Within Full Metal Panic!
Arm Slaves occupy a similar cultural position to modern combat jet aircraft. Names and general information are well publicized and are a matter of public record. And like combat aircraft, detailed specifications and capabilities are kept classified. The Arm Slave has however captured the popular imagination, and even extremely advanced units such as the XM9 (M9) Gernsback have some civilian recognition through the media.
It is noted that the Arm Slaves of the Eastern Bloc have been given NATO reporting names, very much like the real-life aircraft and missile systems. The names given to the Soviet Arm Slaves, Shamrock, Savage, and Shadow indicate Arms Slaves are designated with the letter "S". This letter is shared with anti-tank and surface-to-surface missiles.
Dialog in episode 1 of the anime series indicates that periodicals, such as Jane's Arm Slave Recognition Guide, are published about Arm Slaves that contain detailed information useful even to the specialist pilots. These are considered to be Arm Slave equivalents to magazines such as Combat Aircraft Magazine published by Ian Allan Publishing and Jane's Fighting Ships published by Jane's Information Group.
These publications are purchased regularly by characters such as Shinji Kazama, but the publications, like their real world counterparts are specialized and niche products with limited mass market appeal.
The only trace of the Arm Slave present in the series Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu is a miniature Arm Slave developed by Sousuke Sagara. Sousuke's Bonta-kun units however have several comedic flaws.
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