GAT-01 Strike Dagger

The GAT-01 Strike Dagger is a mass-production general-purpose mobile suit, it is first featured in the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The GAT-01 Strike Dagger is the first mass-production general-purpose model mobile suit deployed by the Earth Alliance and is equipped with a Natural-use OS. It is developed based on the combat data of the G Project mobile suits, specifically the GAT-X105 Strike and also adopts the X100 series frame. The Strike Dagger is a greatly simplified version of the original GAT-01 design concept, which is later produced as the GAT-01A1 Dagger (aka 105 Dagger), due to an urgent need to produce large numbers of mobile suits in a short time. Compared to the original design, Strike Dagger omits the ability to use Striker Packs, has reduced weaponry as well as head-mounted antenna, and has an overall lower combat performance. Phase Shift armor is also removed as a cost-cutting measure, but this seems to be inherited from the original design and although this lowers the Strike Dagger's defensive capability, it however has the benefit of improving the MS's energy efficiency and combat endurance. The initial batches of Strike Dagger also did not have adequate EMP shielding, but this is rectified after the Battle of Panama.

As the Strike Dagger lacks the capability to perform in some specific environement, mainly aerial and aquatic, it often work in tandem with limited production mobile suits that are specalized for these areas, such as the GAT-333 Raider Full Spec and the GAT-X255 Forbidden Blue as well as support machines such as the F-7D Spearhead fighter jet. Though the Strike Dagger cannot fly, it can be equipped with a parachute so that it can be safely dropped from a carrier plane. Weapon wise, the Strike Dagger's armament is rather simple. It consists of a single head-mounted "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS, a single ES01 beam saber for close combat, a M703 57mm beam rifle with an attached grenade launcher for ranged combat and a shield for defense. Despite not being as powerful as the prototype Gundam or the original design, the Strike Dagger proved to be a versatile and capable mobile suit that operate efficiently in a variety of environments on the ground or in space.

Armaments

 * "Igelstellung" 75mm Multi-barrel CIWS
 * A single "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS gun is mounted on the left side of the Strike Dagger's head. Although classified as Anti Air, this light projectile weapon can also be used to intercept missiles and to destroy lightly armored vehicles.


 * ES01 Beam Saber
 * A single beam saber of the model ES01 is mounted on the backpack and hand carried when in use. It serves as the MS's main close combat weapon.


 * Shield
 * A defensive equipment used to intercept attacks that the pilot cannot or will not dodge, it is mounted on the left forearm and/or handheld. The shield is also anti-beam coated and can block or deflect energy based attacks from beam weapons. However, the shield has its limit and can be damaged or even destroyed by extremely powerful attack, such as a positron cannon blast.


 * M703 57mm Beam Rifle
 * The main handheld ranged weapon of the Strike Dagger, it can easily destroy a ZGMF-1017 GINN with one shot, but is mostly ineffective against armor that has anti-beam coating. A grenade launcher is mounted at the bottom and although the grenades are not very effective against large ships, they are still useful as anti-mobile suit weapons.

History
The Strike Dagger is the Earth Alliance's first and main mass-production type mobile suit for the last few months of the Bloody Valentine War. Its design is a highly simplified version of the experimental Strike, which had proved highly effective in combat against ZAFT's mobile suits. It is mass-produced by companies that are affiliated with the defense industry union headquartered in Detroit.

Introduced early in Cosmic Era 71 on May 25, the Strike Dagger saw first service in the Battle of Porta Panama, acquitting itself well in combat against ZAFT's ZGMF-1017 GINN mobile suits. However, the whole Strike Dagger unit, the 13th Autonomus Corps, which participated in that battle was neutralized when ZAFT used its Gungnir EMP weapon, making the crippled Strike Daggers sitting ducks. Due to the massive losses which ZAFT had suffered earlier in the failed Operation Spit Break, the Alliance soldiers were brutally slaughtered by ZAFT forces. After the Battle of Porta Panama, all Strike Daggers had their EMP shielding upgraded to defend against ZAFT's Gungnir weapon system.

From that battle onward, the Strike Dagger replaced the outdated TS-MA2 Moebius mobile armor in all roles other than nuclear delivery, proving superior to the GINN in ground combat. After the end of the first war, production of the Strike Dagger ceased in favor of the GAT-01A1 105 Dagger. However, during South America's war for independence, the nation's primary mobile suit was the Strike Dagger, which fared badly against the Atlantic Federation's newer GAT-01A1 105 Daggers and GAT-02L2 Dagger L models. However, one unit, piloted by USSA ally Barry Ho, managed to defeat several Atlantic Federation mobile suits before his own unit was crippled and he was rescued by Serpent Tail pilots Gai Murakumo and Elijah Kiel.

Variants

 * GAT-01D Long Dagger

Notes & Trivia
Though of having a small and narrow eye visor plate and has two eyes behind it's eye visor, this suit is actually based on Universal Century's GM.