Tactical Laser System

The Tactical Laser System (shortened as TLS) was a high intensity chemical laser weapon developed by the Principality of Belka, mainly used by the ADF aircraft series developed by Gründer Industries.

The weapon was capable of projecting megawatt-level beams of energy, whose travelling speed made evasion nearly impossible.

TLS icon (ACZ)

History

Original model

The Tactical Laser System was first devised by the South Belka Munitions Factory, the former incarnation of Gründer Industries, in the early 1980s as a weapon for the experimental ADFX aircraft. It was purposed as an interceptor weapon, used to destroy ballistic and cruise missiles during boost phase.

Codenamed "Zoisite", the original TLS model took the shape of a large pod mounted on the rear section of the Morgan, whose laser beams had a distinctive crimson tint. The pod's projection lens was able to swivel sideways and vertically in a 45° degree arc, as per the pilot's command.

The Tactical Laser System was first deployed in combat at the end of the Belkan War in December 1995. An ace of "A World With No Boundaries", Larry Foulke used the ADFX-02's laser unit to kill Patrick James Beckett and attack the mercenary Cipher. Dodging the laser's sweeps, Cipher succeeded in damaging the Morgan, causing Larry to detach the weapon from the airframe to gain mobility.

FALKEN model

Gründer Industries continued the development of the Tactical Laser System in the 21st century. The new version of the weapon underwent various visual and functional changes, the most important of which was a massive reduction in size, taking the shape of a roughly human-sized pod. As well, its beams changed into a blue tinge.

The new model was adapted into the second-generation ADF-01 FALKEN, the successor of the Morgans. Unlike the first version, it never saw active combat in the frontlines.

Trivia

Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War

• The acronym "Z.O.E" is displayed in both sides of the weapon's control panel. However, the relationship between the Zone of Endless project and the Tactical Laser System, if any, is unknown.
• In a mission which ends with a landing sequence (e.g. "Desert Lightning"), firing the Tactical Laser System before the landing segment started would cause the beam to remain during the ending portion. However, it would have grown in size, and have a golden tint.
• In Arcade Mode, if Mobius One hits a target with gunfire while the laser is active, there is a chance that the laser will lock onto the target.

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War

• As per The Unsung War, the "Z.O.E" acronym is featured once more in the ADF-01's control panel.
• The FALKEN and Morgan models of the Tactical Laser System have notable functional differences. The Morgan model has shorter irradiation time (around four seconds), a lengthy recharge time and a small ammunition payload, while the ADF-01's has an eight-second irradiation time, is capable of simutaneously recharging and firing, and has a larger payload. This is perhaps because the weapon inherited all of its qualities from the AC5 rendition, including the larger payload, longer beam irradiation time and the ability to fire and reload at the same time, and for some reason Namco did not degrade the FALKEN's performance when using the TLS. In fact, the only change that the FALKEN's TLS recieved was the beam's change of colour.

Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception

• The Tactical Laser System is used by enemy aircraft in the side mission "Operation X", where it is used by two of the ADF-01s Gryphus One must confront at the end. The pair of FALKENs will attack the player by firing the laser and swinging it in a sword-style fashion, dealing low to medium damage with each slash. In addition, it is also used by the ace FALKEN unit "Z.O.E.", which fires directly at the player instead of slashing at them.
• An upgrade called the "Laser Extender" can be applied to the ADF-01, which extends the weapon's irradiation time.

Ace Combat: Joint Assault

• The ADF-01 "Z.O.E", a "legacy" ace in the side mission "Ace of Aces" uses a Tactical Laser System as its main weapon.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy

• The Tactical Laser System returns as an enemy weapon in Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy. Although never used in the main campaign, it is used a number of times by hostile aircraft in bonus missions, one of which involves fighting four replicas of the original Zone of Endless ADF-01 fought in "Fighter's Honor" armed with TLS pods.

General

• The Tactical Laser System is tied with the Orbital Satellite Laser from Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere as one of the most powerful weapons in the Ace Combat series. The OSL is compatible with nearly all playable aircraft and can destroy all targets in a single shot, however it has a long reload time and tracks a single target. Conversely, the TLS can be mounted exclusively in ADF aircraft and demands greater user input, but can be used to destroy multiple targets in a single shot, and has the advantage of simultaneously reloading and firing.

Gallery

• ADF-01TLS.jpg

  The FALKEN's TLS.

• ADF-01 Falken Laser.gif

  Click image to see ADF-01 Falken laser in action.

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• MorganTLS.jpg

  The ADFX with the TLS mounted above the fuselage.

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  TLS in use.

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  ADFX-01/02 Morgan's TLS.

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  an unknown aircraft firing TLS in Ace Combat Infinity.