A Military Labor is a labor intended for use by a military or paramilitary organization. In the Patlabor universes, it is apparent that various governments and private security firms adopted heavily armed and armored labors for military purposes.
Rationale[]
As soon as the first construction labors hit the market, their utility value became immediately apparent. As such, military organizations worldwide began seeking out armed versions to supplement their ground forces. In general, military labors have thicker armor plating, more raw power, and more specialized components than their civilian counterparts. Even the highly costly and advanced AV-98 Ingram was outmatched by military labors of its day. Most military labors boasted the firepower and armor protection of an infantry fighting vehicle or even a light tank, but possessed significantly greater mobility, making them ideal for special ground operations. However, the operation of a labor is complex and can be taxing on a pilot, especially when the stresses of combat are added, making additional training for military labor pilots a must. Additionally, the complex mechanical systems of a labor require a high degree of skill from their mechanics, and proper maintenance of a labor can be expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, military labors find most use on highly specialized missions in small teams, or as support components of greater operations in which normal units, such as infantry or armor divisions, are deployed.
Notable Military Labors[]
ALX-99 Helldiver Prototype[]
The ALX-99 Helldiver Prototype was a prototype military labor intended for use as an airborne infantry support. In the Original Animated Timeline, a single ALX-99 would be deployed before the type was refined into the ARL-99 Helldiver.
ARL-99 Helldiver[]
The ARL-99 "Helldiver" is a mass-produced military labor developed by Shinohara Heavy Industries. It primarily serves as an airborne labor with the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF), and was the organization's primary labor until the introduction of the AL-97B-var Hannibal.
Military Labor Type 7B Brocken[]
The Military labor type 7B "Brocken" was developed by Shaft Industries Europe for the German military. The type also saw internal use by Schaft, which used unmarked Brockens to ensure security during clandestine labor tests.
HAL X-10[]
The HAL X-10 was a labor developed by Shinohara Heavy Industries for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF). It was of unorthodox design for a labor, having four wheeled legs and a long body more akin to a light armored vehicle than a labor. The type's armor was incredibly thick, requiring an immense effort to penetrate, and it carried a whole host of cutting-edge weaponry. Most notably, the X10 featured an advanced autopilot system, capable of strategic decision-making and weapon use.
AL-97 Atlas[]
The AL-97 Atlas was the first labor adopted by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF). It had seating for a crew of two and featured a heavy gatling gun as its main weapon.
AL-97B-var Hannibal[]
The AL-97B-var Hannibal is a labor based off of the earlier AL-97 Atlas, developed by Hishii Heavy Industries. The type has increased armor protection compared to its predecessor, in addition to a new gatling gun and upgraded targeting systems.