ASTRAD

ASTRAD Industries is a weapons manufacturing and distribution company that specializes in both standard and military grade. They are at odds with NoviTech due to the history of the founders being old time competitors.

The industry was founded by Jason Ridill. The Ridill and Gram families have a long history of working together for generations, with a reputation of having come from old gangs in New York during the 1930s.

Currently the company is owned by the wealthy Scott Ridill. It is currently being run by CEO Stella Gram.

Contracts with the Western Order binds them to the chancellor, so they supply much of the government with weaponry. Though there have been some rumors going around that they are also distributing weapons to civilian masses, or that "terrorists" have been regularly sneaking into their warehouses and stealing their supplies.

Tech
They are behind various products that ASTRAD Industries produces, including: pulse models:
 * maser hand cannon, standard issue for law enforcement that uses microwave amplification and radiation into a weaponized form
 * maser rifle, military and standard issue
 * canopy gas, created in response to the government opposition that followed city riots. The gas is made of deadly substances that can lead to temporary and, sometimes, permanent blindness. Side effects can include nausea, vomiting, and induce a hallucinogenic state. It was first put to use back in ‘36 after David Wednesday had rallied against the Permutation Regimen
 * electro-gloves, with stunning capabilities (can also either stop or restart a person's heartbeat)
 * heatsuits, armor to protect human body temperature in subarctic climes
 * Exurosuit, a modified heatsuit designed specifically for Rey during the times she had spent as Schmidt and Safronov. Utilizing HALO technology that focuses on the communication with fervidium alloy and the vessel, the Exurosuit is capable of transmitting and amplifying the heat energy provided by the Brísingamen energy. It was designed by Gregory Tremond and produced by ASTRAD Industries
 * ERASER, the Electromagnetic Anti-Surveillance Encasement Range is a field that generates a magnetic shield to prevent intelligence gathered from the HEIMDALL satellite blanket. Originally designed by Charles Sartre of Blue Cell, but had the schematics stolen by an ASTRAD employee, Derek Sumner.
 * pulse grenade, an EMP explosive that can temporarily disarm electronics
 * EME barrier, a field of energy that can disable any electromagnetic devices, such as nexus devices and laser weapons, within an environment at a certain radius (can usually cover up to 300 square miles)