Designation: Standard Issue Alliance Sidearms

Manufacturer: Blastech Corporation

Physical Description: Standard side arm, single handed grip, sighting scope, three power settings. Aprox. 100 shots per power pack. BE-35 has a longer barrel and a larger scope but is otherwise identical.

History: The BE- series are amongst the most common side arms in use. Blastech manufactures these pistols and sells them to just about everyone. The Alliance, however, manufactures the BE-25 and -35 as well as several other Blastech designs under license, thanks to Rebel sympathizers on its board of directors. As a result of this agreement, the BE-25 is used everywhere in the Alliance as the standard non-combatants sidearm, such as with the Navy of fighter forces. The larger BE-35 is designed for use as a combat sidearm.

Use: The BE-25 is not a very powerful or accurate weapon, but its reliability, endurance and, possibly most importantly, low cost means that it is often used by those not on the front line. The larger BE-35 is designed to overcome some of these shortcomings, with the longer barrel improving range and accuracy. The BE-35 also mounts a superior scope, theoretically allowing use at longer range, but blaster pistol combat is usually carried out at such short range that the standard "iron" sights mounted on the weapon are used instead, being generally quicker to use in the middle of a firefight.

As such, the BE-25 is the standard weapon that pilots are issued with, incase they have to eject over hostile territory. Everyone in Wolfshead Squadron is issued with one of these, as is virtually every pilot in the Alliance. The sidearm is usually kept in a small pocket in a flight suit, but some pilots have a habit of wearing their blasters in a waist holster, even when off duty. The BE-35 is issued to the Republic Marine security force aboard the Wolf's Lair, and to Lynx Commando, so this weapon is also available to Wolfshead's pilots as an alternative.

It is not uncommon for pilots to remove this blaster and replace it with a more preferred weapon. For instance, in Vyper's A-Wing, the BE-25 is replaced with his own, more powerful Special Forces Blaster. Another favourite is the SoroSuub SG-6 Heavy Blaster Pistol, as carried by Raiven and Solo. Surprisingly, Granite does keep the standard blaster in his B-Wing, though this probably because he doesn't appear to have any other weapons small enough to fit in its pocket. In any case, Granite always has his chainsaw stored in the foot well.