Umbara

"They look ugly!"

- Penquino's personal remarks upon first being briefed on the Umbara craft.

The Umbara was a USSI aircraft and spacecraft which was introduced after the Frosian Islands campaign of the Shops Civil War, and quickly became the USSI's flagship fighter. It served the rebels valiantly until the war's end fighting the Shopper Empire in many battles. The craft participated in nearly every skirmish in the war after the attack on the Frosian Islands.

The Umbara was designed for operation in both in-atmosphere and in outer space. Holding an impressive weapons payload, the Umbara was the rebels' main combat aircraft and bomber during the time it served in battle. The craft, due to its lack of gun rigs and systems, became popular prey for Shopper fighters, though Umbara pilots were nonetheless able to compensate for a lack of firepower with world-class missile technology and unmatched agility.

Commonly underestimated due to its lack of guns, and its odd, and often referred to as "ugly" appearance, the star-fighter had to prove itself to almost any witness it came by, and did a stunningly well job at it, when given the opportunity to shine.

Development
The Umbara was designed and put into production for the first time after Penquino and his friends embarked on a mission to capture the Frosian Islands from Shopper hands. While he and his friends were gone, Penquino's sister Mito, and her new friends Chris Chesterfield and Goldette worked on a new star-fighter which would rival that of the corrupted SIA Space Command Fleet.

It took almost no time before the Umbaras were being slated into mass-production, with the resources of steel mined from Western Shops' mining strongholds. A sizable fleet of Umbara star-fighters was assembled by the time Penquino and co. arrived back from the Frosian Islands safely, and were shocked and confused by the unique Umbara craft.

Operation
Operation of the Umbara was ahead of its time, even for 2026. The cockpit of the star-fighter was suspended with almost no restraints, and the pilot used two force-fields which surrounded their flippers to maneuver the craft, almost as if the vehicle was a physical extension of the pilot. Systems were controlled by holographic-touchscreen projections which appeared in front of the windshield, which could either be utilized using flipper touch methods, or by voice command. The Umbara was renowned for its futuristic and ergonomic operating style, providing ease of use and comfort for the pilots who used the fighters.

Maneuverability
The Umbara had unchallenged maneuverability for a ship of its class, and could easily be controlled by its pilots, as the craft was programmed to interact with the pilots' flipper movements. The fighter could do many acrobatic maneuvers with pilot ease, because the spherical cockpit remained upright and level, no matter what position the rest of the fighter was in.

Although the fighter was agile, it greatly lacked speed. Unlike most space-equipped fighters, the Umbara could not jump into hyperspace, or approach light-speed. It had to be moved to far-away places by larger USSI transport craft and ships, which was a price to pay for the fighters' benefits.

Armament
What the Umbara was prized for in handling and agility, it lacked in effective armament. The Umbara was viewed as a generally bulky craft, and relied heavily on a hefty payload of missiles, instead of guns. With only two gun turrets, the craft was thought to be very vulnerable to enemy gunfire and attack, but the ship made up for its lack of firepower with its heat-tracing missiles, which came in great numbers. The Umbara's missiles could be shot in any direction, which helped when it came to eliminating enemy craft who attacked from behind. These craft mainly relied on agility to dodge impending attacks, and to trick opponents, rather than to fire at them.

Usage History
The Umbara held an extensive battle record during its time in combat during the Shops Civil War. The Umbara quickly became the flagship fighter of the USSI, and was a force to be reckoned with in the air, and in space.

Northern Shops Assault
The Umbaras were first dispatched on a mission to Northern Shops to fend off the newly-formed Shopper Empire's attacks.