Beagle Active Probe

Description
The Beagle Active Probe (BAP) is a suite of enhancement technology that, when attached to general electronic sensors, enables the equipped unit to detect and classify other battlefield units whether they are camouflaged or even shut down, with the exception of conventional infantry. The probe was first introduced by the Terran Hegemony as a prototype in 2560 and then as a "finished product" in 2576 as a means of combating active camouflage and other electronic jamming systems which had become prolific by the end of the Age of War. The prototype Beagle didn't change very much during the development of the unit, physically, the "BAP-P" system simply combined active and passive sensors into a single system. The production system consisted of not only a separate computer core but an entire second set of sensors, including radar, infrared, visible light and seismic detectors, positioned at strategic points around the operating unit. As the unit's native sensor array scanned the surrounding area, this data was retrieved by the Beagle's computer core and cross-referenced with data from its own secondary sensors. If an anomaly was detected the Beagle performed a more detailed sensor sweep of the target area. With this process happening every millisecond, the Beagle was able to verify and even identify threats regardless of local terrain or electronic warfare interference.

One of the drawbacks to the system was the sheer necessary mass of the computer core and secondary sensors, which made it incredibly difficult to retrofit onto an existing unit. Effectively the Beagle was limited to dedicated recon units built from the beginning with the system in mind. Originally limited to Clear Sight Inc., an SLDF think-tank on Luna, production of the Beagle would eventually spread to other manufacturers. The BAP subsequently became extinct in the Inner Sphere in 2835 as a result of the Succession Wars before eventually being recovered in 3045 by the Capellan Confederation. The Clans never "lost" the technology, but dispensed with the "Beagle" surname when they polished the concept.

In addition to the ability to detect and classify targets at longer range, the Beagle includes a memory unit that records the events of a battle and allows for later playback. This includes the ability for the user to "re-fight" the battle by making different tactical decisions, which are then analyzed and implemented by the system, allowing for the resulting consequences to be observed.

Models
Beagle Active Probe is manufactured on the following planets:

Game Rules
The Inner Sphere Beagle Active Probe weighs 1.5 tons and takes up 2 critical spaces. It has a detection range of four hexes. The Clan version is lighter and smaller, weighing 1 ton and taking up only 1 critical space. Its detection range is five hexes.