Weapon: C-DEAD
Type: Crew Served Air Defense
Operators: American Union, Private Operators
Manufacturer: Stellar Arms
Introduced: 2320

Length: 150 centimeters
Weight: 45lb (20.4 kg)

Ammunition: Super-capacitor Energy Cells
Capacity: 5 3-second shots

The American Union largely considers Air Defense to be a responsibility of their star-ships, air-superiority craft, or point defense emplacements. Providing air-defense down to individual soldiers has traditionally not been a priority, but the AU did want to keep that capability. With a relatively small budget, Stellar Arms has continually been contracted to provide man portable air defense systems in small numbers.

In 2317 Stellar Arms would start designing a man portable laser with a small team to fill the latest requirement from the AU and ISOC. Within 3 years they were able to deliver a bulky and over-budget weapon system that works good enough using largely off the shelf systems integrated together. The systems were built in a single large batch, with some being sent to the AU for their own inventory and the rest ending up in long term storage as Stellar Arms looked for additional buyers. Small numbers of the units would be sold to other earth governments, and a few would make their way into HFR space.

The C-DEAD is made up of three main components:

• Shoulder mounted Laser
• Handheld Radar
• Supercapacitor Backpacks

The handheld Radar system is a 1x1 meter panel that houses a control computer and radar array that is responsible for tracking targets. The operator holds this system like a shield, and faces it in the general direction that the system is intended to defend from.

The shoulder mounted laser houses the ball-turret optic for aiming the laser, the laser generator itself, the system's controls integrated into a pistol grip, and a small display screen that shows the operator what is being aimed at.

Supercapacitor backpacks make up the majority of the weight of the system, and contain power for operation. Each backpack has enough power for 5 3-second shots, and connects to both the radar and laser through physical cables for data and power transmission.

The C-DEAD is a relatively simple system to operate. The Radar is placed facing the direction to defend from and switched on. When a target is detected that the laser is capable of hitting, it will be displayed on the shoulder mounted laser's screen. The operator can then engage the target with the laser, or mark the target as safe at which point the system will display the next valid target or go back to idling while waiting for a target to appear.

For more static defense, the system can be connected to a larger power source like a local power grid or vehicle mounted generator.