The Type-R13EX Phantom was an experimental unmanned labor developed by Schaft Enterprises. The exact purpose of the labor is unclear, but it is possible that the type was intended for military service.
Design & Development[]
Mechanical & Armor Systems[]
The mechanical systems of the Phantom were state-of-the-art, and surpassed those of the mass-produced police and military labors of the time. Its immense strength and dexterity allowed the type to excel at hand-to-hand combat, so while its other offensive systems were offline, the Phantom would remain combat-capable. Aiding its combat effectiveness was the Phantom's thick armor plating. Even the armor covering the machine's forearms was capable of shrugging off a close-range shot from an Ingram's 37mm revolver cannon. The Phantom was even capable of limited underwater operation, and could fire its main weapons while submerged. The full extent of its marine capabilities is unknown. It can be assumed that the mechanical systems of the Phantom were carried over to the Type J-9 Griffon, on account of the visual similarities of some armor components and the type's immense strength. While the unmanned Phantom was designed to test advanced weapons systems, the Griffon was instead created to rely solely on its strength and dexterity, making it an unparalleled hand-to-hand combat machine.
Electronics Systems[]
Despite the advanced weapons and mechanical systems, the most striking advancements brought about by the Phantom were its control and electronics systems. The labor was unmanned, and was fully capable of combat against even skilled labor pilots. The advanced autopilot was even capable of threat-assessment, and could make strategic decisions in battle. Its main weapon is a twin laser cannon mounted on its head, which is powerful enough to shred building materials. Furthermore, the EMP (Electromagnetic Impulse) wide-area jamming pod inside the fuselage seems to have created a radio blockade within a radius of several kilometers, making it possible to carry out covert combat. Like the laser cannons, the EMP generator required significant time to charge before it could be utilized. Additionally, the EMP system not only required the use of the vulnerable cooling vents used by the lasers, but also required armor panels around it be moved such that they would not interfere with its operation. This means that the EMP generator was exposed during all stages of its operation, and while the charging process could be halted at any time, it was this vulnerability that ultimately led to the defeat of the Phantom in combat. Considering that it is a remote-controlled machine without a cockpit and that it has an extremely high power output, the details of which were unknown, the material itself has only just been discovered. Metal-enclosed nanotube molecular-type quasi-room-temperature superconductors are used as a drive system and battery. It was speculated that it may have been used in the 1990s, and there is no connection with existing labor other than the basic structure.
Armor and Weapons[]
The labor is equipped with laser weaponry, which no countermeasure was available for. However, the laser cannons mounted in the Phantom's head were its only active ranged weapons, and they required time to warm up before each shot. While charging up a shot, the Phantom's cooling vents would be exposed to attack, and damage to them would cause the labor to become unable to fire. This major drawback was offset by the sheer power of the lasers, which were capable of easily piercing an AV-98 Ingram's armor, and because they fired a sustained beam, could be used to cut off entire limbs from opposing labors. Such a fate befell Isao Ohta's Ingram during an engagement, where the Phantom completely sheared off its right arm with a single shot from its laser cannons.
Operational History[]
The Type-R13EX Phantom was first deployed in December 1998, when it faced off with patlabors of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Special Vehicles Unit, Division 1 and Division 2. The Phantom was able to quickly defeat the outdated MPL-97S Python labors fielded by Division 1, allowing Schaft operatives to capture their pilots and support crew. When Division 2 arrived at the scene, they quickly deployed their AV-98 Ingrams to engage the Phantom. Isao Ohta was the first to engage the Phantom, sustaining heavy damage to his labor and failing to cause any real damage to the R13EX. Noa Izumi was the second Division 2 pilot to engage the Phantom, and was able to hold her own until the Phantom caught her and prepared to fire its laser cannons directly into her cockpit. Noa was only saved when Kanuka Clancy, piloting Ohta's severely damaged labor, intervened in the fight. The Phantom was thrown into the bay, presumed destroyed. However, just a few months later, the Phantom appeared at a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) training ground, where it engaged their labors in combat. The JGSDF labors were unable to repel the Phantom, and patlabor units that arrived on scene shortly after were barely able to fend it off. This was the final appearance of the Phantom before the debut of the Griffon.
Specifications[]
Empty Weight: 9.50 tonnes
Maximum Operating Weight: 9.98 tonnes
Maximum Lifting Capacity: 4 tonnes
Minimum Revolving Radius: 6.20 meters
Armor Material: Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics
Armaments[]
Standard Equipment[]
- Ionizing Beam Cannon x2 (stored in the head)
- EMP Generator x1 (stored in cockpit)
Gallery[]
References[1][]
