C-54 Spartan II

The C-54 Spartan II is a UCSA surface-to-orbit transport shuttle that first entered service in 2124. It is powered by two Rolls-Royce Hornet nuclear afterburning nuclear turbines.

Description
The Spartan serves as a tactical transport aircraft, and is frequently seen active in fighter wings for deployment support. It can carry up to 60 troops, or 25,000lbs of cargo. The cargo bay is fitted with the CRMLMS (Common Rail-Mount Load Management System), to permit the secure loading of any standard aircraft pallet. This includes deployable pallets used to air-drop light to medium vehicles.

The C-54 is designed to be able to operate as an SSTO transport, using onboard liquid hydrogen fuel to reach orbital velocity. It requires a 72-hour overhaul after reentry activity, but this may be surged to 48 hours in emergencies.

Operational History
Though put into service too late for the Great War, the Spartan has been used in support of almost every long-duration mission undertaken by the UCSA and its allies.

Variants
C-54A- Development version, 8 built

C-54B- Initial production version, 120 built

AC-54B- C-54B modified with under-wing weapons hardpoints and remotely-controlled nose turret housing a GAU-34/A 30mm railgun

C-54H- Modernized C-54B with Hornet II, 48 converted

MC-54H PAVE NAIL- Special-missions C-54H with AC-54B weapons, improved sensors, and provision for modular Alcubierre drive. 12 converted.

C-54J Spartan II- New-production version including the AC-54B's under-wing hardpoints, and Hornet III engines. 96 built.

Spartan C. Mk III- CIS version of the C-54H; 48 built.

Operators (List In Progress)
UCSA Air National Guard

-108th Tactical Airlift Group, Trenton ANG (1 squadron C-54J)

-119th Tactical Airlift Group, Fargo ANG (1 squadron C-54H)

-133d Tactical Airlift Group, St. Paul ANG (1 squadron C-54H)

-158th Tactical Airlift Group, Dixie ANG (1 squadron C-54H)

165th Tactical Airlift Group, Lexington ANG (1 squadron C-54H)

-171st Tactical Airlift Wing, Fort Wayne ANG (2 squadrons C-54J)

-187th Tactical Airlift Group, Cheyenne ANG (1 squadron C-54J)

-122d Tactical Airlift Support Flight, Fort Wayne ANG (122d FIW)(2 C-54J)

-181st Tactical Airlift Support Flight, Fort Wayne ANG (181st FIW)(2 C-54J)

-117th Tactical Airlift Support Flight, Dixie ANG (117th TFW)(2 C-54J)

-169th Tactical Airlift Support Flight, Dixie ANG (169th TAW)(2 C-54H)

-187th Tactical Support Flight, Dixie ANG (187th TFW)(2 C-54H)

-190th Tactical Airlift Support Flight, Cheyenne ANG (190th TFW)(2 C-54J)