Name: Liam Smith
Callsign/Nickname: Griffin
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Appearance:
https://www.craiyon.com/image/mq7wlO84Q76difHBNa5RgANationality: British
Personality: Liam is a somewhat introverted person, especially since the death of his father during Heavenfall. Despite the loss, he turned into a calm and courageous person, determined to protect what remains in this world, although some would see his actions as a bit reckless. He is loyal to his fault and is willing to help a follow squadron member in need. This is when his recklessness can begin to show. He has a fondness for fish and chips and prefers his Irish whiskey on the rocks.
History: Liam was born on the 12th of February in 1985. He grew up in Liverpool, a major port city on the north western coast of England. His mother worked for the NHS as a nurse and his father was a pilot in the Royal Air Force. His father flew the Tornado GR1 during his service and even participated in the aerial campaign during the Gulf War.
Liam was fascinated with flight from an early age, attending air shows with his father and collecting models of aircraft, cherishing the model of a Tornado GR1 given to him by his father. He was always asking his father questions about what it's like to fly aircraft.
He decided to follow in his father's footsteps and intended to join the RAF, attending an RAF College and studied aeronautical engineering during his time at the college.
It was while he was at the RAF College that Heavenfall happened. Initially, it was just rumours of what happened on the coast that reached the college, until the instructors confirmed the level of devastation that remained of the coastlines. He immediately tried to get in contact with his parents with permission from his instructors, being allowed to use one of the phones in the office. He tried calling the landline, but got no answer. He even tried calling the hospital that his mother worked at, but they couldn't help him because they were in the middle of mass casualty protocols.
Eventually, his mother managed to call the college and the instructors rushed to get Liam to the office to speak to his mother. When the instructor rushed to get him and also remained in the office with him, he knew something was wrong. His father had been brought into the hospital his mother worked at, having risked his life to save a family from drowning in the flood, but he drowned doing so.
The news absolutely devastated Liam even more than the news of what happened to Liverpool did. The cherished model GR1 that sat on his desk in his room used to bring him comfort now served as a memory of what he had lost.
For a little while, he struggled to figure out what he wanted to do after the loss of his father. He spoke to his instructors and his mother a few times, but eventually decided to continue his training to honour his father.
Liam was filled with a new sense of determination, but also became more guarded as a result of the loss of his father and his childhood home. He did really well in his flight training with the RAF, until he was hit with more bad news. Due to the now struggling economy caused by Heavenfall, the RAF couldn't afford to bring him in as a pilot.
He felt like he had failed his father, not being able to fly for the RAF. But he was given an opportunity by one of his instructors who happened to serve with his father in the Gulf War. He would get him in touch with some permitted PMCs with the N/UN, who might give him an opportunity to fly for them and still be able to do some good in the world.
Shattered Steel was the first permitted PMC to get in touch with Liam and agreed to bring him on board as long as he could prove himself in the cockpit. He proved to be more than capable in a variety of roles in the simulators and earned his place in Shattered Steel.
Soon after he joined, Shattered Steel acquired a Tornado GR4 for him to use and assigned him a WSO. Circuit, a young Canadian woman with a degree in computer engineering. Over time, he would get to know Circuit and come to trust not only her ability as a WSO, but also as a person. He would also grow to appreciate her enthusiasm and would treat it as a glimmer of hope that humanity can recover from Heavenfall.
Personal Gear: L9A1 semi automatic pistol (British Military Issue) Sig Sauer MCX (11.5 inch barrel, collapsible stock, stubby foregrip, small 3x prism optic with battle sights on top), survival equipment, Mod Survival Knife, small flashlight (can be mounted on MCX and paired with pressure switch, flashlight stored on person)
Personal Aircraft: Panavia Tornado GR4
https://www.defenseadvancement.com/projects/panavia-tornado-aircraft/Aircraft modifications:
1. Advanced Materials Refit - Refitting the heavier parts of the airframe with lighter and stronger materials to increase speed, maneuverability and increase operational range
2. Modern AESA Radar - for enhanced detection range, tracking capabilities and multi target capabilities
3. Advanced Avionics - updated displays, processors and software for improved situational awareness and mission management
4. Distributed Aperture System (DAS) - providing 360-degree situational awareness and missile warning
5. Modern IRST system - integrated into DAS for passive target detection and tracking of airborne targets
6. Thrust Vectoring Nozzles - to provide enhanced maneuverability, especially at low speeds and high angles of attack
7. Reinforced Airframe - to ensure the airframe that handle the increased stresses brought on by other modifications
8. Upgraded Power Generation and Distribution System - to provide sufficient power to the new, more demanding electronic systems
9. Enhanced Cooling Systems - to manage the increased heat generated by the advanced electronics and ensure reliable operation
10. Modern Data Bus Architecture - to allow seamless and high speed communication and data sharing between between all the advanced sensors and systems on the aircraft
11. Modern EW Suite - to significantly improve self protection capabilities against radar threats, electronic jamming and missile attacks
12. Compatibility Upgrades for New Weapon Systems - AIM-120D AMRAAM, MBDA Meteor and MBDA SPEAR 3 to compliment the existing weapon systems available for the Tornado platform
Anything Else: Liam grew up listening to a lot of rock and metal, favouring bands like Iron Maiden and Motorhead.
