Boxer Bolt

Lightning Unseen

The SF.6 Boxer Bolt was a first generation "Low Observable Craft", or LOC, jointly developed by Boxer Aeroworks and the Defence Consolidated Technical Establishment for the United Commonwealth Army Air Service, and its successor organisation, the UC Air Force. In a famously "Black Book" project whose still classified budget was said to well run over a billion Chequers, the strike fighter would be the first stealthy military aircraft the 12 Worlds had ever seen, paving the way for the future of air power, and proving the flagship of dozens of groundbreaking technologies across the aviation industry.

Origin Of Concept

On the 7th of June of 157 A.S., Professor Aloisia Ebner, a mathematician at the University of Ansbach, submitted a brief paper to the United Commonwealth Journal of the Physical Sciences, where she outlined the principles of electromagnetic waves and their applications in detection. In this paper, she proved that certain geometric figures and shaps, when struck at the right angle by an electromagnetic wave, would yield a relfection whose strength was far lower than what the figures size might suggest. She went on, providing equations and methods she'd devised to calculate the "effective cross section" of an aircraft simly using such geometries, and ended by postulating that such technical research may prove to be oppurtunities for further research.
The next morning, she received a letter from the Journal, which simply stated that her paper could not be published. This letter was given to her by a pair of quiet individuals, who introduced themselves as members of the Defence Special Bureau, and suggested that the professor follow them.
Eight years before that, a similar paper had been published by another prominent mathematician of the time, Professor Dante Onio, in the Empire of Ocrisia. It had been met with some interest by the imperial government, but the limitations of avionics and flight controls of the time rendered such research impossible to be put into practice, and the relative simplicity of air search emission sensors of the time made it unnecessary at any rate. However, as the 140s turned to the 150s, the technological and geopolitical landscapes of the 12 Worlds changed drastically, with the outbreak of conflicts such as the Saxe-Mecklitz War a year after that paper's release putting defence research at the forefront of militarily active powers, while the potent air defence belt of the Grand Duchy would prove a tough nut for the Commonwealth and coalition to crack, at the cost of dozens of conventional bombers. The writing was on the wall for the old ways of war, as the UC was well aware from its own developments, and the days when her air power could maraud untouched by even a great state would soon come to an end, as effective countermeasures increased in capability, affordability, and accessibility.

Special Procurement Procedures

Hence, the famously shadowy and secretive DCTE, an organisation whose workings and machinations were little known even within D-GOD itself, spooled up a research project in 156 A.S., starting off by "acquiring" the work of Professor Onio, and if it was possible, the man himself. In the intervening six years he had not found much academic success, his single point of brilliance having done little to boost the reputation of the low-born son of a labourer in the insular halls of Ocrisian academic circles. D-GOD's Sub-Directorate Two, which held primary control over most foreign activites, found him in heavy debt and little left to look forwards to in life. It was thus an easy trick to, over the next year, convince him that emigration in the Commonwealth tradition might be for the best. And so it was that, on 157 A.S., Dante Onio would resign his seat at the University of Tivotri. The necessary arrangements having already been made, his case handler, SubDir-Two agent ██████, would meet him at the Commonwealth embassy in the city. After a night spent on embassy grounds, they would board the first morning flight on United Air, to the Albish capital of Langford-On-Azure, and Commonwealth soil.

The Old Works

Of course, research work had already been well underway for months before the foreign technician's arrival. Looking over their options for the inevitably needed private contractor, they elected to select Boxer Aeroworks for the initial contract. Fresh off the introduction into full rate production of the Boxer Barrow, the aviation and defence giant was already well involved with DCTE security protocols, centered around the aircraft's spectacularly classified BLUE ROSTER actively scanned array sensor set. A trusted contractor with a reputation for delivering highly advanced aircraft on time, under budget, and with all due secrecy, Boxer Aeroworks would be issued with the preliminary contract for "Project HANDLER MOON". They agreed immediately, and their renowned teams at Aerowork-001 would be shipped off to the DCTE facilities out in the Abyahul Desert of the Republic of Shatihab. There, the sprawling expanses of government owned land and airspace would be put the use, as would billions in existing infratructure which had for decades been the breeding ground of Commonwealth technical superiority.
By the time of Professor Onio's arrival, successful but limited works had been achieved on developing a computer system to handle the task of designing and aircraft to be invisible. Onio's formulae had been broadly effective, if in need of adjustments and find tuning to fit the building-sized crystal state supercomputers doing the hard work, and with the arrival of the man himself they would soon have a firm base to continue building their aircraft.

Development, Production, And Procurement

Drawing heavily on the existing technologies developed for the Barrow for eveything short of the low observable airframe itself, Boxer was able to achieve significant savings in time and cost when it came to creating the first pair of flying demonstrators. No mere static or wind tunnel models, these were powered by a pair of Pragati Mk. 5 TurboSails identical to those of the Barrow Air Combat variant, alongside the in-service fighter's landing gear, fly by wire systems, and environmental control suite. HANDLER MOON 1 would see its first take-off on the 5th of June, 157 A.S. The dream of DCTE had taken off.
The project was rapidly maturing, and tough choices would soon have to be made when it came to what a final product would look like. To the displeasure of the fast jet pilots who test flew for HANDLER MOON, the prospect of supersonic flight regime was cut out entirely, the concessions in the airframe's construction to achieve a minimal cross section making such high speeds unattainable. Furthermore, reheaters for the engines and the inevitable skin heating via friction that came with supersonic flight would lead to excessive thermal emissions, rendering the whole venture of low observability null.
By far the most controversial design feature, however, would be the complete lack of a wave emission sensor, for it was believed that the inherent output of such sensors would also foul attempts to remain hidden against even relatively old platforms. Instead, an electro-optical suite with full spectrum thermal imaging capabilities would be the aircraft's primary sensor package, providing a broadly effective all weather flight ability and some long ranged detection. For weapon guidance, the planned role as a ground attack aircraft allowed for the use of an Amplight projector, mounted fore of the cockpit and under the nose. The beam of amplified light would provide a means for so equipped munitions to be guided with pinpoint accuracy in most weather, assuming a good enough pilot, and even for the "painting" of targets for the ordnance of other aircraft.
Finally, the day of judgement would come. On the 12th of August, 158 A.S., the Directorate of the Army - for these were still the days of the Army Air Service - make the decision to produce a jet which officially did not exist, with the contract passed on to Boxer Aeroworks. The first serial production model of the aircraft now titled the SF.6 Boxer Bolt would leave the production lines at Aeroworks-001 on the 3rd of March, 159 A.S., less than a year after the initial procurement decision was made, and the Bolt would enter squadron service that same year with the conversion of 666 Squadron, "The Caring Devils", to the new strike fighter. The unit had been the semi-official test squadron for most new UCAAS and Fleet Air Arm aircraft for years, and its pilots made up the bulk of HANDLER MOON's testers, so the choice was a natural one. They'd been flying the Bolt's sibling Barrows for over a year in anticipation of the move, practising tactics and training concepts for the new breed of aircraft, and with their transition came a move to a new home in the Abyahul desert.
Once there, the game would begin in earnest. It was realised that all existing tactics and doctrine were written in a world where one could know for certain that enemy aircraft were in the air, and as such it would fall on 666 Squadron to write the book on modern air power. Over a series of exercises and mock missions, they would put the Bolt through its paces and to its breaking point, getting the most out of their aircraft within the short span of six months, all under the watchful eye of the Army Air Service's top brass. And at the end of it, there was no doubt: The Boxer Bolt was not found wanting.
Flush with success, a secret convening of Parliament in 160 would see the granting of another contract to Boxer, for forty additional aircraft within the next year. With the production line running hot and greased with generous funding, they would meet the dealine, barely, and UCAAS would bring back the 441st Fighter Wing from the history books to run the fleet now eighty strong. Two additional units, 317 and 256 Squadrons, would be reassigned to fly the Bolt alongside 666 Squadron, and the three squadrons would begin a period of intensive training to bring the pilots and their tactics to the highest of standards. Indeed, across the board the armed services were upgrading readiness and filling the ranks, with UCAAS swelling to over a hundred squadrons of Barrows along by the end of the decade. 161 A.S. would see the Sot-Kritan Crisis rise to the forefront of Ocrisian-Commonwealth relations, and whispers spread among the 441st that they would see action soon enough, even when the diplomatic spat was dragged back from the brink of war, but not quite all the way to peace.
On the 15th of March, 162 A.S., the Ocrisian Empire would inv ade the Republic of Bardin, lighting the final spark that would start the conflagration that was the First Great War. And in the dark hours of night on the 14th, the 441st Fighter Wing, and the Bolt, would get their debut into the danger zone.

Operational History