, however, the hyperspace window can only be generated for a very brief moment, thus greatly limiting the F-302's interstellar travel capabilities. The X-302 hyperspace fighter reached the hypersonic speed of Mach 6 inside Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of 30 kilometers. The interceptor uses the modified impulse engines in high altitudes. These capabilities were most likely inherited by the F-302. Along with inertial dampeners, the F-302 also has the maneuverability of a Flyer class shuttle.

Armament
F-302s are armed with highly effective dual phaser cannons and photon torpedoes. The warheads on said torpedoes have been enhanced with naquadah and are capable of inflicting heavy damage to the warp drive of a Xindi warship. The F-302 can also carry quantum torpedoes. This is not a normal feature of the craft, but they can be retrofitted with them. The F-302 has also been shown to be equipped with a payload bay on the underside of the craft, as seen when Typhuss piloted a F-302 to deploy a Replicator disruptor satellite in orbit over the Alpha Site. Whether this payload bay can be used to carry additional weapons remains to be seen.

Additional Features
In addition to standard landing gear, it possesses three grappling cables that allow it to latch onto another object. The cables are able to withstand considerable strain, enabling the craft to tow objects far larger than the fighter itself. It also possesses a small cargo or bomb bay. The F-302 has hundreds of safety mechanisms to compensate for anything that could go wrong. It also has an autopilot which cuts in to ensure safety.

As with other old Earth aircraft, the F-302, like its predecessors, the X-301 Interceptor and X-302 hyperspace fighter, features an ejection system allowing the occupants of the craft to escape the vehicle.

When an F-302 is destroyed, its inertial dampeners emit an Electromagnetic pulse (EMP) which can easily interfere with electrical and communications signals. This was discovered during the clean-up following the battle with Anubis's Al'kesh and Death Gliders in Antarctica. The phenomenon was studied by scientists at Area 51 and was determined to be caused by the concussive force of the craft's destruction interfering with the artificial gravity field generated by the inertial dampeners.

History
The F-302 entered service in 2366. The F-302 saw its first use against the attacking forces of the Xindi during the Federation-Xindi war in 2379. Since then, it has handled itself well in combat against both the Goa'uld Death Gliders and Xindi fighters. Both the BC-303 and the 304-classes have been outfitted with a complement of F-302 fighter-interceptors. The Prometheus, the only BC-303 constructed, was outfitted with a squadron of eight F-302s. Additionally, every 304 carries twice as many fighters as the Prometheus.

The 304 Korolev carried a compliment of F-302s. The F-302s have since been used actively by the Federation fleet and have participated in most major battles of the Xindi war. In 2381, David Telford engaged the fleet attacking Icarus Base in an F-302 along with other 302s from the base and from the Daedalus. In 2384 during the Xindi attack on Earth, Colonel Sheppard and Captain Kira decided to launch a first strike against a Xindi warship with a squadron of F-302s that were on standby with Earth Defense. Sheppard had them equipped with quantum torpedoes to make them more effective and hopefully powerful enough to take out the Xindi warship.

The squadron was successfully fitted with quantum torpedoes, but were deployed instead to cover Earth from a Xindi attack. All of the squadron except Sheppard's 302 were destroyed in the skirmish. In a last desperate move, Sheppard flew his 302 into orbit and once the Xindi warship got close enough, blasted his way through the shuttlebay doors with a torpedo. He then landed his F-302 in the shuttlebay and prepared to detonate the torpedo the fighter was retrofitted with. After being stopped by McKay, the torpedo was rigged with a remote detonator and the F-302 was left by itself and apparently was never detected. Ultimately Sheppard remote detonated his F-302's torpedo, destroying the Xindi warship.

Alternate reality

 * At least three alternate realities possessed them as the reality jumping Daedalus used to have them, but the crew took them when they abandoned ship, and the reality under alien attack launched an attack against the alien fighters with them to rescue the nearly disabled Daedalus.

Off-world bases
Daedalus-class warships
 * P4X-650
 * Starbase Atlantis
 * Icarus Base
 * USS Prometheus (now destroyed)
 * USS Daedalus
 * USS Odyssey
 * USS Korolev
 * USS Apollo
 * USS Sun Tzu
 * USS George Hammond

Starfleet

 * USS Intrepid-A

Pilots

 * Lt. General Jack O'Neill
 * Brig. General Samantha Carter
 * Lt. Commander Kara Thrace
 * Lt. Sharon Valerii
 * Commander Chloe Sullivan
 * Commander Lois Lane
 * Captain Typhuss James Kira
 * Colonel Cameron Mitchell
 * Colonel John Sheppard
 * Colonel Sarah Mackenzie
 * Major Evan Lorne
 * Lt. Blair Williams
 * Lt. Kara Wade
 * Commander Francesca Cook
 * Riggs
 * Redmond
 * Lt. Adam Banks
 * Alec Colson (on a joy ride)
 * David Telford
 * Matthew Scott (in a flight simulator)

Fighter wings

 * 1st SFW - "Snake Skinners"
 * 201st Fighter Squadron - "Darkstar Titans" (USS Intrepid-A)
 * 510th Fighter Squadron - "Death Angels"
 * 701st Fighter Squadron - "Dragon Riders" (USS Intrepid-A)
 * 901st Fighter Squadron - "Flying Tigers"