RCA-2009

The RCA-2009 (Raidhfil Coise-Athfhillteach 2009, or Type 2009 Repeating Infantry Rifle) is a -pattern manufactured in Faneria. It is produced by the Central National Arms Foundry both for service in Faneria's army and for export. It was designed as a direct replacement of the licensed RCA-1984 and serves as the primary infantry rifle for the country's armed forces.

Design
The RCA-2009 was envisioned as a short, high-capacity battle rifle capable of sharing ammunition with sidearms, building on the lessons of the RCA-1984 for use in urban environments as well as medium-range engagements. It also had to be produced natively as a result of pressure from the civilian government to produce as much materiel natively as possible as an informal concession to lobbying surrounding active protections systems. Its design program began in 2001 and changed repeatedly through to 2007 before final specifications were decided, with original variations being considerably bulkier; this was largely due to the inclusion of both Capetian and Kiravian engineers and industry specialists in observation and testing, which encouraged a focus on a larger-scale long-range battle rifle. The eventual compact design was a result of agreement on the use of proprietary steel round casings, allowing for a higher quantity of powder, and an extension of the barrel on the base version. Its finalized 2009 design was intended to reduce overall length and in particular weight. The 'standard' form fires .25 caliber rounds, although the primary users (Faneria, the Cape, and Kiravia have since reverted to the heritage .30 caliber.

The RCA-2009 is select-fire, with single, two-round burst, and automatic. Three-round burst as present on the Maktstepân was reduced to two due to the tendency for the Maktstepân's kick to send the third round wide unless the user was braced, whereas a two-round burst was more manageable in snap-firing. The rate of fire in automatic was also reduced by the compacting of the design, though it is largely considered a benefit due to how rapidly a soldier firing an Maktstepân on automatic would typically run out of ammunition even when loaded down with additional magazines. The design was also made friendly to a 60-round drum magazine, though the drum is inconvenient for holding the weapon at rest across the chest in the standard Occidental fashion.

The RCA-2009's scope features a lock that allows a soldier to hold the weapon by its handguard without de-calibrating the iron sights; a frequent complaint with the original Maktstepân that was addressed in the Maktstepân-03 upgrade. It additionally features a gauge for rifle-fired grenades integrated along the interior of the handguard rather than a separate alidade, which was known to occasionally bend if the Maktstepân was dropped and render it ineffective. The RCA-2009 comes natively with rails on the handguard and front grip for attaching sights and other addons, unlike its ancestors, which later received updated variants. This rail also allows for some infantry-based drone disruption systems to be mounted, although this makes firefighting with the equipped weapon unwieldy due to obstruction of view and greatly increased weight with a higher center of mass.

The RCA is able to mount a bayonet above its barrel, and its bayonet mount may alternatively be used to mount a laser sight or infrared laser for ordinance targeting/tracking.

Due to the placement of the ejection port, users are expected to wear long sleeves. A steel-and-cloth clip and bag attachment for casing collection was introduced for left-handed users in 2014 to prevent the occasional slippage of casings underneath the users' collar; this attachment is useable by right-handed personnel but generally ignored due to its needing to be ripped or cut open at the bottom to prevent filling up after approximately eighty rounds, dropping casings directly at the feet rather than further outwards.

Variations
RCA-2009-.30 - Chambered for legacy .3 inch and foreign 7.62 mm ammunition. By far the most common version.

RCA-2009-.30 Goirid - RCA 'Short', with shorter barrel and body for carbine use. Also chambered in .30 caliber.

RCA-2009-.30 Aonaicht - RCA 'Integrated', with built-in 1.5-inch underslung grenade launcher. Variant of the 2009-.3.

Ashkenang
Ashkenang's military uses a mix of Capetian-built Maktstepân rifles and .25 caliber surplus RCA-2009, with the RCA-2009 being used by the armed forces and the Maktstepân being the service weapon of its token Naval Task Force and the Territorial Guards.

The Cape
The Cape purchased a small number of units in 2014, using the RCA-2009 as a marine and airdrop firearm for its smaller profile and higher capacity magazine options in .25 caliber for operations in Etzil and Kelekona. Industry specialist believe the Cape plans to switch to a new primary firearm in the 2030s, with the RCA series being a favored contender, with possible modifications.

Eldmora
The Eldmoran-Regulan Confederation purchased several thousand RCA-2009-.30 Aonaicht advanced versions of the rifle in 2022, at retains them as a service weapon for some forces along with natively produced arms. Eldmora has been approved for license production under a currently-undisclosed native name.

Faneria
As the RCA-2009 was originally intended for the Fhainnin Army, it entered service immediately after production began in 2010. It was generally well-received with the exception of complaints about stopping and penetrative power being slightly reduced, and the sharing of ammunition with .25 caliber sidearms was not appreciated as most Fhainnin soldiers preferred to carry an additional magazine for their primary weapon rather than additional clips for a sidearm of inferior caliber, citing the increasing prevalence of body armor in potential opposing forces such as an Occidental power in the form of Caergwynn or Vithinja, as well as elite formations abroad such as mercenary units, elite formations, or even Varshani forces.

The RCA-2009-.30 was put into service shortly thereafter and is the current standard chamber for the Fhainnin military, featuring in the invasion of Algoquona during the Peninsular and later Final Deluge Wars.

Kiravia
The Kiravian Federation, as per its agreements with Faneria, produces the RCA-2009-.30 Goirid carbine on license under its Fhasen name. The Kiravian military retains the Maktstepân-03 upgrade package as its preferred infantry service weapon.

Maloka
Maloka's National Liberation Army is a decidedly second-world military, with a small core of troops with primarily last-gen equipment. However, while it primarily uses the RCA-1984, the RCA-2009-.30 is used by its Capital Guards formation and the country's Rangers battalion. Maloka plans to retain the RCA-1984 as its primary service weapon until at least 2040.