The RVR-01 "Gauntlet" is the protagonist ship in Thunder Force V. It was constructed as the first model in the new RVR series of starfighters.
History
Thunder Force V
The RVR-01 is the first model of RVR spacecraft produced by Earth, a line of starfighters that were created after the initial discovery of the Vasteel Original (AKA Rynex). According to evidence, a total of at least seven models of this particular craft were produced, but the one that plays the role of the protagonist is flown by Cenes Crawford. Strangely, while the RVR-01 is tagged as "starfighter", is unable to leave the Earth's atmosphere unless it acquired a Brigandine module.
Unfortunately, if the RVR-01 uses the Brigandine, the craft is destroyed and is replaced by the RVR-02 Vambrace.
During the ending of Thunder Force V, the Guardian reveals the fate of the RVR-01 model as "Destroyed" and tagging the Vambrace as "Operational".
Thunder Force VI
Although the Gauntlet does not appear in this game (as it was destroyed). ORN Faust 's transforms into a gargantuan, evil version of this starfighter known as "ORN Faust Gauntlet" as the final form of Vasteel Nocht, after failing to destroy the player as larger, evil versions of the Styx and Rynex. In the end, the ORN version of this spacecraft is destroyed by the player's ship. Curiously, while the use of Styx and Rynex data by ORN Faust is understandable (by stealing data from the Galaxy Federation databases), it is unknown how it got the information about the RVR-01 due to the fact that Earth Side databases are many lightyears away, along with the fact that all old traces of Vasteel Technology were deleted by the Guardian after its infiltration of the WorldNet.