S-55 Ballerina Atomic Fighter-Interceptor
this was written when it was still a multirole so is outdated
The S-55 Ballerina is the mainstay multirole fighter of the Coalition Stratospheric Air Service. Excelling at both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations, the Ballerina is also able to carry AShMs, cruise missiles, ASAT missiles, and nuclear weapons. Its afterburning nuclear turbofan allows it to reach to the edge of space and have an almost infinite loiter time. The Ballerina was designed to carry large amounts of heavy ordnance, a 'missile bus', if you will. It is highly effective at WVR (within visual range) combat, its canards and thrust vectoring engine giving it supermaneuverability. It also performs well in BVR combat, being equipped with a powerful radar and a large carrying capacity. However, its superb air superiority capabilities came at a cost. Though it is classified as a multirole, it is severely lacking in many critical systems required for air-to-ground combat. It was determined that it was best suited for high-altitude precision tactical bombing, using its large ordnance capacity to saturate enemy defenses and precisely strike dozens of enemy installations with bunker-busters at once.
Though not initially carrier-capable, most Ballerinas have been retrofitted with a tailhook to facilitate naval operations. Another problem was that it almost never carried enough fuel for sustained afterburner operations. Not being supercruise-capable, this was a major problem. A flight refuelling probe was added to the front of the aircraft to allow in-flight refuelling, and large drop tanks were fitted to where the twin pylon usually was on the wings (it can also be placed in the center). These three modifications turned the Ballerina into a reliable and versatile strike fighter, and allowed it to become the primary aircraft of the Stratospheric Air Service.
Below are most of the Ballerina's liveries, including ceremonial, aggressor, and camo liveries.
The 'Theme Song': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5PeQAbgYSk
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