Isonade

Isonades are specialized amphibious assault units developed by the Empire of Japan for combat in and near aquatic environments. As they have critical biological components, they are classified as Bio-engineered Weaponized Organisms, and can be thought of as power armored organisms rather than combat robots. They are deployed on smaller scale amphibious and aquatic operations where use of a Ryujin would be deemed excessive, fulfilling a role similar to that of a combat diver, but with significantly greater operational endurance.
Because they are at their core biological organisms, special considerations to the design of their shells needed to be made to account for hydrostatic pressure changes; that is, the organism is kept isolated from the outside environment as much as possible and interfaces with the mechanical “suit”. Although a fully robotic unit would be simpler, cheaper and more reliable to utilize, the Japanese greatly distrust autonomous robotic units “incapable of dying when killed”. The organism inside the mechanical exterior most vaguely resembles a mollusk anatomically, suspended in a hemocyanin gel in the Isonade’s bulbous “head” unit. The brain appears to derived from the Nobusuma brain; understandable given the Nobusuma’s own origins as a marine animal and the considerable work that went into creating an “intelligent animal” in it. The significantly higher degree of competency required of an Isonade, however, required further modifications utilizing a variety of cultured human brain cells and integrated Simulated Intelligence assistance to boost the Isonade’s own intelligence to a level where it is capable of receiving and understanding instructions and operating without constant human supervision.
Isonades are 195cm tall to the top of their domed heads. The arms are 127cm long and contain four points of articulation, not counting the shoulder socket, and end in two-pronged manipulator claws. In addition to this, each claw contains two ports either containing a plasma arc cutter or 4.6mm submachine gun. The three 40mm launchers in the chest are used exclusively for smoke grenades in order for the Isonade to make an escape. For undersea operations, they will typically carry a UGM-84 anti-ship missile in each arm. The missiles are too large and heavy to be carried above water and must be fired or discarded before coming onto land. However, combined with the deep diving capabilities of an Isonade, they can be used to great effect to launch attacks against ships from below typical detection range. Propulsion is delivered via pump-jets in the feet and through a detachable backpack unit. With both the feet jets and backpack thruster, they are capable of moving at a top speed of 12 knots underwater. On land, they are able to move at a brisk 7mph.
The rounded shell of an Isonade is composed of titanium alloy and high-density plastics. The shell is primarily designed to handle deep ocean pressures rather than direct combat, and combined with presenting a large target and graceless movement, Isonades are certainly most vulnerable when they leave the water.
Theoretically, the BWO controlling the “shell” could be replaced with a human braincase, but unlike with the Genshin, there is no glory associated with such a transmigration and no Japanese would seriously consider such an option.
In English their name is often incorrectly pronounced as “eye-so-nade”. The correct Japanese pronunciation is “ee-so-na-day”, written as 磯撫で, which means “beach stroker”. The name, as with other BWOs developed by the Imperial Science Academy, comes from a creature of Japanese folklore.
Category: PACYOA: TECategory:TE TechnologyCategory:Japan