Designation: M-30 semiautomatic laser rifle

I. Statistics:

• Year Introduced: 2026 (ASC), 2056 (New Republic)
• Designer: Robotech Research Group, Tokyo Department
• Manufacturer: Birmingham Small Arms (new production 2062-present)
• Acquiring Military: New Republic
• Type: 12mm semiautomatic laser rifle
• Capacity: 100 35kJ shots per SEW energy magazine
• Rate of Fire: Semiautomatic, single rounds
• Weight: 4.6 kg
• Length: 97 cm

II. Development:

Before the Second Robotech War, the Armies of the Southern Cross had begun to put personal energy weapons into service in great numbers. One of these weapons was the Robotech Research Group Tokyo Office's LR-30 laser rifle. It had proven somewhat popular with Southern Cross snipers and officers, winning praise for its incredible accuracy and powerful delivery. The weapon did not see particularly widespread use due to the ASC preference for the PR-30 particle assault rifle; this left a large number of PR-30 units available to resistance forces during the Invid occupation. The PR-30 was only popular with ex-ASC personnel joining the resistance, who were used to its unusual ergonomics; the LR-30 was better received.

A number of unused LR-30 weapons were stockpiled at military bases and warehouses in the lunar colonies, intended to be disposed of. Since the Gallant rifle kit was considered a much better weapon, the older ASC weapons of all types were slated for complete retirement. When the Lunar Revolution broke out, some of these were stolen by the Republican militias or passed on to militias by friendly military personnel. They were used haphazardly as a general issue rifle; when the Republic organized its military assets, some units did receive existing stocks of LR-30s. Production began again in 2062 when Birmingham Small Arms successfully reverse-engineered the weapon and geared up for mass production. The first sales, however, went to the Pan-European Confederation; they would be the only export customer, and the only customer until the Republic began to replace its older LR-30s (known in Republican parlance as an M-30) as their emitters degraded beyond usable condition.

So far, as the war with Tirol has progressed, the performance of the M-30 has been remarkable. Some military leaders have asked that the M-30 become the standard service rifle of the Republic; however, the sheer numbers of projectile rifles in service and stockpiled, and the current high unit price of the energy weapon, all mean that the future for the M-30 is farther off than previously suggested.

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