The aforementioned diverter is extremely difficult to repair and renders the weapon unusable if damaged.

While the components are well protected (the diverter is shielded by a carbon fiber housing), they can be damaged. The principle of operation is simple, shared across all weapons of the AE platform: Power is drawn from microfusion cells and sent through a General Atomics International wave/particle diverter and on through precision-cut lenses of the crystal array to generate a focused laser beam.

The titanium cage housing the laser rifle mechanism is durable and retains focus of the internal arrays over extended periods of time, although the emphasis on reliability reduces firepower compared to state-of-the-art models like the AER12, with its gold alloy housing. The primary energy service weapon of the United States military, the AER9 is a sturdy, reliable weapon focusing on ruggedness and usability over performance.