Fuel And Sensor Tactical (FAST) Packs

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fuel And Sensor Tactical (FAST) Packs are a type of Conformal Fuel Tank developed for the F-15. By carrying extra fuel in a form factor that doesn't drastically alter the aerodynamics of the fighter, they offer increased operational time without seriously degrading performance.

In the science fiction series Macross, the term was borrowed to refer to external fuel, weapons, and sensor modules designed to increase the performance capabilities of variable fighters in missions with unusual requirements. In the original Macross TV series, these packs provided rocket fuel, additional thrusters, and missile launchers, as well as a small amount of additional armor. The Macross movie featured a version of the FAST packs that included a beam cannon, as well as an unarmed trainer version and a version with a large radome. In the show these FAST packs were very bulky, and were used primarily in space, and most were aerodynamically ill-suited for use in an atmosphere - however, FAST packs designed in later Macross series, such as those on the YF-19 and YF-21 from "Macross Plus", and the VF-0 from "Macross Zero", were more conformal in nature and could be used in the atmosphere. Because most Macross FAST packs are explosive (due to the rocket fuel and explosive warheads they contain), these packs are designed with blow-away capability, allowing them to be ejected from the variable fighter within a second. In addition, the VF's onboard computer will automatically disengage the FAST packs if they are damaged or (in the case of space-type packs) when the fighter enters the atmosphere.