SVMS-01E Graham's Union Flag Custom

SVMS-01E Union Flag Graham Aker Custom (aka Graham Aker Custom, Custom Flag), is a modified and tuned variant of the SVMS-01 Union Flag for Union ace pilot Graham Aker.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
Graham Aker's Custom Flag is a repainted Union Flag that has twice the speed of a standard Flag. Additional modifications include reinforcements to the joints and backpack, an anti-beam coating on the fuselage, and a new model rifle designed by the Iris Corporation. Drawbacks include the pilot experiencing 12 Gs at maximum acceleration, even with G-Force dampeners active. It was also a prototpye of SVMS-01O Over Flag.

The limited-production SVMS-01O Over Flag is essentially identical to Graham's Custom Flag, but with slightly reduced performance to reduce the G-forces the pilot is subjected to. When the Over Flags are introduced, Graham exchanges the experimental linear rifle for the standardized model (a triple-barrelled design consisting of a 200mm main gun and two smaller 60mm guns) used by the rest of the Over Flag squadron. The Custom Flag at this point can only be distinguished from an Over Flag by the blue stripe on its rifle (compared to a white stripe on the Over Flags) and the fact that the Custom Flag carries its rifle in the left hand and mounts its defense rod on the right arm (the reverse is the case for all other Flags).

Fereshte Gundam Meister Fon Spaak explained that in order for the Custom Flag and the later Over Flag to fly two times faster than an ordinary Union Flag, it is equipped with a larger than normal flight pack and that the material used to make the armor is thinner in order to make the Custom Flag lighter. Thus, the ordinary Union Flags have heavier armor than the customized Union Flag. Graham's Custom Flag was later upgraded to the SVMS-01X GN Flag, by using a GN Tau Drive removed from a GNX-603T GN-X.

XLR-04 Linear Rifle
Graham Aker's custom Flag was originally outfitted with an experimental 200mm linear rifle that was larger and more powerful then the model used by standard Flags. When members of the Fereshte organization reviewed the data from the initial conflict between the Custom Flag and Gundam Exia they discovered that the XLR-04 linear Rifle has a variable power output. It is capable of firing a series of rapid-fire high speed attacks that have almost no real power behind them, or it can charge up a single shot that has tremendous speed and power.

When the Over Flags are introduced, Graham exchanges the experimental linear rifle for the standardized model (a triple-barrelled design consisting of a 200mm main gun and two smaller 60mm guns) used by the rest of the Over Flag squadron. The previous 200mm linear rifle is later used in SVMS-01AP Union Flag Orbit Package Colony Guard Type.

Sonic Blade
The standard melee weapon of the Union's mobile suits. A sonic blade is a folding dagger-like weapon that incorporates a high-frequency oscillating blade. The vibrations of the oscillating blade greatly increase the weapon's cutting capabilities. Improved from previous model used in older VMS-15 Union Realdo, a Flag's sonic blade is capable to generate plasma sword.

Defense Rode
A standard defensive feature of Union mobile suits. The defense rod is a rotating rod usually connected to the elbow joint of the mobile suits left arm. The rod is capable of deflecting certain physical rounds such as bullets from a machine gun and in some cases a shot from a beam rifle by generating a plasma field. Compared to a conventional shieled, the defense rod is lighter but the Flag must rely on its speed and maneuverability when defending against heavier firepower.

Missiles
Depending on mission parameters the Over Flag can be equipped with several missile pods for increased firepower.

Variant

 * SVMS-01O Over Flag

History
Designed by Leif Eifman, who also oversaw its construction, the Graham Aker Custom Flag was built using the Union's latest technology specifically as an anti-Gundam weapon, and is quite possibly the most powerful Union mobile suit built in 2307. This custom Flag would first see action at the battle of Taribia pursuing the departing Exia. With the Flag's speed it was able to easily catch up with the Gundam. However Graham was unable to determine how well his new Flag matched up to it, aside from learning that the Exia's shield was capable of stopping a round from the new linear rifle, as the Exia demonstrated the Gundam's previously unknown ability to operate underwater.

The second battle the Custom Flag would have with a Gundam would be against GN-002 Gundam Dynames in the Kingdom of Azadistan. Lockon Stratos used Dynames destroy the Azadistan Conservative and Reformist mobile suits battling outside the solar energy receiver antenna facility, than attempted to protect the facility from an unknown assailant that bombarded the area with missiles, and in doing so gave away his position to the Union pilots patroling the air space and whose true objective was to capture a Gundam. Graham faced the Gundam alone, actually managing to dodge Dynames's attacks and get close enough to kick the Gundam. Graham than used his Flag's sonic blade forcing Lockon to counter with his own beam saber. From the way Dynames handled its weapons Graham was able to tell that the pilot of Dynames preferred long range attacks to melee combat. With Dynames's beam pistols Lockon was able to drive away the Flag but the Union mobile suit received little damage as it blocked with its defense rod. The battle would have continued longer however Graham was called away because extremists were using mobile suits to attack Azadistan's capital.

The third encounter between Graham Aker's Custom Flag and a Gundam would again be in Azadistan. After the released statement that Celestial Being was returning kidnapped religious leader Rasa Massoud Rachmadi, the Custom Flag and two SVMS-01 Union Flag wing-men were stationed outside the palace, ready to ambush the Gundam. However this incident did not lead to conflict as when Gundam Exia appeared it was carrying no weapons, thus Graham realized that if the Flags attacked an unarmed Gundam after it released Rachmadi, and likely preventing a civil war, than Graham and his fellow pilots would be seen as villains around the world.