This article is approved for usage in the RP.

A cheaper and much simplified version of the gravitic centrifuge, the UA-109 uses hard ceramic super-cooled superconducting components instead. While it operates at a far far lower RPM than the gravitic centrifuge due to its fragile ceramic construction (removing its ability to provide any useful propulsion capabilities), it works in much the same way, acting as a gravitational field sensor, detecting objects of mass and producing more advanced imagery from the data through the use of GRID software technology.

The device is especially designed to be a cheaper easier to produce version of the Inverse centrifuge, originally designed for disposable missile systems, and is about the size of a fist but can be extended by users to about the diameter of a tractor wheel using a secondary disc (designated a UA-109-2) ideal for starship use. It contains zero proprietary components or materials and can be repaired using off the shelf components from other manufacturers and cheap materials and can be refrigerated using a starship's own onboard cooling systems.

The UA-109 went on sale in YE 36 and retails for around 1200 KS. Larger versions for bigger platforms can be made simply by enlarging the diameter of the disc.

The device performs excellently in a vacuum, effective for around two million miles or so with an “accurate” (meaning able to scan an object properly) range of about half that – wheras in an atmosphere the air provides something of a challenge for computers to effectively clean up, distorting results and adding unnessesary data (making the computer's job harder) – made worse by the gravitational pull of the planet. This reduces the effective range in atmosphere to somewhere between 1000 kilometers for basic ranging and detection and just 40 kilometers for any kind of advanced identification and assessment. Scanning in an atmosphere requires a range of less than 40 meters.

Scanning as such allows for a spectrum analysis of the target, gauging its composition and components, producing a 3D layout of the object though this image takes some time to make (around 20 to 40 seconds) during which the systems 'radar' like performance don't work. This scan can be useful for discerning not just what an object is but its loadout and anything unusual about it - though it isn't sufficiently advanced enough to for example, reverse engineer an object – though an experienced designer or engineer could study the scan and within a few days produce useful conclusions about what it is and how it probably works which could be useful in fighting an unknown enemy or for recon.

While the system can be used similar to a software radar over great distances (and quite cheaply with great effect), advanced scans are its real bonus, offering functionality to units in the field previously only available to starships.

How much moving mass there is between it and the target directly affects performance, especially over longer ranges. It has a better time seeing through the nosecone of a missile or through the shield of a power-armour out at enemies than it does say, at the eye of a tornado or the heart of a nebulae which would confuse the crap out of it. To this end, extensive chaff, fragmenting an asteroid into lots of moving pieces or swirly storms would be a good way to hide from it since its overwhelmed quite easily.

At long range, one can “see” the object, make out its profile and make loose assessments on its composition without any detailed information. Up close, useful conclusions can be made.

While it can do many things, it can't do them all at once. Having a high powered backup computer can improve the system's range and accuracy if needed in special cases but can only do so much.

Unfortunately as distance and field of view aperture grow, resolution is lost – meaning it may be ideal for some craft to carry two and mount one on a turret of sorts: One for broad spectrum ranging and targetting and the other as a sort of sniper's scope allowing the platform to get a better look at the target.

Importantly, GRID can operate behind heavy armor plating and doesn't require a direct line of sight to scan something, only to be lined up even with other objects in the way. This effectively means it could be mounted to say a power-armor behind a shield (maybe even two or three of them) or inside the nosecone of a fighter or even aboard a starship or tank, mounted inline with a gun turret.

GRID (Gravitic Resonance Imaging Display) is a means of identifying mass, by comparing different factors of gravity-action and response from gravitational sensors, similar to the call and response of radar. The result is a three dimensional point-cloud image allowing a sensor to see inside its target and often discern the chemical nature of its contents using techniques similar to mass spectral analysis – and can be thought as a realtime MRI scan in three dimensions.

GRID can be used in thin beams (offering better penetration and understanding) or wide beams (offering better overall awareness). A combination of the two is generally used both passively (listening for change) and actively (sending a wave and listening to the response).