| Statistics | Info |
|---|---|
| First designed by | Sideways Collective Industries |
| First released in | 1775 |
| Manufactured & developed by | Sideways Collective Industries |
| Role | Interceptor |
| Crew | 1 - Pilot |
| Main armament | Light Cirus GMAT Autocoil |
| Payload | I1A: N/A |
| Countermeasures | I1A: 30/2 |
The Otera-Interceptor 1 Paradox is a single seat, single engine, light interceptor starfighter manufactured by Sideways Collective Industries. It was the first interceptor design in the Otera starfighter line. The Paradox focused primarily on speed and manoeuvrability rather than firepower, lacking any payloads for its first few renditions. Most Otera-I1s were exclusively sold to military security firms for use in peacekeeping and patrol projects, rather than being available on the open market. Although still popular, the Paradox's limited functionality compared to the Otera-F1 Paradigm meant it did not break any records throughout its lifetime.
The Otera-I1A was the first model of the Paradox available to buyers. It came equipped with a light Cirus GMAT Autocoil and lacked any hardpoints for additional payload capacity. Despite its relatively weak firepower, the I1A's low mass and high thrust meant it boasted a very high acceleration rate for its time. The platform served as the base for many future interceptor developments.
One such development was the Otera-I1C, which after the I1B model failed to pass the prototype stage, ended up as the A model's successor. Released in 1779, the Otera-I1C doubled the number of reaction control system piping and thrusters on the vehicle's external layers. This upgrade greatly increased its manoeuvrability.
According to communication between SCI employees, consumer feedback demanded a smaller frame for the Otera-I1. Over the decade spanning 1780 to 1790, several prototypes for the next Paradox were considered. Due to various concerns with conflicting systems and the safety of module positioning, most of the models failed to make it past the blueprinting stage. The Otera-I1E and I1H models nearly made it to production, but several RCS failures during testing caused them to be redesigned yet again.
The primary issue faced by SCI engineers was the positioning of RCS piping against other modules, especially near the tail where fuel tanks and combustion systems needed be stored in high pressure environments. During flight, the force experienced by these systems when the thrusters of either type were engaged for too long meant a rupture somewhere along the pipelines could occur.
The Otera-I1J solved this problem by separating the central RCS fuel zone into separate sections, each supplied with their own storage of fuel. Although this meant that different RCS zones could deplete their fuel at different rates, the change removed the need for additional piping throughout the starship, freeing up additional space for the rest of the modules despite the total reduction in size. The I1J reduced the Paradox's physical size by 20%.
The Otera-I1K came out shortly after the I1J, continuing the acquired momentum of development. It added 15 more countermeasures, for a total of 45, and reduced the countermeasure packet size to 1. In addition, the main engine was upgraded to the new standard.
The Otera-I1L was the final rendition of the Paradox, and introduced two M-CX missile hardpoints to the wingtips. No radar was mounted to the platform due to the limited space, meaning it was limited to infrared tracking missiles. Given the Paradox's interceptor role, additional ordnance was never considered for the starfighter. The I1L was typically equipped with not yet converted SLAM-4 infrared missiles.