Affiliation Minbari Federation Length 22.23 meters | Defenses Stealth systems | |
First appearance And the Sky Full of Stars (airdate)
In the Beginning (chronological) Armaments 3 Light Neutron Fusion Cannons Propulsion Stalasha Gravimetric Engine | ||
The Nial class heavy fighter, or Windstar, is the fictional fighter of the Minbari Federation in the Babylon 5 television series. The fighter operates as an escort and a scout.
Contents
Origin and design
The fighter was designed and modelled by Ron Thornton.
Depiction
The Nial is the most advanced and powerful fighter built by any of the younger galactic races. It has incredible firepower, speed, and maneuverability. The armament of the Windstar consists of three gravimetrically enhanced neutron particle beam cannons, similar to those found on a Sharlin Class Warcruiser. The neutron cannons can fire at a rapid rate and can annihilate any other fighter within range. The fighter is also capable of much greater acceleration than Centauri, Human, or Narn fighters, and it is also more maneuverable in battle. The Windstar is also equipped with the standard Minbari stealth technology, which prevents other vessels from achieving target lock and, in some cases, from even being able to detect the fighter on sensors. Given these overwhelming advantages, it is not surprising that the Nial is the most feared fighter among the younger races.
History
The Nial has served the Minbari faithfully for hundreds of years. It was prominent in the Second Shadow War, where it proved capable of destroying even the highly advanced fighters of the ancient Shadows. During the Earth-Minbari War the Windstar wreaked havoc on the Earth fleet; a single Nial would often destroy ten or more Earth Starfury fighters without being damaged itself. The Nial is set to serve the Minbari and the Interstellar Alliance well into the future.