IRS Type 990S Helios Combat Trackframe

Type 990S Helios Special Weapons Combat Trackframe
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Nation of Origin: Interstellar Republic of Singapore

Developer: Joint Development between the Military Department of Weapons Design, Special Projects and the Singapore National Science Agency (SNSA), Beta Division  

Length of Service: 2086 (first prototype)- present day 2125

Weight: 130 tons

Armor: Tryomite Class E Armor Composite T(E)-AC electrolaminated with Aegis Repellent Layers

Armament: Type 996 'Helios' Plasma Accelerator, GHAZ-X996A Automatic Laser Cannon, 20mm Minigun, Twin 20mm Minigun Anti-Aircraft Turret, 2 30mm Twin Autocannon Turrets

Engine: ETH-MXS990 Electric Drive

Top Speed: 70KM/H

Power Plant: SNEC HYPLAS (KOMPAKT Series) Model X500 Compact Hydrogen Fusion Reactor

Crew: 2 (1 Driver-Gunner and 1 Secondary Weapons Gunner)

Sensory Equipment: HOLMES Mark V Multipurpose Detection Device, Multi-Spectra Visual Optical Device, U90R Communications Broadcaster
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Background: The Type 990S Helios was first designed in 2083 around an experimental miniaturized version of a Plasma Accelerator found onboard military warships designated as the Helios Cannon where the vehicle adopted its name from. Conceived to be a siege weapon capable of breaching through the most heavily fortified of enemy bases as well as a heavy assault unit capable of eliminating the heaviest of enemy armor and energy shields, the Type 990S was to be deployed when the IRS would face advanced alien civilizations like the Chasan-Xenan Dominion Alliance ever again in the future. Combination of the IRS's poor understanding of plasma technology at that period time and the extensive amount of resources and time required to construct a single unit, the Helios program faced numerous difficulties ranging from weapon failures to fusion reactor accidents and was eventually shut down when military resources were to be better spent elsewhere and thus the program only produced a single working prototype on Nalakoss II when the Markenn army invaded it in 2086. This first Helios prototype was rolled out and singlehandedly turned the tide of the battle on that planet, pushing back legions of advanced ancient cyborgs. However, it was destroyed by a sustained hypermatter bombardment by Markenn forces but nevertheless the combat data gathered in battle was valuable for the Helios's future development. The Helios program resumed in 2100 after the Markenn War ended when the post war reconstruction was largely complete, with construction of new prototypes that implemented newer technological advances in consideration of the first prototype's combat data, allowing a much more safer operation of its weapon and nuclear reactor as well as other major improvements. The new prototypes were sent for official testing trials on Earth and the approval for its production and integration into the military was approved by Central Command. Advanced construction methods and better understanding of nuclear technology and plasma weaponry cut down its very long production time and frequency of costly manufacturing incidents. Type 990s were shipped to strategically vital planets and large urban border worlds where they would be more suspectible to enemy attack. In 2120, the Apollo variant of the Helios's design was introduced to be a cheaper and more conventional unit much more suited for wartime mass production by replacing its complex and expensive Plasma Accelerator with a large railgun and the arm-mounted Laser Cannons with rotary miniguns and missile launchers while still utilizing the menacing and highly mobile chassis of the Helios trackframe. The Helios participated in mostly defensive operations against Separatist invasions in the Second April Fools War, but was deployed in its first offensive operation in the Vegann Skirmish on a Chasan-Xenan world. Helios units have been deployed in Ancerious and served in limited defensive roles in the Third April Fools War but this might soon change when the IRS goes on the offensive in the ongoing 2AW. 



Tactics and Roles: The Type 990S Helios is a mobile siege weapon and primary anti-armor assault unit designed around an experimental compact version of the Plasma Accelerator typically found onboard IRS warships for land-based units known as the Helios Cannon. Because the Helios Cannon utilizes superheated ionized gas propelled by tachyometric rails, it is an extremely powerful long range weapon against heavy armor plating and energy shields and enabled the Type 990S to one shot enemy armor even those with energy shielding from long distances away. This long range and firepower are also used to breach city walls and fortifications for IRS troops to storm into the city. The Helios is suitable for operations in both urban and open environments and tactics may vary depending on where and how they are used. In urban environments, Helios units are usually deployed to take charge on frontlines and destroy enemy armor while other units flank under the cover of the Helios's fire. Alternatively, they are also placed at the back of the battelfield to provide long range support, sniping enemy tanks and emplacements that otherwise hinder the IRS advance. In open environments such as flat plains where massive tank combat takes place, the Helios is put on the offensive to wipe out entire tank battalions singlehandedly. While its thick armor can soak up enemy fire and its laser cannons and miniguns can deal with mass infantry, leaving it unguarded and allowing it to be trapped and surrounded by the enemy is unwise as the Helios has limited mobility and presents itself as a very large target. An expensive special unit and relatively a new addition to the IRS military, the Helios is still a rare sight on the battlefield and rarely seen with other Helios units as it is usually deployed on its own. 


Armament: The Type 996 'Helios' Plasma Accelerator which the vehicle takes its name from is a feat of engineering and scientific endeavors, taking decades of research, tests and technological developments in order to be properly developed. While earlier versions of the Type 996 gun were unstable and prone to malfunction and even detonation, current production models have been significantly improved in its combat capabilities in firepower and range and safety, as well as being much more energy-efficient than its predecessors. A miniature and scaled down version of the Plasma Accelerators in use onboard IRS warships, the Type 996 Accelerator is no different in its operation. Firing a stream of superheated hydrogen plasma through a tachyometric field set by a pair of tachyometric rails, this linear plasma shot has both an extreme amount of range and firepower to boot and is hot and fast enough to melt through heavy tank armor instantly in one shot and reduce energy shields. The accelerator is used to destroy heavily armored targets like heavy tanks and fortified base structures and can be fired from afar akin to an anti-armor plasma sniper rifle. The Helios's secondary weapons are its arm-mounted GHAZ-X996A Automatic Laser Cannons which can fire multiple laser streams of excited photons in rapid succession and is used to take out lighter vehicles that the Plasma Accelerator is not required to waste energy on as well as massive infantry formations. Complementing the Helios's defensive armaments is a 20mm minigun mounted underneath the armored cockpit to engage infantry in the direction the pilot is facing and a twin 20mm railgun minigun anti-aircraft system for taking out aircraft. The 30mm Autocannons mounted at the front and the back can either be manned by IRS soldiers or controlled by the Secondary Weapons Gunner and is used to provide extra firepower against light armor and infantry.



Power Plant and Engine: Massive power requirements for the Plasma Accelerator and laser cannons as well as driving the huge vehicle itself necessitated a nuclear fusion reactor to power all the Helios's needs to be combat effective. The SNEC HYPLAS (KOMPAKT Series) Model X500 is part of a series of experimental compact reactors and like most fusion reactors, they use nuclear fusion of hydrogen atoms together to form superheated hydrogen plasma which boils water into steam which then in turn drives a turbine and produces electricity for the Electric Drive and numerous other subsystems. While the Plasma Accelerator has a set of preloaded Plasma Cells which supply plasma fuel to the accelerator for firing and per standard protocol are refueled with new plasma fuel before each sortie, in the event the Plasma Cells are depleted in battle it can draw fresh plasma fuel from the compact hydrogen fusion reactor. Should the Helios run out of hydrogen fuel for the fusion reactor, the X500 can filter in surrounding air and break down water vapour into fresh hydrogen gas which can be used to supply the fusion reactor so that it can be kept going at all times. Like most IRS terrestrial vehicles, the Helios is fitted with Electric Drives which convert electricity into kinetic motion for driving. Because it has very few moving parts and is relatively well-sealed against foreign particles, the Electric Drives are reliable and simple to maintain. 



Armor and Defensive Subsytems: Ferolattice crystals are natural alien crystals which converts and incorporates minerals and other elements in the environment it is planted in into its own lattice structure, forming a tough metal-like material. Ferolattice is extracted and melted down into a variety of materials formed by varying pressures, temperatures and industrial catalysts. One of them is Bryoceramic, a metallic lightweight ceramic commonly used as building material and its reinforced versions as bullet-proof armor worn by soldiers. When added with carbon and atomically tempered to reinforce intermolecular forces in Byroceramic, it forms an alloy known as Tryomite. Thickness of Tryomite is classified by classes, with Class C used by medium armor and Class D by heavy tanks. The Helios is constructed with even a thicker block of Tyromite; Class E. Class E Tyromite can effectively ignore small arms fire and shrug off large caliber projectiles and shaped explosives as well as using its toughness to stop armor-piercing projectiles. It can also hold up against energy-based attacks such as lasers, plasma and microwaves, augmented by the Aegis layers to dispense away heat and prevent them from melting through. Defensive subsystems include additional armor packages which can be as simple as blocks of armor composite and reactive armor to advanced field generators such as kinetic-wave barrier generators and active energy shields. Canister launchers installed on various parts of the trackframe can create a cloud of opaque smoke which also doubles as a disruption field blocking radar and infrared, allowing the Helios to retreat into safety or provide cover for nearby troops from enemy fire when pinned. The Helios even has an armored cockpit that can withstand rocket attacks to protect the pilots from direct enemy fire. 



Mobility and Terrain Handling: For a very large and heavy vehicle, the Helios is able to cruise at relatively fast speeds due to its powerful powertrain and engine and is highly mobile, capable of relocating its position quickly to provide support for other units or to evade enemy counter fire. However, its mobility is limited compared to lighter and smaller units such as the Archer II MBT and the Type 15A Tyrant Heavy Tank and their counter parts and its large size means it has difficulty navigating in densely packed terrain such as those in urban cities or jungles and may not be able to traverse across bridges as local infrastructure may collapse under its weight. The Helios works best when afar or when in large open spaces such as plains and deserts where moving around is easy. Its four-track design with each track mounted on an individual computer-assisted suspension pivot allows the Helios to negotiate in difficult uneven terrain as it can move over rocks and rubble with ease and without much hindrance to its speed. Ground pressure controllers also distribute the vehicle's weight more equally and reduces the maximum pressure the Helios exerts on the ground so that it does not sink into the ground and get stuck especially in areas of loose soil such as sand dunes and muddy flood plains. 



Sensors and Communication Systems: The Helios is fitted with a versatile HOLMES Mk2 Pulsar device which can perform motion tracking, GPS positioning, radar and scanning functions and is paired up with a Multi-Spectra Camera which can provide 360 degree visuals in multiple spectrums, from normal visible light to infrared, thermal and night vision. It is also connected to the Integrated Intelligence Network and continuously receives and broadcasts battlefield information in this secure military network, allowing them to coordinate military actions more effectively and keep track of everything from enemy and allied positions to terrain and landmarks. The pilots can see everything in the battlefield in a virtual projection on his holographic interface and Heads-Up Display, allowing him to see things from a larger view to maintain situational awareness and strategize their next move accordingly. It also has a central computer that is capable of gathering combat data from both the IIN and the Helios's own sensory suite to calculate firing solutions and lock-on the plasma accelerator in order to ensure an accurate shot. The central computer for the Helios can also be set to take charge of the AA minigun system to automatically target and engage any hostile aircraft. The computer also has an autoprogram to manage the fusion reactor and will deploy failsafes in an event of a reactor malfunction or damage to prevent it from going critical and setting off a nuclear explosion.