Fighters

Learn about Xenonauts fighters: F-17 Condor, MIG-32 Foxtrot, X-37 Corsair, X-59 Marauder, and X-120 Fury. Understand their strengths and weaknesses.

There are 5 different interceptors that are buildable throughout the course of the game. Each of these aircraft have varying attributes (speed, fuel range, damage ratings, etc.) that tend to be a progression over the last generation, but the progression is not linear. Some fighters have the ability to perform evasive rolls (a defensive maneuver), while others cannot (making them more vulnerable) but pack greater firepower (allowing them to down larger UFOs). An effective air force thereby usually consists of a mixture of interceptor types; the more agile, "rolling" ones that you send in close to draw and evade enemy fire, and the heavy-hitters that try to inflict the knockout punch (from usually a greater distance).

F-17 Condor

• Your beginning interceptor. Sufficient to take down scouts and light scouts, and have the evasive roll ability.
• These are the guys that you'll use as bait for enemy missiles and decoys while your more powerful ships move into position. They continue to fill a valuable escort role well into the game.
• Hampered by low airspeed, range, and HP, though, and can't effectively engage big UFOs on their own. They are harassers; buzzing around enemy vessels, dodging in and out, rolling, plinking away with their cannon, and generally acting like bees flying around your head.
• Warning: A Condor's inferior range and airspeed can become a liability later in the game. Any multi-platform squadron can only travel as fast and as far as its weakest link; if you launch a Condor with Marauders, the group will be limited to the F-17's specs. The popup will say "Marauder 1 low on fuel, returning to base", though it's NOT the X-59 that's out of gas, it's the Condor.
• Recommendation: Decommission F-17s by the time cruisers come around, or keep one at each base to go after infrequent scouts. Never pair them with faster aircraft.

MIG-32 Foxtrot

• Essentially a torpedo platform. Torpedoes are slower but more powerful than standard air missiles.
• Foxtrots carry two torpedoes, but no nose cannon or missiles, and cannot perform evasive rolls. They are not true dogfighters like F-17s; their purpose is to get into position to deliver their torpedoes, and then get out.
• Available almost right away (once you research Alien Invasion).
• Needed once alien corvettes (especially those with their own fighter escorts) make their appearance sometime in the 2nd month.
• Squadrons composed of a blend of Foxtrots and Condors will be your active air defense for quite a chunk of the early campaign, as the next generation fighter- the Corsair- won't be attainable for a while.

X-37 Corsair

• Designed as the upgrade to Condors, they have much greater speed and fuel range, 4X the hit points, and can turn twice as fast (120 vs. 60 degrees a second).
• Main liability: a loadout of two cannons- no missiles or torpedoes- and with no standoff capability have to stay continually in close proximity to alien vessels to inflict damage.
• Very hands-on dogfighters; you'll be constantly adjusting their flightpath and airspeed to stay out of the firing cone of enemy weapons while pounding away with your cannons.
• Can be a solid addition to your team if your air war is not going well or you're good at micromanaging combat.
• It's possible to hang on until Marauders become available and assign your engineers to other projects instead.

X-59 Marauder

• More than twice as fast as an F17, with great range (26400 km), 1000 HP, 120 degree turning, evasive rolls, a cannon AND two heavy torpedo hardpoints.
• Has no weaknesses, can replace any and all of your previous aircraft.
• Build these as soon as they hit the market (mid-to-late game).
• Their only downside is their cost and manufacturing time, but the expenditure is definitely worth it.
• Indispensable once you start facing cruisers and battleships.

X-120 Fury

• The ultimate one-punch knockout.
• Range is double the Marauders' and blistering 5500km airspeed.
• The unmanned X-120 can get to any point of the globe in a wink of an eye and single-handedly obliterate anything and everything in the air.
• Reasons for not constructing:
• Staggering cost: $600K plus 30 alloys and 50 alenium.
• Fueled by an alien singularity core, attainable only from enemy battleships.
• Warning: The single incredibly powerful torpedo that a X-120 launches will completely obliterate its target. There will be no crash site to try assaulting, no goodies and experience to be obtained. You can't use a Fury if you want another Fury, since you'll destroy both the battleship and the alien singularity core that you're after.
• Appears too late in the game to have much of a purpose; by the time it's available, air supremacy is usually achieved with Marauders.