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The Fire LEO (short for Little.Eternal-Operation of Fire) are a series of starfighters featured in the Thunder Force series. They are built by the Galaxy Federation to fight against the ORN Empire under the initiative "Project Thunder Force".

Fire LEO series[]

Fire LEO-01[]

The original Fire LEO starfighter, it was built for one purpose: Locate and destroy the Shield generators of the ORN fortress Dyradeizer, the plan succeeded with the destruction of Dyradeizer. Its pilot was Edra N. Fern.

Fire LEO-02 "Exceliza"[]

Fire LEO-02 sprite

Exceliza

The Galaxy Federation learns that ORN houses Plealos deep below Nebula's surface when not in use and takes the opportunity to plan an operation to take it down. They send the next iteration of their Fire LEO series of fighter craft, the Fire LEO-02 "Exceliza", to destroy the ORN bases on Nebula and eventually find and destroy Plealos. The player controls the Exceliza and travels through a variety of stages to accomplish this goal.

The pilots of this ship are Reid A. Jupiter and Diana Lynn.

Fire LEO-03 "Styx"[]

Styx Sprite

Styx

The Fire LEO-03 "Styx" was created as a craft small enough to avoid detection by Cerberus, but equipped with the firepower of a large starfighter. It was deployed on a mission to destroy the five cloaking devices installed by the ORN Empire in five different planets, infiltrate the Empire's headquarters, and destroy its emperor, the bio-computer "Khaos".

The pilots of the Styx are Jean R. Fern and Sherry M. Jupiter.

Fire LEO-03MP "Styx Mass Product"[]

This mass production variant of the Styx made a short appearance in Thunder Force IV. During the Cerberus II pursuit in Stage 5, a squadron of Styx fighters is sent to support the Fire LEO-04 "Rynex", two of which help circumnavigate the cruiser while another six assist in the battle against Versus. However, they're no match for Versus, which destroys all of the Styx squadron, except for three ships which appear later to deliver the new Thunder Claw control unit and install it on Rynex.

Fire LEO-04 "Rynex"[]

Rynex with CLAW

Rynex

With an initial defeat, the Galaxy Federation develop this small and powerful craft to fight back the forces of Vios. Right after the completion of the mission, the Vios fortress' massive explosion heavily damaged the ship, but didn't destroy it. It drifted through space until it reached the Oort Cloud, where it was discovered by the ESSA Space Probe "Sekika 3". The humans dubbed this discovery as the "Vastian's Steel" or "Vasteel". Its discovery triggered an evolution in Earth's technology, known as "Vasteel Technology", but also unleashed a war against the human race. Rynex was destroyed by the RVR-02 "Vambrace" during a battle against the Sword Fleet.

The Rynex's pilots were Roy S. Mercury and Carol T. Mars. When it was revived in Thunder Force VI, the Galaxy Federation researchers created a mass-production variant known as Rynex-R. It is also the only Fire LEO which used an Extra Weapon Bay, an Earth-made, Guardian created variant of the RVR Brigandine equipment.

Fire LEO-04C "Rynex-R"[]

Rynex-R

Rynex Enhanced.

Also known as "Rynex 改" (Rynex Kai), the Rynex-R is the result of Galaxy Federation researchers who managed to take advantage of the original Rynex's design and successfully mass-produced the craft in large quantities. The ship needs specific amount of skill to pilot it. The Thunder Sword add-on is now implemented from the start, though it is inferior to the destructive power employed by the original. However, the ship makes up for this by strengthening diversion of each armaments.

Shin S. Mercury is one of the pilots of this fighter.

Unused Prototypes[]

Fire LEO-05 Prototype "Syrinx"[]

Fire LEO-05P Syrinx 02

Fire LEO-05P "Syrinx" illustration by Garow.

Due to the cancellation of Thunder Force VI on the Sega Dreamcast we can only speculate about this ship. Unlike the traditional red colors of the Fire LEO series, Syrinx featured an RVR-like blue color scheme, which will make us think of a possible Earth-Galaxy Federation joint project. This ship features variable geometry, and therefore can fold its wings for shift from Attack Mode to Speed Mode.

Due to the cancellation of the game, the identity of its pilot is a mystery.

Despite its cancellation, the ship design was retaken from its forgotten origins, redesigned and used on the PS2 version of Thunder Force VI, where it sees the light of day as an RVR/ORN Faust/Fire LEO hybrid.

Styx Rev.2[]

Styx Rev

Garow's illustration of the Styx Rev.2

Styx Rev.2 is to be an identical copy of the original Fire LEO-03 "Styx", and the second "Mass Production" version of the Fire LEO-03. It was the second ship in the game to feature an RVR-like blue and white color scheme with a green cockpit canopy, which like the Fire LEO-05P "Syrinx" will makes us think again on an Earth Side-Galaxy Federation collaboration on its development. Its total crew is unknown, but it was highly probable that the ship was double seated like the original Styx.

Although the ship was cancelled along with the game, the concept of a mass produced variant was re-taken and used on the Fire LEO-04C "Rynex-R" in Thunder Force VI.

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