Come and see what the Tau are bringing to the skies of Warhammer 40k as we take a look at the deadly Barracuda.
The Tau race is one of the youngest explorers in the galaxy but their firepower on the battlefield is second to none. Let’s find out why.
Via our friends at Lexicanum
The Barracuda air superiority fighter is the Tau‘s most common atmospheric aircraft.
Overview
Faster than the Imperial Navy‘s Marauder bomber, but lacking the top speed of the Thunderbolt or Lightning fighter, it makes up for its shortcomings with its sophisticated electronics and pilots’ natural talents.
In a dogfight, Thunderbolts and Barracudas are very closely matched, with the Thunderbolt having the edge in speed but the Barracuda having the maneuverability. Despite this, the Imperium‘s pilots often have the hard edge of combat experience which the Tau’s Air Caste pilots find difficult to match.
Armament and Equipment
A Barracuda is armed with a nose-mounted, pilot aimed Ion Cannon. This is the aircraft’s primary weapon of use in dogfights, backed up by two drone controlled Burst Cannons in the wings. For ground attacks, it is primarily armed with wing-mounted missile pods. When used in a ground attack role a Barracuda can carry an additional armament of up to four Seeker missiles. These are not controlled by the pilot but by a Markerlight operator on the ground.
All Barracudas are equipped with escape pods. In the event that the aircraft sustains serious damage, the pilot can eject. Some versions of Barracuda might include Blacksun Filters (night-fighting sensors),Disruption Pod and Decoy Launchers for additional protection.
Taros Campaign
On Taros, the Tau Coalition included a large Air Caste contingent, which formed an integral part of their strategy. Barracudas and Imperial Thunderbolts fought daily for the planet’s air superiority. Flying from well-concealed desert airbases the Barracudas eventually won the battle.
AX-5-2 Barracuda
Not only engaging in dogfights, the Barracudas also targeted the Imperial Guard‘s supply columns, operating in unison with Pathfinder teams in order to destroy Trojans and vital equipment. The Barracudas played a vital role in the Tau’s strategy, eventually defeating the Imperial Guard and forcing it to retreat.
AX-5-2 Barracuda
The AX-5-2 Barracuda is a more modern and updated Barracuda design.
Aircraft specifications
| Ordo Xenos Departmento Analyticus Record | |||
| Serial Number | N/A | Main Armament | Nose mounted Ion Cannon, wing-mounted missile pods |
| Designation | Air Superiority Fighter | ||
| Vehicle Codename | Barracuda | Secondary Armament | 2x Drone controlled Burst Cannons |
| Vehicle Type | Aircraft | ||
| Crew | Pilot | Traverse | N/A |
| Weight | 7 tonnes | Elevation | N/A |
| Length | 14.1m | Ammunition | 8 Missiles. 8000 rounds |
| Width | N/A | Armor Type | 35mm, Nano-Crystalline alloy (composition unknown) |
| Height | 3.25mm | ||
| Max Recorded Speed | 2,100kph | ||
| Summary | Air superiority fighter | ||
