The Powered Armor or PA is the premier weapon of the Australian military and was developed approximately ten years after the League of Nations began producing the Variable Attack Fighter.
Overview[]
The beginning of the PA development started as small pods with manipulators that were used for construction purposes. Later scientist delved into the idea of using these constructs as weaponry for the military. As development progressed the PA took on a humanoid form and size consideration for storage consumption was taken into account. The result was a Unit large enough for construction purposes but small enough to be transported en masse inside the invasion force fleet. Although these armoured giants are primarily used for combat they are capable of performing exploration function as they are equipped with sophisticated sensors. PAs are designed to function in space, atmospheric and ground terrain conditions. Although they can function under water this was not a consideration taken into their design specs. In order to catalogue the effective performance of each unit, a designation is assigned at the end of each units number. The designations fall into three categories which are: "C", "M" and "EX".
The "C" stands for Common, meaning that the suit is mass-produced and usually utilized by civilians as construction units. The "M" stands for Military stating that these are suits reserved for military pilots or officers. Finally, the "EX" stands for Experimental, the classification in which the PA-WD-00EX falls into. The middle letters in the PA designation are merely abbreviations of the model's name, for example, PA-WD-00EX would stand for Powered Armor 'White Dingo' 00 Experimental. Similarly the designation PA-GK-10M would stand for Powered Armor 'Grey Kangaroo' 10 Military.
The layout of the PA is a bipedal locomotive vehicle equipped with multiple vernier thrusters located throughout to aid in high speed combat maneuvers. The cockpit is located in the head and is covered in a hardened armoured acrylic glass canopy. The power systems laid out in the PA run similar in design to the nervous systems of the humans with multiple overlapping backup systems. Electrical wiring and lubricant cables run throughout the body with locomotion produced by a combination of high power actuators for slow movements and low power pulse motors for quick motions.
Computer and sensor arrays: Since the PA was designed with the capability for space and planetary exploration every unit is equipped with highly sensitive sensors capable of analyzing and processing any situation. Some of these arrays include both active and passive radar, infrared, laser radar, electronic, photoelectric and atmospheric analysis, sound, sonar and a variety of others (There are well over 20 systems built into each unit). Sensors are measured in negative decibels for detection of vibrations and other movements in the vacuum of space. The collation of data is the responsibility of the PAs' built-in computer and relays information to the pilot by using a synthesized voice. Much of the controls of the PA are handled by the computer, which has a built-in artificial intelligence capable of handling or even taking control of a situation should its pilot become injured or incapacitated. The computer constantly maintains unit integrity, handles repairs and controls damage whilst also providing tactical advice. All manual control can be transferred via voice command. The hierarchy of the computers objectives are:
- 1. Carry out the pilots instructions.
- 2. Protect the pilot's life.
- 3. Self-preservation of the PA.
Much of the computer's data is directly relayed into the right eyepiece transferred on the visor of the pilots helmet or a visual monocle.
Lasered Rifle: The PA's primary weapon is a proton laser cannon called a Lasered Rifle. Much like a human the PA carries the Rifle in its arms and the Rifle can be stored on its back. In a non-atmospheric condition the Rifle can easily rip through 100 mm of standard armour, with the power being drawn from either a power clip or directly from the Armor's main generator. Power output on the rifle can be adjusted from seven different levels including rapid to scattering fire.