The PLX-1, also known as Plex, manufactured by Merr-Sonn, was a formidable missile launcher. Its service life spanned nearly the entirety of the Clone Wars, with continued use by various military factions long after that devastating conflict concluded.
These adaptable weapons, produced in quantities potentially reaching hundreds of thousands, were designed to equip the standard clone infantryman with a potent anti-vehicle and anti-fortification capability, transforming them into a significant battlefield threat. Compact enough for a single soldier to carry easily, yet powerful enough to obliterate an Armored Assault Tank with a single, precise shot, a squad of troopers armed with these launchers could constitute a truly devastating anti-armor force on any battlefield.
The PLX-1 portable missile launcher, a product of Merr-Sonn Munitions, Inc., was a highly versatile piece of weaponry. It offered two firing modes: a direct, unguided mode for engaging slow-moving or stationary targets within line of sight, and the 'smart' GAM (Gravity Activated Mode). GAM utilized missile-borne sensors to actively seek out specific, pre-programmed gravitational signatures of targets (typically focusing on the distinctive gravity waves emitted by repulsorlifts, but adaptable for use against legged or tracked vehicles). Upon achieving a GAM target lock and initiating launch, the missile's onboard guidance system would steer it toward the target, hopefully resulting in a successful strike. It holds one round in the chamber with a backup. With two missiles ready to fire, a soldier could quickly emerge from cover, unleash a rapid pair of shots, and then retreat to reload for the next attack.
Containing a substantial detonite core, the missile possessed the capacity to easily eliminate infantry and inflict severe damage or destruction upon lightly armored targets. Even heavily armored vehicles, such as the AAT, were vulnerable. Initially, many Separatist commanders deployed their armored units without fully appreciating the threat that seemingly insignificant infantry units posed to their heavily shielded, armored, and armed vehicles – a misjudgment that resulted in significant vehicle losses. However, as the war progressed, Separatist forces learned from these experiences and began deploying anti-personnel units in advance of or alongside their armored vehicles.
Advanced Recon Commando (ARC) trooper units were equipped with these launchers. During the Galactic Civil War, the Garos Resistance movement possessed a PLX-1, which they employed in ambushes against Imperial convoys to disable the accompanying AT-ST walkers.
The PLX-1 (Plex) missile launcher made its debut in the short story titled A Glimmer of Hope. In the Battlefront video game franchise, these launchers serve as the standard armament for the Republic heavy trooper class.