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EU-35 triple-barreled Pulse Beam Cannon. The maximum energy output is 12.5 MJ per barrel, with a maximum rate of fire of 45 rounds per minute. The EU-35 can fire at higher rates of fire, but this will occur at correspondingly reduced yield.

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. Genesis Climber MOSPEADA (R) is the property of Fuji Television, Artmic Studio and Tatsunoko Production.  This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Acknowledgement is extended to Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide. Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern are given credit for all quotes and paraphrasing of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide that has been utilized on Robotech Illustrated. 

Sources: Robotech the Expeditionary Force Marines Source Book by Irvin Jackson

Content by Tim Wing, with Pieter Thomassen, with Peter Walker and Rob Morgenstern

Copyright © 2001 Robert Morgenstern, Pieter Thomassen, Peter Walker, 2021 Tim Wing

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. Genesis Climber MOSPEADA (R) is the property of Fuji Television, Artmic Studio and Tatsunoko Production.  This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Acknowledgement is extended to Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide. Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern are given credit for all quotes and paraphrasing of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide that has been utilized on Robotech Illustrated. 

Sources: Robotech the Expeditionary Force Marines Source Book by Irvin Jackson

Content by Tim Wing, with Pieter Thomassen, with Peter Walker and Rob Morgenstern

Copyright © 2001 Robert Morgenstern, Pieter Thomassen, Peter Walker, 2021 Tim Wing

The Hughes EP-13 was a three-barreled 80mm particle gun pod based on the earlier EP-12. Due to its scaled-down size, it had a slower rate of fire at 170 rounds per minute in full automatic mode versus the EP-12’s 240 rounds per minutes. Like the EP-12, it could fire all three barrels simultaneously in semiautomatic mode at approximately one shot per second. This weapon fired one 8.2 MJ pulse per barrel in each mode, with its own dedicated protoculture cell and capacitor banks in the ‘magazine’. This specific Protoculture cell was a rare example of a non-standard unit in service with the UEEF, as almost all of their mecha used the “Standard Tiresian Protoculture Cell”. This weapon, built into an external shell identical to that of the GU-13, was developed in 2025 by the UEEF, but didn’t see wide use until 2026. By 2031, the EP-13 had almost completely replaced the GU-13 as the main cannon of Alphas in the UEEF’s inventory. The weapon is stored under the wing root in fighter mode, and in the hand in GERWALK and Battloid modes.

• Designed: 2025
• Manufacturer: Hughes Electronics (Robotech Factory Satellite production facility)
• Weight: 862 kg.
• Length: 489 centimeters
• Height: 287 centimeters
• Width: 46 centimeters
• Rate of Fire: 170 discharges per minute
• Output: 8.2 MJ
• Ammunition Capacity: Approximately 1800 discharges before Protoculture cell depletion
• Platforms: Alpha, Boxer, Excalibur, Gladiator, Jackal, Thakun, Spartan II

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. Genesis Climber MOSPEADA (R) is the property of Fuji Television, Artmic Studio and Tatsunoko Production.  This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Acknowledgement is extended to Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide. Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern are given credit for all quotes and paraphrasing of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide that has been utilized on Robotech Illustrated. 

Sources: Robotech the Expeditionary Force Marines Source Book by Irvin Jackson

Content by Tim Wing, with Pieter Thomassen, with Peter Walker and Rob Morgenstern

Copyright © 2001 Robert Morgenstern, Pieter Thomassen, Peter Walker, 2021 Tim Wing

The Hughes EP-12 was a 250 megawatt (MW) class charged particle beam gun pod developed exclusively for Maxwell Dynamics‘ VA-5 Condor Veritech Attack Fighter. (A particle beam is a directed energy weapon making use of a stream of charged or neutral particles moving at near the speed of light.) The EP-12 was developed specifically for Maxwell Dynamics’ VA-5 Condor to serve as the mecha’s primary gun pod. The design intent was to create a directed energy weapon with similar armor penetration performance to that of the VF/A-6 Alpha Veritech Fighter’s GU-13 35mm gun pod then already in service, but with the advantage of a near limitless energy-based ammunition supply. The end result was far bulkier than the GU-13, necessitating that it be mounted between the arm nacelles while in fighter mode, rather than the more aerodynamically efficient position under the right wing root. The EP-12 had its own dedicated protoculture cells and capacitor banks, and thus was not reliant on the internal power of the VA-5 Condor.  

The EP-12 had three 84-MW particle accelerator barrels mounted in parallel, which could be fired together, or in sequence. The barrels were housed in a large aerodynamic fairing which was mounted on a hardpoint between the VA-5 Condor’s arms when in fighter mode and carried in the mecha’s right hand when in Battloid mode. Rate of fire was up to 240 discharges per minute. Sequence and salvo firing modes could be selected by the pilot, depending on the target. Sequence firing increased the chances of hitting a target, and thus was used when engaging fast moving aerospace mecha such as the Invid Iigaa. When engaging slower and/or larger targets, the salvo mode allowed for increased energetic transfer for each shot fired. Each barrel was rated at 40,000 kW, resulting in an output of 8.4 MJ for a one quarter of a second pulse. A single hit when firing in salvo mode would be equal to 25.2 MJ.

it could (in theory) be used by any mecha with hands big enough to hold it. There is anecdotal evidence that the EP-12 was used during the Invid Occupation by freedom fighters piloting Alphas, Southern Cross era Battloids and other mecha for which the EP-12 was not designed for. It is unlikely that the EP-12 would have been very effective when used in this manner as, even though the weapon could be fired by simply pulling the manual back-up trigger on the hand-grip, it could not connect with the fire control system of any mecha other than the VA-5 Condor’s, as that was the only platform the gun pod had been integrated with. The EP-12 was later developed into the Alpha fighter’s much more compact EP-13. While the EP-13 could be carried by the Condor, this rarely happened.

• Class: 250-Megawatt
• Introduction: 2024
• Manufacturer: Hughes Electronics (Robotech Factory Satellite production facility)
• Dimensions: 
  • Weight: 1205 kg.
  • Length: 290 centimeters total (205 centimeters with stock retracted)
  • Height: 98 centimeters
  • Width: 21 centimeters
• Rate of Fire: 240 discharges per minute
• Output: 8.4 MJ per pulse, per barrel
• Ammunition Capacity: Approximately 3500 discharges before Protoculture cell depletion
• Platforms: VA-5 Condor

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. Genesis Climber MOSPEADA (R) is the property of Fuji Television, Artmic Studio and Tatsunoko Production.  This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Acknowledgement is extended to Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide. Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen and Robert Morgenstern are given credit for all quotes and paraphrasing of the unofficial Robotech Reference Guide that has been utilized on Robotech Illustrated. 

Sources: Robotech the Expeditionary Force Marines Source Book by Irvin Jackson

Content by Tim Wing, with Pieter Thomassen, with Peter Walker and Rob Morgenstern

Copyright © 2001 Robert Morgenstern, Pieter Thomassen, Peter Walker, 2021 Tim Wing

9K115-2 Metis-M (Mongrel; UEDF reporting name: AT-13 Saxhorn-2) Anti-tank Guided Missile

by Tim Wing

The 9K115 Metis (“Mongrel”) (UEDF reporting name AT-7 Saxhorn) was a man-portable semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) wire-guided anti-tank missile system of the Eastern Block of Soviet Independent States (EBSIS). This weapon, generally considered to be in the same category as the UEDF’s RL-1 Guided Rocket Launcher, entered service with the Soviet Army and other members of the Warsaw Pact in the early eighties.

The missile was developed by the Tula KBP. It is very similar to the 9K111 Fagot in external appearance (having three main fins); however, the missile is much lighter – primarily because of the reduced fuel load, which reduces the maximum range to 1,000 meters.

During the 1980s, an upgraded version of the missile was developed – the Metis-M 9M115-2 (sometimes labelled Metis-2). Fired from the same launcher, the new missile was much larger and heavier, with an increased range and a larger warhead. The UEDF designation for this missile was AT-13 Saxhorn-2.

DATA

• Manufacturer: KBP Instrument Design Bureau
• Caliber: 130 mm
• System weight: 16.5 kg
• Missile weight: 5.5 kg at launch
• Missile length: 980 mm
• Wingspan: 300 mm
• Warhead: HEAT shaped charge
• Warhead weight: 2.5 kg
• Operational range: 40–1500 meters
• Speed: 200 m/s
• Guidance system: Wire-guided SACLOS

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Original artwork by: Unknown

Content by Tim Wing

Copyright © 2018 Tim Wing

Monument Arms LPP-2 Hydra Electrolaser-Plasma Pistol

by Tim Wing

The LPP-2 series of light plasma weapons were designed by Monument Arms, in association with the Monument Robotech Research Group (RRG).  A plasma weapon, also known as an electrolaser, is a type of directed-energy weapon that uses a laser to form an electrically conductive laser-induced plasma channel (LIPC). A fraction of a second later, a powerful electric current is sent down this plasma channel and delivered to the target. Physical damage is primarily caused by the laser beam, with the follow-on electric causing secondary damage to electronic systems. The secondary electrical disruption has the potential to completely ruin the avionics on even large armored vehicles and mecha. This, of course, depends greatly on a variety of factors including how hardened the targets electronics are against electromagnetic pulse (EMP), where the beam strikes the mecha, conductivity of the mecha’s armor and chance. An interesting side effect is that when the electromagnetic field rips electrons from air molecules to create plasma, similar to lightning, the rapid heating also creates a sonic boom.

All three versions were used primarily by the Marsh Division of the Tactical Corps Special Purpose Troops. All versions were specially adapted for use in wet environments and sealed against water and humidity. Like many weapons systems used by the United Earth Defense Force (UEDF), three variants of the LPP-2 were made utilizing different firing apertures. The standard aperture was a single 10mm barrel. The LPP-2A used twin 10mm apertures, and the LPP-2H had a bizarre flat plane variable aperture. The H model fired in an adjustable horizontal arc. This was primarily used as a suppressive fire weapon. At low power settings, all LPP-2 could serve as a less-than-lethal option in crowd control situations as the electrical transfer of energy to the target allowed the weapons to act as a very powerful taser. A quirk of the LPP-2 was that it used dual energy magazines. These magazines were shared with several different energy weapons. Mounted on the back of the weapon, they resemble a pair of stubby pistol grips.

• Year Introduced: 2023
• Designer: Monument Arms, Monument RRG
• Acquiring Military: UEDF, TC Marsh Division
• Capacity: dual energy magazines; 16 full energy discharges (LPP-2), 8 full energy discharges (LPP-2A), 10 full energy discharges (LPP-2H)
• Rate of Fire: semi-automatic
• Weight: 1.89 kg (LPP-2), 2 kg (LPP-2A), 2.25 kg (LPP-2H)
• Maximum effective range: 240 meters (LPP-2), 150 meters (LPP-2A), 120 meters (LPP-2H)

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross (R) is the property of Big West Advertising, Tatsunoko Studio and Ammonite studio. This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Original artwork by: Kogawa Tomonori, Hiroyuki Kitazume, Miyo Sonoda, Hiroshi Ogawa, Hirotoshi Ohkura and Takashi Ono; Kevin Siembieda, Kevin Long, Daniel Dussault, Allen Manning, Brian Manning, Apollo Okamura, Benjamin Rodriguez, Charles Walton II and Michael Wilson

Content by Tim Wing

Copyright © 2018 Tim Wing

Izhmash AK-74 5.45×39mm Assault Rifle

By Tim Wing

The AK-74 needs no introduction. Produced by the Soviet Union and used by almost all members of the Warsaw Pact and later by the Eastern Block of Soviet Independent States (EBSIS), the AK-74 was the second most prolific weapon ever produced, eclipsed only by its father the AK-47 (AKM). The Kalashnikov designed assault rifle was a 5.45x39mm automatic gas operated, rotating bolt, select fire assault rifle. It was developed in 1970 by the Soviet designer Mikhail Kalashnikov and adopted by the Armed Forces of the USSR in the 1974. It was the further development of the AKM. The development of AK-74 is associated with the transition to a new low-pulse cartridge 5.45 × 39mm, itself similar in concept to the NATO 5.56x41mm round.

• Type: Assault rifle and Carbine (AKS-74U)
• Place of origin: Soviet Union

Service history

• In service: 1974–2033

Production history

• Designer: Mikhail Kalashnikov
• Designed: AK-74 1974, AK-74M 1991
• Manufacturer: Izhmash
• Produced: AK-74 1974–1991, AK-74M 1991–2033
• No. built: 6,000,000 +

Specifications

• Weight: AK-74 3.07 kg, AKS-74 2.97 kg, AKS-74U: 2.7 kg, AK-74M 3.4 kg (without magazine)
• 30-round magazine: 0.23 kg
• 6H5 bayonet: 0.32 kg
• Length: AK-74 943 mm, AKS-74 (stock extended) 943 mm, AKS-74U (stock extended): 735 mm, AK-74M (stock extended): 943 mm
• Barrel length: AK-74, AKS-74, AK-74M: 415 mm, AKS-74U: 206.5 mm
• Cartridge: 5.45×39mm
• Action: Gas-operated, rotating bolt

Rate of fire

• Cyclic: 600-650 rounds/min
• Practical: Automatic 100 rounds/min
• Muzzle velocity: 880–900 m/s (AK-74, AKS-74, AK-74M), 735 m/s (AKS-74U)

Effective range

• Point: 300–400 m (AK-74, AKS-74, AK-74M)
• Area: 500 m (AK-74, AKS-74, AK-74M), 400 m (AKS-74U)
• Maximum: 3,150 m
• Feed system: 30-round or 45-round RPK-74 detachable box magazine or 60-round casket magazine
• Sights: Adjustable iron sights, front post and rear notch on a scaled tangent

After the positive experience of the United States Army with its new small-caliber 5.56mm cartridge,  the USSR began work to developed a similar automatic cartridge. In 1966, the main rocket and artillery department was issued the task to develop a the new 4.45mm automatic cartridge. This cartridge was developed at TsNIItomash.

Several designers and design teams from the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant, the Central Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering and the Kovrov Mechanical Plant took part in the contest for the new automatic weapon. Mikael Kalashnikov and AD Kryakushin created their entry based on the AKM (AK-47) assault rifle already in production. Of the ten examples submitted for the competition, the two finalists were the SA-006 AS Konstantinova and the Izhevsk A-3. Tests revealed that the AS Konstantinov built rifle had advantages in terms of accuracy and rate of fire, but Kalashnikov’s A-3 held the advantage due to its rugged, proven design and low cost to manufacture. The design of the AK-74 was very similar to the AKM. The primary innovation was a two-chamber muzzle device that performed the tasks of a muzzle brake, compensator and flash arrestor. The massive muzzle brake allowed a reduction in felt recoil which allowed to improved accuracy of fire, especially in fast single shots and bursts.

In 1974 it was adopted by the Armed Forces of the USSR. It was first used in the Afghan war, then in all Soviet conflicts up to the Invid Invasion. Though it was officially replaced in 2015 by the AK-15, it continued in to be issued in large numbers all the way to the end. Throughout the Invid Occupation, the AK-74 was perhaps the most common weapon found amongst freedom fighters Eastern Europe and Asia. After the Invid left the Earth, the AK-74 remained a common sight amongst the successor states in the same area.

Variants

• AK-74: Primary version.
• AKS-74: Variant AK-74 with a left folding stock. Created for use by Airborne Forces.
• AK-74N: “Night” version of AK-74 with side bar for mounting night sights such as the 1P78.
• AKS-74N: “Night” version of the folding AKS-74.
• AK-74M: Modernized AK-74. Equipped with a folding left-handed polymer stock and a universal mount for attaching sights, both optical and night, to the left side of the receiver. Thus, the AK-74M replaced four models at once: AK-74, AKS-74, AK-74N and AKS-74N.

Note: All of these AK-74 variants could mount a GP-25 grenade launcher.

• AKS-74U: Carbine variant of the AK-74. The U stood for Ukorochenniy or shortened. This weapon was based on the side folder AKS-74, with a barrel approximately half the length. The type was fitted with a distinctive muzzle booster, which features an internal expansion chamber inside the cylindrical section of the booster while the conical end acts as a nozzle to increase net pressure inside the gas chamber by supplying an increased amount of propellant gasses from the barrel. The AKS-74U was primarily issued to tank and Battloid crewmen.

Bibliography:

• Wikipedia (Russian): AK-74

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Content by Tim Wing

Copyright © 2018 Tim Wing

Forjas Taurus M-33 Tayra 4.5mm Caseless Automatic Pistol

by Tim Wing

General Characteristics

• Designation: M-33 “Tayra” 4.5mm Caseless Automatic Pistol
• Year Introduced: 2018
• Designer: Forjas Taurus
• Acquiring Military: UEDF Civil Defense Unit (CDU) and Civil Defense Flying Corps (CDFC)
• Capacity: 15 round magazine (typical)
• Rate of Fire: semi-automatic
• Weight: 1.17 kg (loaded)
• Effective range: 80 meters

The M-33 was a light weight pistol constructed primarily of composites, designed and manufactured by Forgas Taurus of Brazil. Originally produced with the domestic police market in mind, the M-33 was soon adopted by the United Earth Defense Forces (UEDF) Civil Defense Unit (CDU) and Civil Defense Flying Corps (CDFC). The 4.5mm caseless ammo was unique to this weapon and continued with the UEDF’s proliferation of ammunition types. It is a shame that the 4.5mm round was never adopted as a sub-machine gun round, as its high velocity light weight bullet had excellent armor piercing capabilities.

Early in its career, the M-33 was plagued with reliability problems. Many suffered failure to feed issues after prolonged firing. This was caused by heat buildup which caused the caseless ammunition to expand, and thus not chamber properly. This was no fault of the pistol, but rather poor quality control at Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos, the primary ammunition manufacturer in Brazil. The contract was later taken over by Monument Arms in North America, whose ammunition never suffered from such issues. Still, like the M-16 before, the reputation stuck and the Tayra never saw widespread adoption by other branches of the UEDF. This is a shame, as the M-33 itself was a tidy package which lent itself well to use by pilots as a survival pistol. It was also very accurate for such a small pistol. Though only adopted officially by the CDU and CDFC, the pistol was also found in use by pilots in their survival kit throughout the UEDF.

Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross (R) is the property of Big West Advertising, Tatsunoko Studio and Ammonite studio. This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.

Original artwork by: Kogawa Tomonori, Hiroyuki Kitazume, Miyo Sonoda, Hiroshi Ogawa, Hirotoshi Ohkura and Takashi Ono

Images from – Robotech the Masters Saga Sourcebook

Content by Tim Wing

Copyright © 2018 Tim Wing