ORIGINS
The AA-57 Scimitar is a transatmospheric heavy fighter designed and manufactured by the Ascendancy Aeronautics design bureau based on the planet Strax. It is the signature fighter craft used by the Combined Armed Forces of the Strax Ascendancy (CAFSA.)

Initially resisted by the pilots of the CAFSA, the Scimitar rose in popularity following their great success in both void and atmosphere operations during Operation Moonlight, the Ascendancy's two year long campaign on Artemis Prime.

The origins of the design stem from the CAFSA's increasing need to modernize as it found itself fighting in increasingly harsh and far away environments. The Swift and Eagle fighters, which were more conventional designs originally in use by the Straxian Defense Force, had been loved by pilots but had begun to show their shortcomings, such as very limited spaceflight and size, presenting large target profiles.

This gave rise to a paranoia among the Ascendancy's Citadel High Command that they were soon not going to be capable of performing their duties as well as they had previously especially after they began encountering better trained and better equipped Solaris Union forces, including the fielding of the Union's Avar heavy fighters to the Ascendancy theater.

In the years prior and during the Ascendancy's campaign on Zecarov Prime, the prototypes for the new craft were developed by Ascendancy Aeronautics and tested on Strax's Kyram proving grounds. The flying wing design garnered push back from the majority of pilots in the CAFSA, though despite this Citadel pressed Ascendancy Aeronautics to continue, putting their trust in the design bureau.

The first combat ready models were ready in time to train the new pilots before Operation Moonlight. With its heavy ordnance, sophisticated avionics, high maneuverability, and survivability, the Scimitar's performance during both space and atmosphere against the Union silenced the vast majority of naysayers the design had and the pilots had begun to switch their stance. Any further doubt was removed after Artemis when the Scimitar's design was tweaked following pilot testimonials.

CREW
The Scimitar is controlled by a single pilot via a dual control stick layout. The cockpit is tightly fitted, incorporating flight controls, view screens, targeting systems, and tracking equipment. 

A full, pressurized seal along with various scrubbers allows the cockpit to retain an atmosphere. This is all housed in the ejection pod system that allows the pilot to escape a doomed craft for extraction.

DESIGN
The internal structure of the Scimitar is composed of diffusion-bonded metal composites. Chrome-doped zirconium oxide-reinforced fibers in titanium aluminide, make up the bonded metal layer, giving exceptional lightness, strength and oxidation resistance. While the outer hull of the craft is made of a tri-layer system, a inner carbon composite layer bonded to a middle layer of single-crystal carbon (able to withstand the heating of atmospheric re-entry), with a ceramic outer layer provides thermal and oxidation resistance during high-altitude, high-speed flight. All underneath a layer of treated stalkrov armor plating.

The craft's four fuel tanks are located within the wings, with a reserve fuel tank located between each of the Scimitar's two engines.

PROPULSION
The Scimitar was required to be transatmospheric, as such Ascendancy Aeronautics developed a liquid air cycle engine (LACE) from captured Union engines. The Scimitar is equipped with two L-104 LACE drives, using metastable metallic hydrogen along with liquisol as its primary fuel, as is common with Ascendancy craft. 

These drives, along with various small reaction control thrusters located in specific points around the fuselage, provide the Scimitar with surprising maneuverability.
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Finally did a entire redesign of the Ascendancy's main fighter :o
I absolutely love how it looks, im real proud of this one :D

I really heavily debate posting my vehicle stuff here, I don't know why. I have a lot of Ascendancy-verse stuff to show still :U