NDB Repeaters are the best Size 3 energy weapon you can't buy.

713 DPS. 2.4km range. 86 alpha damage. No shop sells them — you loot them off NPC Freelancers, or you don't get them at all.

Here's the exact route: which mission, which ship to hunt, how to disable it without vaporizing your loot, and what drop rate to actually expect.

• Why Bother Farming These
• The Mission: Combat Gauntlet Scenario 5
• Ship Setup: Lasers + One Distortion Weapon
• Test Loadout
• The Farming Route
• 1. Trigger the Mission
• 2. Bait the Lock
• 3. Pull It Away — 12-13km
• 4. Disable, Don't Destroy
• 5. Check the Upper Turret
• Wave 2: Kill Order Matters
• Real Drop Rate: ~35-40%
• Looting: Don't Rush This Part
• The Full Loop
• Mistakes That Kill Your Run
• FAQ
• What are NDB Repeaters in Star Citizen 4.9.0?
• Can we buy NDB Repeaters from shops?
• What's the best mission to farm them?
• Where do NDB Repeaters spawn on the Freelancer?
• What's the actual drop rate?
• Summary

↖ Why Bother Farming These

Usually |

No ammo cost. Strong shield pressure. Long effective range. If you're running Size 3 hardpoints, these are end-game.

↖ The Mission: Combat Gauntlet Scenario 5

MobiGlass → Contracts → Mercenary → Combat Gauntlet Scenario, under Gilley's Fight School (Stanton).

You need Scenarios 1–4 cleared first. They're easy — any half-decent fighter clears them.

Scenario 5 matters because of the Freelancers:

Two Freelancer checks per run. That's the whole reason this mission beats the alternatives.

↖ Ship Setup: Lasers + One Distortion Weapon

The rule: don't kill what you're trying to loot.

• Lasers strip shields cleanly, no overkill risk
• At least one distortion repeater for the actual disable
• Skip heavy ballistics — they punch through hull too fast and torch the loot

↖ Test Loadout

One distortion weapon is enough. Swap the second for a laser if you want faster clears.

↖ The Farming Route

↖ 1. Trigger the Mission

Fly to the marker (~8km). Wave 1 spawns on approach.

↖ 2. Bait the Lock

Let the Freelancer target you — wait for the red lock indicator. Don't rush it near the objective.

↖ 3. Pull It Away — 12-13km

Distance matters. Kite the Freelancer to roughly 12-13km from the marker before engaging.

Why? Disable it too close, and Wave 2 spawns while you're still boarding. We've eaten a full squad mid-loot because of this exact mistake. Died. Respawned. Kept going — never abandon the contract.

↖ 4. Disable, Don't Destroy

Strip shields with lasers → switch to distortion → target dead-in-space, not dead.

↖ 5. Check the Upper Turret

NDB Repeaters only spawn on the upper turret — never saw them anywhere else across 10+ runs.

Scan first if you can. No NDBs? Kill it and move to Wave 2. Don't waste time boarding an empty ship.

↖ Wave 2: Kill Order Matters

Close distance fast — sitting back just gives them more missile windows. Reset and re-engage if it gets messy, but don't turn it into a long-range missile duel.

↖ Real Drop Rate: ~35-40%

Across 10-12 runs, roughly 35-40% of missions produced at least one NDB Freelancer out of the two checks. Not official numbers — field data.

RNG's got a mean streak. Grind through it.

↖ Looting: Don't Rush This Part

1. Shoot the rear cargo door with light laser fire until it opens

2. Park tight, board through the rear

3. Clear the cockpit — kill the pilot first

4. Sit in the pilot seat, press Right Alt + K — unlocks the ship ports

5. Head to the upper turret, pull both NDB Repeaters, transfer to your ship

That Right Alt + K step is non-negotiable. Skip it and the weapons won't budge.

↖ The Full Loop

↖ Mistakes That Kill Your Run

↖ FAQ

↖ What are NDB Repeaters in Star Citizen 4.9.0?

Size 3 energy repeaters with 713 DPS, 2.4km range, and 86 alpha damage — among the strongest S3 options in the game right now.

↖ Can we buy NDB Repeaters from shops?

No. Zero shop availability. Farming NPC Freelancers is currently the only source.

↖ What's the best mission to farm them?

Combat Gauntlet Scenario 5, Gilley's Fight School, Stanton. Two MISC Freelancers per run means two loot checks.

↖ Where do NDB Repeaters spawn on the Freelancer?

Upper turret only, based on repeated testing. Check there first, every time.

↖ What's the actual drop rate?

Roughly 35-40% chance per mission that one of the two Freelancers carries NDBs, based on 10-12 test runs. Not guaranteed — budget for multiple attempts.

↖ Summary

Farm Combat Gauntlet Scenario 5. Target both MISC Freelancers. Pull the first one to 12-13km before disabling. Run lasers + one distortion weapon. Check the upper turret. Unlock ports with Right Alt + K. Expect roughly 35-40% odds per run.

Grind a few runs, get your pair, and never think about Size 3 loadouts the same way again.