SPECIFICATIONS

GOVERNMENT: Earth Federal Republic
TYPE: Main Battlerobot (Space Type)
MODELS:
          Lockheed-Magnum MBR-01S/SBR-01 "Sabre"
          Mitsubaishi-Voltohms SBR-01A "Cutlass"
          Lockheed-Magnum SBR-01A1 "Sabre-II"
          Republic-FarChild SBR-01R "Refit/Rapier"
          Mitsubaishi-Voltohms SBR-01S "Sniper/Super-Saber"
DATE INTRODUCED:
          2072 A.D. (MBR-01S/SBR-01)
          2073 A.D. (SBR-01A)
          2074 A.D. (SBR-01A1)
          2075 A.D. (SBR-01R)
          2076 A.D. (SBR-01S)
LENGTH: 10 feet
WIDTH: 20 feet
HEIGHT: 30 feet
MATERIAL:
         Composite-Alloy (All models)
POWER PLANT:
         Federal Energy FEFR-120 (SBR-01, SBR-01A, SBR-01A1)
         Federal Energy FEFR-120A (SBR-01R, SBR-01S)
OUTPUT:
         120 megawatts (Both Reactors)
ARMOR TYPE:
         Composite Alloy (SBR-01, SBF-01A, SBR-01A1)
         Crystal Composite (SBR-01R, SBR-01S)
ARMOR THICKNESS:
         3 inches (SBR-01)
         4 inches (SBR-01A)
         5 inches (SBR-01A1)
         3 inches (SBR-01R)
         3 inches (SBR-01S)
DISPLACEMENT:30 tons
CREW: 1 Pilot

PROPULSION

             PRIMARY (FLIGHT):

             (ALL MODELS)
             2x Rockwheel NRE-04 nuclear rocket engines
             SPEED: 400 mph each (800 mph total)

             (SBR-01R, & SBR-01S ONLY)
             4x Rockwheel TNRE-06 thermo-nuclear rocket engines
             SPEED: 600 mph each (2400 mph total)

             PRIMARY (WALKER):

             (ALL MODELS)
             1x Arctic Motors RE-03 walker engine
             SPEED: 20 mph

WEAPONS:

             (ALL MODELS)
             PRIMARY (OFFENSIVE):
             1x Bohing/MMI M230-AC-GP 30-millimeter one-ton gunpod; Effective Range: 864 yards; Payload: 100 round drum; ROF: bursts of 5, 10, or 20 rounds with a cyclic rate of 1200 rounds per minute.


             (ALL MODELS)
             SECONDARY (OFFENSIVE):
             2x MMI SRM-01-G missile launcher; Missile Type: standard EFR 10-pound short-range ground-assault missile with computer-guided warhead; Effective Range: 83 miles; Payload: 27 missiles; ROF: 1, 2 or 3 missiles within two seconds.

             (SBR-01)
             PRIMARY (ASSAULT):
             1x Norking MML-01 four-shot RPPG launcher; Missile Type: 3 inch Rocket Propelled Plasma Grenade; Effective Range: 900 feet; Payload: 24 RPPGs in an autoloading tubular launch rack; ROF: 1, 2, 3, or 4 RPPGs per salvo with a cyclic rate of 120 grenades per minute.

             (SBR-01A, SBR-01A1, SBR-01R)
             PRIMARY (ASSAULT):
             1x Norking SRM-03-S missile launcher; Missile Type: standard EFR short-range space-type missile armed with a 10 pound warhead (usually HEAP or tactical nuclear); Effective Range: 417 miles; Payload: 24 missiles; ROF: 1, 2, or 3 missiles every two seconds..

             (SBR-01S)
             PRIMARY (ASSAULT):
             1x MMI M200-ACR 200 millimeter fixed autocannon; Effective Range: 21.8 miles; Payload: 100-round box magazine; ROF: fires single shots with a cyclic rate of 15 rounds per minute.

             (ALL MODELS)
             OPTIONAL SECONDARY (ASSAULT):
             1x Bophors ACR-105S (gunpod) 105 millimeter autocannon; Effective Range: 6 miles; Payload: 30 rounds in a machine-fed detachable box magazine; ROF: single shots with a cyclic rate of 15 rounds per minute.

             (SBR-01A1, SBR-01R, SBR-01S)
             PRIMARY DEFENSIVE (ASSAULT):
             1x Orlakon/MMI AC-R20 20 millimeter autocannon; Effective Range: 384 yards; Payload: 125 rounds in a belt-fed magazine; ROF: fires bursts of 5 rounds per discharge with a cyclic rate of 150 rounds per minute.

ELECTRONICS:

             (ALL MODELS)
             1x Microwave Radio Communications array with a 6000-mile range.
             1x Laser Communications array with a range of 10,000 miles.

             (SBR-01, SBR-01A, SBR-01A1)
             1x RADAR array with a 1000-mile range.

             (SBR-01R, SBR-01S)
             1x RADAR array with a range of 5000-miles.

Description/Overview:
         (MBR-01S/SBR-01 "Sabre")
          The Lokheed/Magnum MBR-01S/SBR-01 was the first battlerobot specifically designed for use in space. After the Battle of Ceres, the MBR-01 and MBR-01A were deemed inadequate for space operations. Therefore, the military sent out a contract order for an MBR-01A model completely redesigned around space combat. Lokheed’s Magnum Research and Development facility (located on Luna in Britannia’s largest surface city of New-London) answered the call. Many of the MBR-01’s original systems were in the new Lokheed “S” model including the chassis, frame and fibro-carbon muscles. However, after the vernier thrusters, space navigational systems, tinted glass-steel canopy, and other upgrades to the battlerobot’s original design, it quickly became clear that the battlerobot was no longer an MBR-01 even though it did retain the designation of MBR-01S until after the Battle of Pallas in 2072 AD.
         The MBR-01S first saw use in combat when the Earth Federal Forces attacked the UNSC base on the planetoid Hermes in 2072 AD. The MBR-01S proved to be an effective weapon system during that battle against numerous different types of UNSC equipment including their premier spacefighter of the day, the SF-02.
         The maneuver thrusters of the “S” model made it as versatile in space as the MBR-01A was on the ground. The speed of the space battlerobot was admirable for its time. The main propulsion engines of the MBR-01S consisted of a pair of RockWheel NRE-04 nuclear rocket engines. Each of these rocket engines were capable of propelling the MBR-01S at speeds of 400 mph. Together the nuclear rockets gave the battlerobot a speed of 800 mph in space. However, in an atmospheric environment the robot was only able to ‘jump’ via these nuclear rockets (300 feet maximum altitude) due to the non-aerodynamic frame of the MBR-01S. The versatility of this mecha proved to be an asset to the spacemarine forces that used it during the invasions of the near-Earth UNSC planetoids in the initial phases of the 1st Interplanetary War.
         The walker engine of the MBR-01S was actually a version used on the ICR-01(Industrial Construction Robot) variant of the MBR-01. This walker engine was considerably slow compared to the one used on the MBR-01A model. With a top speed of only 20 mph, the Arctic motors RE-03 didn’t give the MBR-01S much in the way of running speed. However the small size and low power consumption did allow the MBR-01S to carry greater quantities of fuel than the MBR-01A and thus gave the ‘S’ model a much longer combat-duration time; nearly 7 years for the craft’s nuclear reactor.
         The nuclear reactor of the MBR-01S was one Federal Energy FEFR-120, 120 Megawatt fusion reactor. This reactor was capable of running for seven years before refueling.
         The main armament of the MBR-01S was the M230-AC-GP 30 millimeter autocannon gunpod built by a joint effort of Bohing and Militia Military Industries (MMI). This weapon could be used in either hand of the battle robot but was commonly mounted in the mecha’s right hand and was fed via a gear-driven metallic-link belt that was housed inside of a 100 round drum. Like the MBR-01 and MBR-01A, the MBR-01S’ combat-computer held a program that instructed the mecha to replenish empty ammo-drums with fresh ones from the hardpoints on the legs of the battlerobot. This gave the MBR-01S main weapon considerable firepower as each leg was capable of holding eight ammo-drums, giving the mecha an additional sixteen-hundred rounds of thirty-millimeter ammunition after its initial ammo-drum was depleted.
         Like the MBR-01A before it, the MBR-01S was armed with two SRM-01-G short range missile launchers built by MMI. These weapons were used for intermediate ranged combat and were considered adequate for anti-tank and anti-spacefighter purposes. These determinations having been made after the battle of Ceres by military analysts. The success of these short range missile weapons made them standard issue on all subsequent models of the MBR-01S.
         Due to the effect use of PRPG (plasma rocket propelled grenade) weapons on the UN’s SF-01 spacefighters during the subsequent battles after the EFF invasion of Ceres in 2071 AD, the Earth Federal Forces command demanded the inclusion of a similar weapon system on the new space-battlerobot. This requirement handed down by the EFF command led to the MBR-01S being fitted with the Norking MML-01 mini-missile launcher weapon system. The three-inch diameter grenades were armed with only anti-armor warheads making them very powerful, especially when fired in a volley. With a payload of twenty-four PRPGs, the MBR-01S had a formidable level of what amounted to close-range or proximal firepower in addition to its medium range weaponry. However, the short range of the grenades hampered the mecha’s ability to make effective use of this weapon in space; especially during the battle of Hermes when the SF-02 proved to be too fast and maneuverable for the unguided missiles to be of any real use against the spacefighters. In contrast to the battle in space, the MML-01 proved an asset during the ground assault phase of the Hermes invasion when this anti-armor weapon proved itself extremely effective against the UN Main Battle Tanks that were within the Hermes complex.
         Late in 2071 AD, the Bophors company began developing a new heavy autocannon-rifle gunpod for the MBR-01A battlerobots. This autocannon was intended to help the MBRs against the main battle tanks of the UN. The disasterous loses of battlerobots during the Ceres invasion had spurred many of the Earth’s weapons manufacturers to begin researching newer more powerful weapons for the mecha forces of the Federal military. The Bophors ACR-105S 105 millimeter space autocannon rifle was the first of this new line of improved anti-tank weaponry built for the Earth’s armed forces. This new weapon used plasma tipped ammunition exclusively in order to facilitate maximum armor penetration and destructive power against the formidable Type-55 hover tanks of the UNSC. The ACR-105S used a detachable belt-fed box magazine that used the same type of ‘quick-change’ software in the mecha’s combat-computer as that of the M230-AC-GP thirty millimeter autocannon gunpod. This weapon was used during the Hermes assault by members of the Earth Federal Space Marine expeditionary forces. In the hands of experienced pilots the ACR-105S proved to be a vast improvement over the thirty-millimeter M230-AC-GP. The plasma shells were capable of melting through nearly all types of UN armored craft easily. The primary drawback of the weapon was its low ammunition capabcity. Though most EFSM units housed four extra thirty round ammo-boxes on each leg of their MBR-01S their ammunition supplies were rapidly used up during combat. This became especially clear during the battle of Pallas when many spacemarine mecha pilots lost their lives due to depleted weaponry. Though this shortcoming was soon corrected in the SBR-01A with the addition of a new missile launcher to complement the 105 millimeter AC.
         The EFSN changed the official designation of the MBR-01S to SBR-01 after the Battle of Pallas to honor the distinguished machine for its role in helping prevent the complete annihilation of the Earth forces in that confrontation.
         (SBR-01A "Cutlass")
         Just prior to “Operation Minerva” in February of 2073 AD, the EFSM forces stationed at the newly constructed Nowhere ST-01 spacestation, secretly contracted Mitsubaishi’s Voltohms “skunkworks” facility on Juno to begin the refit of all of the damaged and salvaged MBR-01S/SBR-01 mecha that had been recovered after the first Battle of Pallas. From these wrecks, they produced an improved SBR-01. This new mecha was essentially the same as the old one except for the replacement of the MML-01 grenade launcher with an actual missile launcher. The launcher chosen to replace the MML-01 was the Norking SRM-03S space torpedo launcher. This weapon fired missiles that had a combat range of 417 miles. This was a vast improvement over the 900-foot range of the MML-01 RPPG grenades. This new launcher carried the same number of missiles as that of the MML-01.
         The armor of the SBR-01 was too thin for the changing face of the 1st Interplanetary War. They replaced the original 3-inch armor with 4-inch thick plates of composite-alloy. The thicker armor plating did give the battlerobot greater protection, but the level of that improvement was marginal at best.
          After the 1st Battle of Pallas, there was a shortage of Bophors ACR-105S battle-cannon gunpods. Therefore, the primary armament of the SBR-01A was the M230-AC-GP assault-cannon. The fresh pilots got the abundant M230s, as did veterans who preferred it to the larger ACR-105S. The ACR-105S gunpods were then issued only to specialized units and ace pilots.
         (SBR-01A1 "Sabre-II")
         During the initial phases of “Operation Clean Sweep”, the Lokheed-Magnum R&D labs on Luna designed an improved version of the SBR-01A. This new version of the SBR-01A had thicker armor plating and was fitted with an Orlakon/MMI AC-R20 20-millimeter autocannon in a ball turret mount directly below the cockpit of the mecha where the old airlock hatch used to be. The intent of the new weapon was to compensate for the many “proximal” missile weapons found on the UN’s new mechanized army of mobile arthropod tanks. Other than the addition of the new ball turret and five-inch armor plates, the SBR-01A1 was virtually identical to the SBR-01A.
         (SBR-01S "Sniper/Super-Sabre")
         During the EFSM preparations for the second attack on Pallas, a marine Special Forces unit captured a Minsk class space train ferrying a new weapon system: the XSF-04V experimental Protean spacefighters. All of these craft had been produced prior to the EFSM’s attack on Pallas. Construction of these craft was at the Solar Empire's secret Gagarin R&D factory on Venus’ “moon”, the planetoid Hildigalo. The devastatingly fast engines of the XSF-04V and its ability to transform gave these UN fighters the advantage of being able to take on both the role of a spacefighter and that of a battlerobot. The boosters of these craft allowed the spacefighter to achieve orbit, thus making it the first true transatmospheric battlerobot weapon system. This new UN threat required a newer, faster, and more powerful SBR capable of countering it. At the time, Republic-FarChild had just completed a new mecha development lab on Pallas for the EFSM. The EFF command, under General Walsh, contracted this new lab to build an SBR based on the SBR-01A1, for ease of training veteran pilots of the older SBR mecha, which could contend with the XSF-04V. It was from this need to defeat what may have been a completely new line of UN variable fighter that the SBR-01S was born.
         The SBR-01S or “Sniper model” was essentially an upgraded SBR-01A1 with new armor, electronics, power plant, weapons, and additional rocket engines for increased thrust.
         In order to fight the XSF-04V, the new SBR had to have a medium-range weapon that could bypass the UN fighters advanced anti-missile defense systems. Therefore, Republic-FarChild chose to use an autocannon weapon system over a missile-based one. The heavy plasma shell bullet of this ACR was capable of causing severe to catastrophic damage to a XSF-04V with a single hit to the spacefighter’s main body.
         The high maneuverability of the XSF-04V prompted Republic-FarChild to modify the SBR-01S legs to accommodate two additional rocket engines on each. A pair of RockWheel TNRE-06 thermonuclear rocket engines was mounted on each leg with one engine on the back and one on the side of the robot’s “calf.” These engines provided both additional thrust and high-speed maneuverability for the battlerobot. The additional speed provided by the engines gave the SBR-01S a top speed of 3200 mph in space.
          Overall, the SBR-01S (Sniper) model would have only been moderately successful against the UN XSF-04V. Only 25,000 were produced during the 1st Interplanetary War and most of these ended up in the service of the new Jupiter Federal Colonies by the early 2080s. The SBR-01S never lived up to its expectations as an anti-variable fighter weapons platform, but it did provide space battlerobot units with a very effective anti-ship weapon. Throughout the rest of the 1st Interplanetary War, the SBR-01S served with distinction as a heavy assault unit. During the confrontation between the rogue EFSM and the Earth Federal Space Navy forces within the asteroid belt in 2077 AD, the EFSM used their SBR-01S platoons to effectively ‘snipe’ away at the EFSN armada as it pursued the EFSM fleet while it passed through the Vesta Kirkwood gap.
         (SBR-01R "Refit/Rapier")
         The final incarnation of the original SBR-01 series was the “R” model. This model was built on the SBR-01S concept and had the same maneuver and flight capabilities as the SBR-01S. In fact, the only major differences between the “S” and “R” models of the SBR-01 were in the weapons and armor.
         The SBR-01S M200-ACR replaced the old Norking SRM-03-S that was used on the SBR-01A, and SBR-01A1. The origin of the SBR-01R came from the EFSM forces simply upgrading their existing stockpile of SBR-01, SBR-01A, and SBR-01A1s over to SBR-01Rs in order to launch the final assault against the Soviet Elite on Mars. The entire remaining UNSC spacenavy had assembled near the Red Planet’s two moons of Phobos and Deimos and a major confrontation was expected to take place. With the last of the UN forces all assembled, the EFSM was not taking any chances. Mitsubaichi-Voltohms was called upon to design the refit and make it work. The final product of their efforts was completed in 2076 AD in time for “Operation Face” which was the code name for the assault on the moons of Mars.
         The SBR-01R was armed with both the M230-AC-GP and the ACR-105S gunpods. The distribution of the gunpods was divided up evenly among the spacemarine units with four ACR-105S per platoon and sixteen M230-AC-GPs issued to the rest of the group. This meant that each team had one SBR armed with an ACR-105S for heavy assault in addition to one SBR-01S, normally a part of a platoon’s combat team, and four armed with M230s for routine combat operations. The combination worked well.
         The armor of the SBR-01R consisted of 5-inch thick crystal composite plating. This provided a much greater level of protection than any of the composite-alloy armor of the early SBR or the thinner plating of the SBR-01S.
         After the 1st Interplanetary War, the SBR-01R became the primary space battlerobot of the Earth Federal Forces and was used up until the introduction of the SBR-02 during the Ceres Conflict of the mid-2080s.