The R-80 "Starchaser" Air and Space Combat Fighter A favorite of mercenaries, planetary militia and revolutionaries across known space, the R-80 is to star fighters what the AK-47 was to 20th and 21st Century rifles: ubiquitous. For all of those who can't afford a Starblade Heavy Attack Fighter, and who just don't trust the quality of a Jackjumper Civil Defense Fighter, the Starchaser fits into a very broad middleground. It is affordable, well-designed, and well-respected. It has good speed, terrific maneuverability, and has good armor. And the Starchaser's durability is legendary. Pilots have told stories of having been caught on the ground in sand storms, with the fighters fully covered with sand. They've dusted them off, cleaned out the intakes with an air hose, and launched within minutes. Starchasers left in hangars for half a decade can generally be started and launched after a five minute pre-flight check, and pilots have landed them with missing wings, engines and even canopies. Parts are plentiful, and the fighter is designed so that even a marginally trained aerospace mechanic can keep it flight worthy. Maintenance hours are almost nil. If the Starchaser has a weak spot, it's armament. It only has hardpoints for four medium or short-range missiles, and the wingtip ion pulse cannons are on the lower end of the spectrum as far as fighter guns go. In fact, as long as a Starchaser has no missiles on the hardpoints, the pilot doesn't even need a Class 2 Weapons permit. Some mercenaries (and law enforcement officials) suggest that dodging weapon permit requirements was one of the main goals of the fighter's design. Still, the lack of weaponry has had a minimal effect on the fighter's kill numbers against other fighters, where it has the most detrimental effect is against capital ships. Starchasers aren't the most effective weapon against large warships. Unless, of course, you have a lot of them...which many paramilitary groups do.