Intent: Provide a compact melee weapon capable of defeating EVA suits and body armour/provide a concealable, multipurpose weapon for intelligence operatives.
Development Thread:
Manufacturer: Creed Defense Industries
Model: Special Purpose Weapon 7, aka "The Spike"
Modularity: Not required.
Production: Restricted to facilities capable of high tech manufacturing.
Material: High tech composites, artificial diamondoid material
Classification: Melee Weapon
Length: 4 inches (retracted), 8 inches (extended)
Weight: 24 ounces
Ammunition Capacity: Has enough power for roughly 50 uses from full charge.
Range: Contact
Cost: 2,100 GSC
Description:
The SPW-7 is designed to compensate for the inherent issues found in traditional melee weapons, as well as give Rastal operatives a concealable weapon capable of killing targets while not leaving considerable physical evidence of assault. Multiple systems were developed and tested, but the SPW-7 emerged as the most effective, versatile, and practical option.
The design is fairly simple - the weapon itself is made of non-conductive polymer composites, several non-metallic, highly conductive coils, and a length of magnetized diamondite wire with a mono molecular point. It attaches to the user's forearm, and when deactivated, retracts far enough to be easily concealed under most long sleeved clothing. When activated, which is achieved by applying pressure to the bar near the from of the mount, it extends just past the users hands. Indicator lights on the bar display both weapon charge, and "on" or "safe" status. The construction of the weapon means it is very hard to detect outside of a physical search.
Usage is also very straightforward. When the tip of the weapon contacts a target, a large charge of electricity is passed into the coils. This propels three strands of wire into the target at incredibly high speeds, filling it with roughly 40 feet of wire in under a second. A small motor allows for similarly rapid retraction, returning the wires to their spools before the user has pulled back far enough to risk self injury.
The power required is supplied by specialized batteries and capacitors. While it would be possible to engineer a version using a replaceable supply, this makes the system quite a bit bulkier. As of such, the current production model uses an integral supply which must be connected to a power source to charge. When used in conjecture with an EVA suit, the SPW-7 is often integrated with the suit's power supply.
The speed at which this occurs, combined with the mono-molecular tip of the wire, allows it to effectively penetrate EVA suits, soft armours, and unprotected targets with ease, as well as some hard armour up to 1/4 in thickness. Most successful penetrations will be fatal provided the weapon successfully inserts a sufficient quantity of wire into a vital location, though the nature of the wire means it is also capable of damaging the DNA of the target and causing gradual cell death which is typically also fatal in non-vital areas. The entry wound the SPW-7 leaves is almost impossible to detect until bruising begins to occur, provided the target lives long enough.
Though penetration can be achieved against many types of targets, it is generally ineffective against those not experiencing some sort of force - it will break a window or kill a humanoid, but the microscopic nature of the wire means that it will not cause any real damage to a steel wall or a living target with a radically different physiology. This is due to Van der Waals forces sealing the affected areas before any significant non-DNA damage occurs. While the SPW-7 is effective and reliable against the majority of targets it is expected to be deployed against, using it on targets not under tension can result in very unpredictable results.
Production of the weapon is fairly simple for any facility capable of producing it's more specialized components, but is relatively expensive. This, combined with the relatively specialized role it is designed for, has caused these to be uncommon outside of special operations groups, intelligence agencies, and void marine divisions.