Metal Gear RAY (manned)



Metal Gear RAY was a Metal Gear design created by the U.S. Marine Corps and later stolen by The Patriots.

Background
Metal Gear RAY was originally planned as a counter measure for the abundance of Metal Gear REX derivatives being built, thus it is the first Metal Gear not to be specifically built for launching nuclear missiles. This was necessary thanks to Revolver Ocelot leaking the plans for REX onto the black market. RAY was commissioned by the Pentagon and the U.S. Marine Corps, and Commandant General Scott Dolph helped spearhead the project. It was a standalone Marine Corps. project that was able to operate by itself without any Naval assisstance required.

In 2007, during the Manhattan Incident, The Marines attempted to transport the RAY prototype to a testing location more than 500 miles south of the Bermudas, which is outside even the Second Fleet's operational range, to conduct solo-testing. However, Philanthropy had learned of the rumors that it was going to be testing the new Metal Gear unit, and its operative, Solid Snake infiltrated the U.S.S. Discovery in an attempt to leak pictures of RAY onto the Internet, exposing it to the world. Solid Snake was beaten there, however, by Ocelot, Sergei, and the Gurlukovich Mercenaries. Ocelot then proceeded to steal the Metal Gear (or as he put it "taking it back to the Patriots"), kill Sergei and Dolph, then blow up the tanker, taking the Marines and the mercenaries with it. Snake was also supposedly killed in the blast, as well as framed for causing an environmental disaster.

Two years later in 2009, The Patriots were building a new type of Metal Gear, known as Arsenal Gear. It required around 25 mass-produced Metal Gear RAY units to protect it; however, the armor for these mass-produced units was not as dense as the original Metal Gear RAY's armor and were destroyed by Raiden four of the units. Solidus Snake also destroyed three of the units when GW went haywire. Towards the end of the Manhattan Incident, Liquid Snake took over Ocelot's body and stole the original Metal Gear RAY.

In 2014, Liquid Ocelot piloted Metal Gear RAY (with the Outer Haven logo) to fight Solid Snake piloting Metal Gear REX, just outside the supply hangar on Shadow Moses Island. Despite RAY being designed as a "REX-killer", with its water-cutter being able to cut through even the most powerful of armor such as REX's armor, REX's sheer power was able to effectively counteract RAY's superior agility and defeat it. Whether the same ones used on Arsenal Gear or not is unclear but a number of mass-produced RAY models can be seen anchored on to the sides of Outer Haven. It's unclear if Liquid Ocelot was using a new mass-production model, or had heavily modified the original RAY as it displayed traits of both, such as the original's cockpit and dual eye sensors, as well as the rounded knees and lack of tail of the mass-production models.

Information
Standing over twenty meters tall, the prototype RAY is piloted from within. The controls also act as a harness of sorts, pressuring the pilot into the seat to avoid being thrown around. Apparently, piloting a RAY, at least during the Prototype stage, requires VR to pilot the machine, as Sergei Gurlukovich mentioned that "[Ocelot] is the only one [of the Gurlukovich squad deployed] who underwent the VR training" when Olga Gurlukovich questioned him about the pilot.

Made as an amphibious weapon to meet the standards of the U.S. Marine Corps, Metal Gear RAY is a versatile weapon both on the ground and underwater. The giant "wings" located on each side of the unit acts as a propulsion device. A tail on the hind end of the unit helped to steer the unit underwater.

RAY's initial and most prominent primary armament is a "water jet cutter" housed in the jaw area. Powered by a massive pump, water is sucked into an internal tank and then expelled as a narrow stream under extremely high pressure, approaching astronomical speeds (similar to a pressure washer or a water jet cutter in real life). As RAY's primary weapon, its purpose is to sever and slice almost anything that stands in its way, even dense armor.

Other armaments include machine gun pods located at the end of each "wing", a missile pod located on its back capable of firing homing missiles and cluster bombs, and knee-mounted missile pods for ground defense. Metal Gear RAY's exterior metallic casing and armor is made of a ceramic-titanium alloy for defense against light to medium projectile assault.

A mass produced model of RAY, employed to protect Arsenal Gear, was controlled by an AI system integrated with Arsenal's massive AI structure, GW. This version of RAY was similar to the prototype version of RAY, save for a few differences including the lack of a tail, round knees, different color, fewer armaments, one sensory input or "eye" as opposed to the two seen on the prototype RAY and "US Navy" label instead of "Marines". The mass production models in 2014 were marked with an "Outer Haven" label. It can also be surmised that the mass produced version of RAY is considerably weaker than it's counterpart, as it can be easily brought down with well placed shots from a Stinger missile.

The Metal Gear RAY is more organic than previous models, both in appearance and in function. Its streamlined shape helps to deflect enemy fire and allows for greater maneuverability both on land and in water. Its interior workings are also somewhat organic, as it has artificial fibers that contract when electricity is applied, much like natural muscle, instead of typical hydraulics; this pseudo-muscle tissue makes it very maneuverable. It also has a nervous-system-like network of conductive nanotubes, which connect the widely dispersed sensor systems and relay commands from the cockpit to the various parts of RAY's body, automatically bypassing damaged systems and rerouting to auxiliary systems when needed. Another feature is its blood-like armor-repair nanopaste, which is secreted from valves and coagulates wherever the exterior surface is damaged. Particularly unusual is its "face", with two "eyes" and a gaping "mouth", only seen when the head armor is removed. The armor on Metal Gear RAY's exterior is made of a highly advanced Ceramic-Titanium Alloy.

Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions
Completing 100% of the VR missions will display a rough sketch of Metal Gear RAY.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
RAY makes several cameo appearances in Super Smash Bros. Brawl: in the background of the Shadow Moses stage, as a collectible sticker, and as a trophy with this description:

"An amphibious Metal Gear developed by the U.S. Marines. Revisions to the prototype enabled mass production and made it a viable battle weapon with massive firepower and remote operation. Wings and a tail make it look monsterlike, but scarier still is the high-pressure water cannon in its mouth that fires a stream of water that can slice through rock."

Trivia

 * Metal Gear RAY's name was derived from the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighter aircraft during World War II. "RAY" was one of the Allied codename for the plane during WWII. RAY was also possibly named after the Manta Ray, due to their similarites as they are both aquatic in nature.
 * On a related note, Metal Gear Zeke also shares the same codename origin as RAY, and both even had a Patriot agent (Revolver Ocelot (in RAY's case) and Paz Ortega Andrade (in Zeke's case) ) mention that they're taking the "Metal Gear" back.
 * In one of the R1 scenes for Metal Gear Solid 3, Granin's office had a model of the Metal Gear RAY and Metal Gear REX. While it was evident that he was behind the designs for Metal Gear REX and Metal Gear TX-55 (as their designs were seen on the design blueprints of his Metal Gear concept), it is unknown if he was also behind the designs for Metal Gear RAY.
 * This is notably the only true Metal Gear to not have nuclear launch capability.
 * When Snake and Otacon were explaining the true events of the Tanker Incident, Snake and Otacon explained that RAY did not fall in line with their plans, that it was created without their say-so, and was part of the reason for the Tanker Incident. However, during the Tanker Incident itself, Revolver Ocelot denied Scott Dolph's accusation of stealing RAY, and replied that he was "taking it back" and then announcing to everyone after betraying Sergei that he was taking it back to The Patriots, which implies that the Patriots actually were behind the creation of RAY.