CharacteristicsĪ unique variant of the AER9 laser rifle received from the Van Graffs. The diverters are protected by a carbon-fiber housing, preventing frequent malfunction, but when a diverter fails the weapon becomes unusable. Power is drawn from microfusion cells and processed through a wave/particle diverter manufactured by General Atomics International. As a result, the crystal arrays stayed focused within operating parameters, rather than falling completely out of focus like the newer models. The AER9 features a titanium housed crystal array which proved to withstand long years of exposure to the elements much better than the gold alloy housing of the later models. A new model, the AER14, was in development prior to the war, with at least one working prototype surviving in Vault 22. The reason that the AER9 is much more commonly found is that it was much sturdier and more reliable than the models that followed. The model line went up to the state-of-the-art AER12, which saw service in a handful of specialty units.
The AER9 was actually not the top laser rifle in service at the time of the Great War.
