Jetfire

Profile: With a reckless daring that comes from being the swiftest of all the Autobots, Jetfire is the most eager of his comrades to plunge into battle. But his bravado is tempered by one overriding thought: he sincerely believes that victory over the Decepticons can only come through advancements in Autobot technology. As the first of a new generation of Autobots such a credo is perhaps only natural. Also, because he was created on Earth, Jetfire is one of the few Autobots who has no memory of his home planet. His allegiance to his cause is only matched by his devotion to scientific research.

Abilities: In jet-fighter mode, Jetfire's unique swing-wing design allows him to take off like a normal jet and then, pulling his wings back, reach speeds of up to Mach 4.2. Adding twin supersonic combustion ramjet (i.e. scramjet) engine modules along with twin liquid hydrogen fuel tanks allows Jetfire to achieve orbital velocities, or to even escape Earth's gravity altogether. With this capability, he can launch like a missile, shoot up above the atmosphere, and, at a speed of Mach 29, dive down like a blazing meteor (hence his name) half a world away only 30 minutes later. In robot and jet mode, he is equipped with four independently targetable particle beam cannons around his head and eight heat-seeking armor-piercing missiles.

Weaknesses: Jetfire's range is limited by his fuel consumption; any transatmospheric trip requires his refueling when he lands. Since he is newly constructed by the Ark, he is prone to numerous mechanical failures as the bugs in his system are worked out. Anything from a malfunctioning radio to an engine stall in deep space has been known to happen.