PLX-2

The PLX-2 was a portable missile launcher manufactured by Merr-Sonn Munitions, Inc. during the Galactic Civil War. It was effective against repulsorcraft, as well as vehicles, atmospheric flying craft, fortifications, and other missiles. The PLX-2 was a lightweight shoulder-mounted launcher operated by a single soldier. The launcher housed one missile in the chamber, and a second in reserve. It could fire two separate kind of missiles rounds; "dumb" rockets and GAM guided missiles. The "dumb" rockets were fired in a line-of-sight attack, but the GAM guided missiles could be programmed to track a target. The GAM guided missile supported two tracking modes, which were selectable by a firing stud on the launcher itself. In EPR mode, the missile locked onto to IR sources such as vehicle exhaust or missile contrails. In Gravity-Activated Mode—after which the missile is named—the missile's targeting computer recorded the target's silhouette and pursued it until close enough to lock onto the gravity-wave anomalies from the target's repulsorlift. A GAM guide missile in GAM mode could track a target for forty kilometers before running out of fuel, although it could be confused by other targets and evasive maneuvers.

The PLX-2 was not very rugged, and improper use and maintenance could damage the targeting system. While a launcher with a damaged targeting system could still fire the "dumb" rockets, launching a GAM missile resulted in the launcher selecting a targeting mode without the operator being able to tell which one was chosen.

The firing stud on the launcher required two presses to launch a rocket; one to set the guidance system, and the one to actually fire the missile. Inexperienced troopers were known to hurry and panic in combat and only press the stud once, resulted in the missile not firing and the soldier wondering what happened.

A refined version of the weapon, the PLX-2M portable missile launcher, was released by Merr-Sonn.

Text and facts from the “PLX-2” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.