VF-25 Messiah

The VF-25 Messiah is a fictional space-capable variable fighter, seen in the anime Macross Frontier (set in the year 2059 A.D.) of the Macross series. The craft was developed on board the space colonization fleet Macross Frontier from the YF-24 Evolution prototype whose blueprint was delivered via the Galaxy Network. Within the series, it has not been officially rolled out, rather being distributed to the private military company S.M.S. (Strategic Military Services) to evaluate its performance under field conditions first.

In fighter mode the VF-25 resembles a twin-engined single-seater jet aircraft, with features similar to the real-life Sukhoi Su-27 and Grumman F-14 Tomcat, such as a similar nose structure, a bubble canopy with bow and stern frames, a flattened out after-fuselage, variable-geometry wings, and outward-canted twin tails, which are roughly mirrored by twin fins on the fuselage's underside. Assisting the onboard flight control surfaces is an array of vernier thrusters that allow precision maneuvering. A detachable GU-17 gatling gun pod is stowed ventrally between the craft's two engines. In addition to the gun pod, built-in weapons include beam weaponry, head-mounted lasers and a large knife (for use in GERWALK or Battroid modes) that can be reinforced by the fighter's own pin-point barrier system.

External equipment (FAST Packs - divided into "Super Packs" and "Armor Packs" in the TV series) can be added to improve craft capabilities in some manner. Of note is that the real-life mechanical designer, Shoji Kawamori, deliberately gave the VF-25 a slim profile to allow transformations to GERWALK or Battroid modes occur with full armor packs still attached; this is in contrast to most of the earlier variable fighter designs, in which the attachments had to be ejected first due to their physically obstructive nature. Functioning as the "ejection seat" is the pilot's worn flight-capable EX-Gear powered exoskeleton, which usually stays linked to the cockpit systems.