Type: Heavy assault-starfighter
Length: 23 meters
Span: 22 meters
Crew: 2
Weapons: 6 heavy pulse cannons, 8 medium pulse cannons, 2 missile launchers w. 10 rounds, internal bay for 8 free-fall weapons.
Engines: twin warp generators, 2 ion-plasma engines.

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The model:

1/48 scale scratchbuild.

The Crimson Fold's Monitor-class Heavy Assault-Starfighter

The Monitor was developed following the success of the Barracuda gunship, the concept was for a heavily armed, very long-range fighter that would escort and support Barracudas in assaulting hard targets. The other role envisaged for the Monitor was for long range interdiction of Sierran military supply ships and convoys. The Monitor is a large fighter with a heavy armament of 6 heavy pulse cannons and 8 medium cannons as well as twin warhead launchers with five rounds each, and an internal bay for 8 free-fall weapons. The fighter is extremely well protected, with quadruple redundant shield generators and very heavy physical armor. Emphasis was placed on straight-line performance and providing a stable weapons platform, agility was not a design requirement. Extensive atmospheric wings and stabilizers also provide excellent stability in atmosphere.

The Monitor is not as large as the Sierran Specter strategic fighter, which is a fully crewed vessel. The Monitor, by contrast is crewed only by a pilot and navigator/weapons officer in a traditional fighter style tandem cockpit, with no crew quarters, as the fighter was never intended to fill a more patrol role like the Specter.

Operationally the Monitor has proved to be only a partial success. In mixed groups with Barracudas and Basilisks the tough and hard-hitting Monitor has been a great success in the escort/assault role. However, it has been a failure in the long range interdiction role. The crew arrangement has proved to be less than ideal as missions have become longer in duration than expected, and crew fatigue has been a major issue. Also, while the straight-line performance is indeed impressive, it has not been enough to offset the marked performance and agility advantages enjoyed by Sierran starfighters, including the Specter which while being much larger and heavier can easily out-maneuver the Monitor. Thus, Monitors have not been as self-sufficient as was originally intended, and usually requires escort by space superiority fighters like the Basilisk. Nevertheless, the Monitor is heavily deployed by the Crimson Fold and has been widely exported, proving to be a financial boon to the syndicate.