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Kaark Attack Bomber
Mass: 60 tons
Firepower: 86
Armor: 80
Coverage: 5%
Maneuverability: medium
Max. Velocity: 650 m/s

Fighters form the backbone of any fleet's fast-response arm, but despite the fact that they can engage enemy assets quickly, their effectiveness drops off considerably if capital ships are present. While fighters can carry a variety of kinetic-energy loadouts, the most powerful directed-energy system they carry is their own fusion drives. Plasma bomb technology allowed engineers to funnel some of that maneuvering power directly into an attack system. The plasma bomb launcher shunts some of the drive stream directly into the launcher system, effectively bottling high-energy plasma inside a shaped magnetic field. The plasma charge moves by venting tiny amounts of the stored energy, allowing it to match speeds with its target, but does not allow for any extreme maneuvers. Once the charge impacts with its target, the front part of the field collapses first, venting all of the high-energy plasma directly onto the hull of the enemy ship. Because of its maneuverability limitations, the plasma bomb is nearly useless against strike craft, but is devastatingly effective against capital ships and slow-moving support vessels.

The Kaark Attack Bomber carries twin plasma launchers mounted to either side of the dual cockpit, and has a very narrow field of fire. The forward crew position is manned by the pilot, who maneuvers the bomber and sets up the attack run, while the back seat is manned by a combat engineer who monitors the launchers, warns of incoming threats and activates various ECM systems. The last task is especially important, as the drain on the fusion drive from the launcher systems renders the Kaark slower and less maneuverable than any other strike craft.