Squadron 42 Gladius: The Navy Light Fighter Guide

The Gladius is a light fighter in the United Empire of Earth Navy's fleet, and it appears in the Squadron 42 universe as one of the service's established combat airframes. While the player's primary ship in the campaign is the F8A Lightning, the Gladius is part of the same Navy the story depicts — a faster, lighter fighter with its own role in fleet operations. This page explains the ship and how it fits the campaign's world.

The Ship

The Gladius is a single-seat light fighter built for speed and agility rather than raw firepower. In Star Citizen's lore it is an older Navy design that remains in service — a proven airframe valued for patrol, escort and light-strike work where a heavier fighter is not needed. It is smaller and more nimble than the F8 Lightning and the F7 Hornet, trading armor and weapon capacity for handling. For players of the wider universe, the Gladius is a well-known ship with multiple variants; in the Squadron 42 campaign it represents the Navy's lighter combat arm.

How It Compares

Against the F8A Lightning the player flies, the Gladius is the older, lighter alternative: quicker to turn, easier to throw around, but less heavily armed and less survivable in a slugging match. Against the F7 Hornet family, it occupies a different niche entirely — the Hornet is a medium fighter built around versatility, while the Gladius is a specialist in speed. In fleet terms, a battlegroup like the ones shown in the campaign's fleet actions would operate multiple airframes across these roles, which is how the campaign's fleet actions depict Navy operations.

The Gladius in the Story

The campaign's war with the Vanduul requires the entire Navy, not just one squadron. Gladius fighters appear in the universe the story depicts — as patrol craft, as escort wings and as part of the fleet's order of battle. Specific Gladius missions in the final campaign are "to be confirmed" until launch, but the ship's presence in the universe is established through the lore CIG has published across both games.

For Players Coming From Star Citizen

If you know the Gladius from Star Citizen, the ship in Squadron 42 is the same universe's version of it — a military light fighter with the same design heritage. The campaign's flight model is the same technology Star Citizen uses, so the handling characteristics you know carry over, adjusted for whatever loadout the campaign assigns.

The Gladius Family

In the wider universe, the Gladius has grown into a family of variants — including patrol and trainer versions — and it remains popular with players for its handling. Its longevity in Navy service is part of its lore: the airframe has served across multiple eras of the Vanduul conflict, and its continued production reflects a design that works. In the Squadron 42 universe, that history places the Gladius alongside the F7 Hornet and the F8 Lightning as part of the Navy's fighter lineage — older, lighter airframes doing the work that lets the newest fighter win the battles that matter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Gladius in Squadron 42?

The Gladius is part of the UEE Navy's fleet in the Squadron 42 universe. Its specific missions in the campaign are "to be confirmed."

Is the Gladius better than the F8?

They are different ships. The Gladius is lighter and more agile; the F8 is newer, tougher and more heavily armed. The F8 is the player's primary fighter.

Can you fly the Gladius in the campaign?

The full mission-by-mission ship roster is "to be confirmed." The player's primary ship is the F8A Lightning.