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SN-9 Wasp
The Sn-9 Wasp, a sidearm used by the RDA SecOps, uses 9 millimeter hypervelocity sabot rounds loaded form speedloaders - fired by AC electromagnetic firing tracks that can be fired at four rounds per second.
Rather than load the weapon's cylinder a round at a time the user carries 'speedloaders' which allows the empty chambers to be refilled instantly.
The SN-9 Wasp operates like most modern-day revolvers, fed by a revolving magazine that is fitted above the trigger.
The Wasp includes the option of a detachable light & scope with IR, movement sensing, 6 round magazines, and Gyroscopic-stabilized aiming system accurate to 135 meters. One shot, two shot burst, empty magazine and safety selections can be made.
It's more powerful than the standard RDA Handgun but can only be acquired privately as a non-standard issue weapon in the case of when standard issue sidearms are not sufficient for the operations undertaken.
The SN-9 Wasp has a reliability of a revolver and the necessary punch to make sure the enemy goes down when fired upon. It is of particular use on Pandora, where many of the dangerous animals and native people are large and cannot always be brought down with standard RDA-issued sidearms, such as the RDA Handgun.
The length from point to point is 228 millimeters, weighing roughly 1.1 kilograms. The position of the firing chamber behind the center of gravity allows the barrel to be centered over the handgrip, which improves the pistol's balance. The Wasp that Colonel Quaritch wields has olive drab camouflage.
Modified Handgun
Seen used by a SecFor member before he is pulled off the gunship. A major handguard has been added to the actual weapon. Trudy Chacon uses a Modified Handgun to break Jake, Norm and Grace out of jail and then passes it to Jake when she goes to start up the Samson.
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Bush Boss FD-3
The Bush Boss FD-3 is a flamethrower used by the RDA SecOps troopers for clearing flora and terrorizing Na'vi warriors. It has a short range, but its ability to rapidly catch fire to the grass and keep the Na'vi at bay during a battle creates a substantial advantage. It is manufactured by Bush Boss and branded as a "portable chemflame defoliant device."
Bush Boss FD-11
Prop seen in the "Human Hardware" featurette. In the movie it is used briefly by a mercenary to burn plant life during the final battle sequence. According to the Pandorapedia, a similar but bigger weapon would be an optional equipment for the AMP suit; however this system is not visible in the movie
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Happiness is a warm gun, that's my motto. Knives, sidearms, rifles, shotguns, machine guns, flame-throwers, hand cannons - you name it, we have it.
Your third Assignment: RDA Weapons. I will leave you to get acquainted with the various weapons used by the RDA Army while I go check the status of a recon mission I ordered.
References: Avatar the Game Pandorapedia, Activist Survival Guide
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M60 Machine Gun
The M60 Machine Gun is used by RDA's private military force on Pandora. The machine guns used in the movie are M60's with mocked-up externals and other notable changes. Changes from the modern-day M60 to the futuristic one includes a unique heat shield/hand guard that helps the user get a controlled grip of the weapon without getting their hands burned from the hot barrel when fired continuously .
A modified M60 machine gun is used as a door gun on the SA-2 Samson tiltrotors, and as an assault rifle by the ten-foot-tall Avatars. The weapon uses a side-mounted detachable drum magazine (very closely resembling an MG42 or MG3) instead of an ammo belt. Jake Sully uses this during the Thanator attack and during the final battle until he pulls out his grenades. Norm Spellman uses one during the final battle as well.
Another change would be the round, detachable drum magazine opposed to the standard-issued, modern box magazines. It also uses depleted plutonium rounds, rather than the full metal jacket (FMJ) rounds of the modern M60. This enables it to rip through even the heaviest armour, although the thick, reinforced carbon fiber bones of some of the largest Pandoran creatures can withstand it.
Na'vi, however, can be cut down quickly, thanks to the weapon's high rate of fire. As shown in the film, this automatic weapon is highly versatile, able to damage and take down air vehicles, ground infantry, and a certain amount of Pandora's wildlife (excluding the thick, natural skin/armor of the Hammerhead Titanotheres).
AVR M30 Machine Gun
The AVR M30 is a heavy machine gun based on the M60 and produced by the RDA for the Avatar program. Designed specifically for the 10' frame of an avatar, the M30, has a high rate of fire and reasonable accuracy over long range. It is however ineffective against many heavily armoured creatures on Pandora, so is primarily used to scare off large Pandoran beasts. It is seen in Avatar: The Game, which is set 2 years before the events of the film. During the game the RDA temporarily suspends the Avatar program after the war begins so it is possible the M30 was scrapped and therefore the weapon used by Jake Sully in the film may well be the M60.
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CARB Assault Rifles
Seen used by the RDA SecFor on Pandora. According to the "Human Hardware" featurette the weapons are made by the fictional company "MATANZA ARMS CORP.". The props, realized by Weta Workshop, have been built in at least 2 variants: the Standard Issue Rifle GS-221 and the Personal Defence Weapon(PDW)variant with a shorter barrel. From a closer inspection of the weapons, resemblences can be clearly seen to the MC-R (modular Caseless Rifle) that appeared in Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter series of games.
The shotgun and the underslung weapon on the rifles have similarities, so one could assume a shorter shotgun is underneath the GS-221(Rifle) much like the Master Key system used by SWAT and Military CQB forces. Col. Quaritch fires a PDW variant at the escaping Samson helicopter before switching to his revolver. From closer examination of the rifles used, it appears that a number of the prop rifles were built around the Ruger AC-556 series automatic rifles (note: the shell ejection ports have a Garand-style cocking handle similar to the ones used on the Ruger Mini-14/AC-556 rifles).
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GAU-90 30mm Auto-Cannon
Carried like rifles by the AMP suits. Col. Miles Quartich and Cpl. Lyle Wainfleet use GAU-90's on their suits during the final battle. The GAU-90 is a huge 30mm hip-fired autocannon. It can fire up to 250 high explosive, armour-piercing or incendiary rounds per minute and has a large bayonet slung under the barrel support. It is used as a "rifle" by the Amplified Mobility Platforms. Range and projectile ballistics are reduced due to Pandora's dense atmosphere compared to Earth, however given the often point-defence encounter profile, this is not seen as a serious disadvantage.
The GAU-90 savage recoil demands that the AMP operator devote both hands to controlling the weapon. It also requires increased servicing of the AMP unit's actuator assemblies, particularly in the right shoulder and elbow. Although primarily designed as a ground attack anti-vehicle / anti-armour weapon, the gun can be used for slower moving air targets and in anti-personnel roles. This versatility of use combined with the rugged frame make it an easy choice for deployment in the harsh Pandoran environment.
The weapon is reminiscent of the mid-20th century Browning M2 "Ma Deuce" .50 calibre machine gun in its simplicity, lacking advanced optical, laser or other aiming/tracking assistance. The GAU-90 also eschews modern caseless ammunition, instead relying on tried-and-true cased rounds. While this reduces the effective weight of ammunition the AMP suit can carry, the reliability of cased ammunition is much valued in the corrosive Pandoran atmosphere. The simpler propellant used in cased rounds offers the advantage of greater shelf life and stability compared to caseless rounds.
The hot brass casings ejected from the weapon weigh 2lb (1kg) each and often land up to 30' (10m) from the weapon, which can prove problematic for nearby unarmoured ground troops. Most SecFor AMP pilots prefer the standard allocation of 300x 30mm AP rounds for maximum stopping power and minimal collateral or 'splash' damage. Incendiary and High Explosive tend to be favoured by ex-special forces pilots.The gun can be slung using an over the-shoulder rifle-sling to free the hands for other tasks. The ammunition feed link remains connected while slung.
Only those AMP units with SecFor designation have access to this weapon, and targeting computer and ammunition bin/feed link installed. AMP units fielded by the mining and other non-security base personnel lack the weapon system and the training to use it effectively.
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