Gripen E -Magier- (Belkan Trigger)

Debuted in my YouTube videos, the Gripen E -Magier- ("Gripen E Belka") skin answers the question,

What if Trigger was Belkan?

This skin specifically stands for Magier Squadron, the 508th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the Belka Air Self-Defense Force (BASDF), plane number 15. In this AU, Trigger is a Belkan pilot serving under the Belkan branch of the International Union Peacekeeping Force (IUPF). In this scenario, he flies the Gripen E instead of the F-16C.

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AU HISTORY

What is the BASDF? In the 2010's, following the Circum-Pacific War, Osea's President Harling lifted some of the harsh sanctions imposed on Belka for the Belkan War, allowing them to have their own self-defense forces to protect themselves. The BASDF was created in 2011, commanded by the Belkan War vet, General Herrick Engel. They were allowed to bring back some limited military development as well on the condition that they join and supply the IUN. In Belka, all ultra-nationalist Grey Men who were caught were tried for war crimes, conspiracy and treason, driving the rest of them underground where they continued to work as sleeper agents. As for Belka itself, it is very open about their atrocities in the past, making reparations and seeking amends through serving for a greater good in the world.

The Gripen was originally developed by Belka in the late 20th century to replace the aging Viggen. The Gripen NG was being developed in the 90s to test the successor to the Gripen C/D. Due to the economic struggles of the time and the Belkan War itself, it was never fully produced and many of the prototypes were sold on the black market. Some of them were used in the Usean coup d'état. When they were allowed to produce their own weapons to defend themselves, the new munitions factory was founded in Hoffnung. The first thing they did for military production was modernize their self-defense force, particularly bringing the Gripen NG into full production as the Gripen E/F. Belka began producing the Gripen E in 2013, which

was made available for export as well.

Belka joined the IUN in 2011. Trigger joined the BASDF in 2018 and he first saw action in the Lighthouse War in 2019. His Gripen uses the signature mottled camo that was once used on Belkan planes in the early 20th century, but its used as a kind of flair that sets him apart from other Belkan pilots in the IUPF and their standard gray Gripens.

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BEHIND THE SCENES

I only completed the Gripen skin, but I originally envisioned a full set of OC skins for select aircraft for this AU.

Gripen E replaces the F-16C.

Typhoon would probably have replaced the F-15C.

Su-47 would probably have replaced the F-22A.

However, this was just a rough outline. I was in the process of doing a MiG-21bis Belkan skin based on the Soldier skin for t