Blade (replica)

The Esperia Blade is a Vanduul light fighter replica produced by Esperia for military use. They are often used for training for the UEE pilots. The maneuverability of the Blade is beyond anything else out there which makes up for its lacking armor.

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History
"With every purchase, Blade owners are not only helping to protect themselves, they are helping to protect the brave starmen that are fighting for our way of life. Esperia may not have the resources of some of our competitors, but we have identified a very special situation where we can benefit the whole Empire… and give those Vanduul monsters a black eye or two in the process."

- Esperia CEO Charlotte Hussion

For some decades, United Empire of Earth aggressor squadrons have operated replica Blade fighters produced under exclusive contract by Esperia Inc. These spacecraft, produced in great quantity, have been used to train generations of fighter pilots for Vanduul engagements. Today, Esperia manufactures Scythe and Glaive clones for training and testing purposes, with most former Blades having been returned to the manufacturer for storage and disassembly. The so-called "Esperia Boneyard" (location classified) contains hundreds upon hundreds of used examples in varying states of disassembly. In the wake of the recent attack on Uriel, many of the Blade trade-ins produced in the past decade are being outfitted for frontier defense use, part of an extremely controversial program aimed at better-arming those threatened by alien attack.

The current crop of Blade spacecraft available was manufactured between 2930 and 2940 under a lease agreement with the United Empire of Earth's military. Per Esperia's Naval contract, Blades have been returned to Esperia's care as more advanced aggressor designs are manufactured at a 1:1 basis. While each of these Blades is already a veteran of Humanity's war on the Vanduul, each has been restored to factory settings and features a full manufacturer's guarantee.

Development
In 2018-06-30, with the release of Star Citizen Alpha 3.2.0, the ship became Flight Ready.

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