F8C Lightning Q&A
Anvil Aerospace Space Superiority Fighter
For years, the Anvil Aerospace F8 Lightning has been a powerful NPC in the game, out of reach from all but the most industrious shipjackers, but now you can finally get your hands on one. Now that the Anvil Aerospace F8C Lightning has landed officially in the 'verse, we posed a few questions to the vehicle team about the UEE Navy's latest space formidable fighter, which is available for the civilian market for a short duration. Read on for answers, straight from the developers themselves.

What are the differences between the military-only F8A Lightning and its civilian twin, the F8C Lightning?
The F8C is less armored and drops a hardpoint size for all of its weapons across the chassis. However, it still packs a hefty punch.

As a focused heavy fighter, what would be a typical combat scenario where the F8C would unleash its full potential?
The F8C brings so much firepower and shielding that it remains effective in most combat scenarios against any small/medium target.

Can the pilot access the turret remotely to achieve a 360° firing angle, or can it be automated with AI blades in the future?
No, the “turret” is more of a dual weapon gimbal mount slaved to the pilot rather than a full remote turret.




Is the F8C’s weapon loadout fixed, or can all weapons also be connected to a gimbal puck/turret?
The F8C comes with both fixed and gimballed weapons by default and supports the normal range of customization. The upper and nose guns are gimballed by default, with the lower ones having a bespoke gimbal mount that doesn’t have a ‘-1 size’ modifier applied. This allows one fire group to be gimballed and the other fire group (consisting of the four wing weapon hardpoints) to be fixed by default.

Given the lore background of the F8C being the latest UEE Navy fighter to support space superiority, does it come with higher-quality military-spec components by default?
Like other ex-military stock, the naval-spec components are restricted from civilian users, so the F8C comes with standard-quality components.

How well does it handle in standard atmosphere; is it primarily intended for space combat by the Navy?
It handles well for a heavy fighter in both environments. While designed for space combat, the shape lends itself to a good aero surface setup for atmospheric flight.

Is it gold standard, or can we expect further iterations and updates in the future? Is its current balancing final?
It is not gold standard. This release is primarily delivering the existing asset with some quality-of-life fixes that enable pilots to officially take to the skies, instead of relying on stealing NPC ships with bugs. Balancing, as always, is iterative and we expect to make further changes in the following patches after release to ensure our vision matches the results. Once Squadron 42 releases, there will be a further revision to the asset to bring the full gold-standard setup to the PU.




How does the F8C Lightning Executive Edition differ from the standard F8C?
The Executive Edition comes with a different black-and-gold paint scheme that carries over to the interior with a custom dashboard and seat.

Does it come with any sort of storage capability for a parcel box or personal weapons and armor?
The F8C is a fighter so does not have space for boxes. In the future, it will be updated with personal weapon storage and a physicalized inventory location.




Does it come with an ejector seat?
Yes.

Does it already have access to the latest ship combat gameplay features like Master Modes in Arena Commander’s experimental mode?
The F8C is available in AC for owners but has not been converted for Master Modes.




How many versions of the F8C are there, and are they all available through the ongoing Birthday Event?
There are several versions of the F8C, and not all of them are available to be earned/purchased through the event. Some versions/elements are exclusive to various Concierge Tier Rewards.

• The Base F8C Lightning including the newly introduced Shock Wave Paint is exclusive to the Wing Commander Concierge Level.

• The F8C Lightning Executive Edition is exclusive to the Praetorian Concierge Level.

• During the limited-time Birthday event, pilots have the chance to pick up a base F8C Lightning (Gold License) or a Base F8C Lightning with the Stormfire paint (Platinum License). These are in limited quantities, and will require participation in the in-game event.

Which size of landing pad does it use?
The F8C uses a small landing pad size, the same as Vanguard and Reliant.




Didn't you say the F8C Lightning will only be available after Squadron 42's release?
As we have quite a lot of special content that will drop after Squadron 42 releases, we felt it was a shame to keep one of the coolest UEE fighters sitting on a shelf, especially as players have been hijacking the AI flown F8s in the game – and we don’t think they should have all the fun!




Do we still get the opportunity to earn an F8C Lightning in Squadron 42?
Those who play Squadron 42 may earn a number of bonuses that carry over into Star Citizen, including access to the F8C Lightning.

So if you miss this birthday event, don't worry, you'll have another chance.