The newest
Earth Alliance fighter is the
Thunderbolt, a heavily modified and improved
Starfury design. It is much more aerodynamic, capable of atmospheric as well as space combat. It has small fins mounted on the engines that are extended during atmospheric flight to improve control. The Thunderbolt is around 15 meters long, with a full wingspan of almost 20 meters (fins extended). Usually a these fighters are only armed with a powerful gatling plasma cannon, but they also have at least four hardpoints for attaching missiles if needed. The Thunderbolt seats two, the pilot in the front seat, and the co-pilot/navigator in the rear seat.
The Thunderbolt Fighter made it's first appearance in the episode "Severed Dreams" and is seen throughout the rest of the series and spinoffs flying alongside Starfury craft in the Shadow War the Earth Civil War the Drakh War, and the Crusade Series.