The "Helios" Project is a foray into the usage of what is termed as "outdated technology" by today's standards. In this day and age, 99.7% of all weaponry in Sirius is energy based, establishing it as the gold standard in weapons technology. There is little wonder why, energy weapons are the pinnacle of energy efficiency, are highly space efficient and batteries are overall much lighter than ammunition. However, despite energy based weaponry's ability to deal a fair amount of damage, the sheer explosive power of ballistic and ordinance based weaponry of the past age leaves much to be desired. The field of ballistics remained undeveloped due to the advent and subsequent focus on energy based weaponry, resulting in a regression of ballistics.The "Helios" project hopes to reverse this regression via the mixing of the sheer power of ballistic technology together with the latest in weapons technology Sirius has to offer.

The "Helios" in the "Helios" Project stands for "High ExpLosIve Ordinance Strikecraft". The aim of the project is to produce a ship that relies fully on ballistic based weaponry that can hold its own in a fight.

In 816 A.S, IMG Research & Development: Mining department developed a ballistic payload capable of breaking up asteroids to facilitate ease of sample collection and and area clearing. The experimental "Crusher" bomb was implemented first in Omega-7 mining operations.

On one occasion, IMG miner Terry Scott, flying a SMV-612-C class "Scraper" miner and his mining group was targeted by a wing of Corsairs. By sheer chance and luck, a Corsair Titan collided with a "Crusher" bomb dropped by Mr. Scott, decimating its hull.

The incident was reported and sparked the concept idea of improving ancient ballistics weaponry to more modern standards. Although the "Crusher" bomb was discontinued due to volatility and safety hazards, blueprints were provided to the Military research department for analysis.

Initial tests involve a test bed model with zero fancy equipment. The first every "Helios" Prototype could not even be described as as a piece of technology. A factory made stock IMGF-18C "Lhotse" with Vampires and internal energy feeders replaced with missile banks.

The IMGXF XBF-00 "Helios" sole purpose was to test feasibility of utilizing a full ballistics weaponry in a modern dog fight. The "Double Zero" was built in Aland Shipyard and piloted by volunteer IMG paramilitary pilot Kyle White, data was collected from field tests in the Omega-3 system. There were two variants of the prototype 00 model.

IMGXF XBF-00j "Helios" was the variant that was used to test tracking and volatility. The "J" standing for "Javelin", the model was fitted with low yield J63 "Javelin" missiles to test the overall ability for missiles to track based upon ancient heat seeking abilities, volatility in the face of weapons fire and feasibility of the entire concept.

Results from the IMGXF XBF-00j "Helios" model showed an overall weakness of missile tracking due to the heat emitted from solar bodies and the high volatility of missiles due to poor containment in missile banks.

The second variant was the IMGXF XBF-00c "Helios", "C" being representative of the C242 "Cannonball", the pinnacle of lightweight ballistics weaponry of that time. The "C" variant was meant to test damage potential against a stationary target. The results were astonishing, the sheer destructive potential of a barrage of six missiles is capable of completely decimating a well armored target.

From preliminary tests, it was decided that the faults of a missile based strikecraft, despite being quite prominent, was subordinate to sheer damage potential. Thus the "Helios" project was given the green light and substantial funding to ensure its faults are dealt with and it's strengths, maximized.

Test subject 00 "Kyle White", vital statistics outside testing zone are nominal.
Heart rate average of 67. Brain activity nominal.

During testing stage "C", vital monitors and shipboard monitoring devices have found the following:

• Shockwaves can course through a ship's hull.
  
• Shockwaves can shock the pilot. Heart rate doubles after shockwaves. Danger of cardiac arrest present.
  
• Shockwaves can send vibrations through the hull.
  
• Vibrations produce screeching sound that interferes with pilot concentration.
  
• Overall stress levels increase.
  
• Brain activity increase due to stress levels.
  
• Possible brain breakdown may occur.
  

The two main issues for the pilot as gathered from the tests are the possibility of a breakdown due to intense stress due to constant vibrations and screeches from proximity explosions and the possibility of a cardiac arrest should sudden shockwaves startle the pilot.

These two issues have to be addressed in the next prototype.

Test subject 00 "Kyle White".
Ship: IMGXF XBF-00 "Helios"

During testing stage "J", experimentation on moving target dummies have found the following:

• Tracking systems based upon heat seeking worked at 60% efficiency due to Solar radiation.
  
• Missiles often failed to hit especially when target moves directly in front of a Solar body, heat from Solar body negates heat signature from target.
  
• Susceptibility to CMs at 40%.

Missile tracking capabilities prone to failure. Issue is of a lower priority than pilot safety, will attempt to correct errors in next prototype.

During testing stage "C", experimentation on static dummies have found the following:

• C242 class missiles in a salvo of six decimates targets.
  
• Possibility of damage to ship should explosions occur in proximity.
  
• Earlier mentioned shockwaves prove a hazard to both pilot health and sensitive onboard equipment. 3 counts of monitoring equipment failure due to intense vibrations.

Damage potential is high, but due to area of effect, ship may get caught up in explosion. Sensitive equipment prone to failure due to shockwaves. Ensuring the safety of the pilot and the ship is paramount, preventing damage to sensitive on board equipment is also a priority that must be tackled in the next prototype.

An additional thing to note, all effects of ballistics on the host ship is likely to apply to hostiles as well. If we are able to negate the effect of these shockwaves on both the pilot and the ship, we have a case where our ship is immune to its effects and the enemy, susceptible to them, thus providing a huge bonus in combat.