How about changing the timer on RSL seige cannons to 8 hours?
They offer little reward to counter the energy/credits needed to take them out, and I'm sure many players would be happy to have these out of thier BT quicker.

if you do that then they will be common and you will see them more often

I believe I've seen a 8 hour uncommon before

Stryll Skirmisher is an Uncommon and has an 8 hour timer and takes just 3 hits to kill.

So there is at least one uncommon with an 8 hour timer.

The crimson tyrant also has an 8 hour timer for an uncommon

How about adding a potential drop to it? Something like:

RSL Foci
Gives +5% attack power for an hour. stacks with other buffs.

Maybe a 50% drop chance instead of RP?

Actually, I like Thunderbolta's idea

Make it drop an Alien Data Disc instead. Thats 700 research Points.

If a Blade Harvester(also uncommon) can drop an arti that provides +2 richness to a toxic planet, then the RSL Siege Cannon can surely drop an arti that provides a good deal of research.

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The only problem you face is scale. The Rogue Labpod only gives 250 RP's. So perhaps change the Roge Labpod to Alien Data Disc Drop & Change the RSL Cannon to 250 RP's