GAT-X105 Strike Gundam

The GAT-X105 Strike Gundam is a prototype multi-mode mobile suit, it was featured in the anime Mobile Suit Gundam SEED. Its primary pilot was Kira Yamato before it was passed down to ace pilot Mu La Flaga.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The Strike is the most versatile of the five Gundams in the Earth Alliance's G Project. Using its Striker Packs, it can be outfitted for high mobility (Aile Strike), heavy assault (Launcher Strike) or heavy melee combat (Sword Strike). As a result, the Strike does not have much excess weight as it only carries equipment that is necessary for the combat situation and is thus the most mobile among the units produced in the project. Furthermore, the Striker packs are equipped with backup battery and can extend the Strike's operation time.

Build on the X100 series frame first adopted by Duel, the Strike also has the Phase Shift armor system. In terms of armament, the Strike itself is equipped only with two head-mounted CIWS and a pair of combat knives stored in the hips, but it can also be optionally armed with a bazooka, a shield and a beam rifle. Because of its bright blue, red and white color phase-shifted scheme, the Strike is easily the most visually distinctive of the five (with the possible exception of the bright red-colored GAT-X303 Aegis).

Armaments

 * "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel Anti Air CIWS
 * Mounted in the Strike's head are two "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS guns. These light projectile weapons are used to intercept missiles and to destroy lightly armored vehicles, although it is classified as Anti Air.


 * "Armor Schneider" Combat Knife
 * Stored in the Strike's hips are a pair of folding "Armor Schneider" combat knives. These knives do not need power from the suit, can be thrown, and their blades vibrate at high speed allowing them to pierce through most armor except PS armor.


 * 57mm High-energy Beam Rifle
 * An optional armament, the beam rifle can be stored on the side skirt. This is the primary ranged combat weapon and can easily destroy a ZGMF-1017 GINN with one shot, but is mostly ineffective against suits with anti-beam coating. It has an additional handle that can shift to the side, and is often used for extra stability when the Strike is firing its rifle rapidly.


 * Bazooka
 * The bazooka is an optional heavy assault weapon based upon the standard bazooka design of firing explosive shells. Because it is a conventional weapon, the bazooka does not draw power from the Strike's battery and this results in extended combat endurance. Another advantage is that the bazooka can be used underwater, unlike a beam rifle. To increase firepower the bazooka loads four cartridges of ammo. The disadvantage is that its greater size and weight makes it somewhat less mobile then the beam rifle. In Gundam SEED RE: the Bazooka had an alternate Shrapnel munition that could be used also.


 * Shield
 * The shield is an optional piece of handheld equipment designed to increase the Strike's defensive capability. The shield does not have phase shift armor, so it is not as durable as the Strike's armor, however it also does not drain energy each time it is hit. The shield's major advantage is that it is anti-beam coated and can block or deflect beam weapon attacks, against which phase shift armor is ineffective.


 * XM404 "Grand Slam" Anti-Ship Sword
 * A large sword developed by the ZAFT, but used by the Strike to take down enemy mobile suits. Seen only in episode 08 of Gundam Evolve.

System Features

 * Hardpoints for Striker Packs
 * The key feature of the Strike is its ability to equip additional equipment in the form of striker packs. Each striker pack is designed to outfit the Strike with the equipment needed to fulfill specific combat roles with maximum efficiency.


 * Phase Shift armor
 * As with all of the G Project mobile suits, the GAT-X105 Strike is equipped with phase shift armor. When activated the Strike's color is changed from a light grey to a white scheme with a bit of blue and red mixed in. Phase Shift armor, when activated, renders the Strike immune to physical attacks such as bullets, the GINN sword, or against missiles. However Phase Shift armor continually drains the battery of energy, shortening the mobile suit's combat endurance, and uses up additional energy when it is hit.

History
To counter ZAFT's advanced mobile suits, the Earth Alliance's Atlantic Federation secretly collaborated with Morgenroete to develop their own series of mobile suits under the G Project. In January CE 71, five prototype suits were secretly rolled out at the space colony Heliopolis. ZAFT however became aware of these machines, infiltrated the colony on January 25 and stole four of the suits. The only machine to remain out of ZAFT's hands was the Strike, which was first piloted by Murrue Ramius, a EA lieutenant and then by a civilian Coordinator named Kira Yamato. Kira used the suit to fight against the invading ZAFT forces although he could not prevent the destruction of the colony. Following this battle, the Strike was entrusted to Kira. Thus, Kira joined the crew of the Archangel and fought against the pursuing ZAFT forces both in space and later on Earth. During the ship's journey to the EA's JOSH-A base in Alaska, Kira battled and defeated several ZAFT ace pilots, including Andrew Waltfeld and the ZAFT Reds who piloted the four stolen Gundams. On April 17, Kira fought an intense battle against his former friend Athrun Zala in his GAT-X303 Aegis. In this battle the Strike was severely damaged, although its remains were salvaged by the Orb Union. Kira himself was rescued by Junk Guild member Lowe Guele and brought to PLANT, where he stole the ZGMF-X10A Freedom with the help of Lacus Clyne.

The Orb Union eventually rebuilt the Strike from the damaged remains and loaded it with the newly developed Natural-use OS. Following the defection of the Archangel crew who sought refuge at Orb Union in early June, the Strike became the personal mobile suit of ace pilot Mu La Flaga. Mu's Strike sparred with Kira Yamato's Freedom (at the end of Gundam SEED Phase 37) and was also involved in the battle to protect Orb against the Alliance's invasion. Some time later, Mu used the Launcher Strike in the battle his long-time rival Rau Le Creuset, who was piloting the new ZAFT MS, ZGMF-600 GuAIZ. During the final battle of the first Bloody Valentine War, Creuset was assigned to the advanced ZGMF-X13A Providence. Despite being a versatile mobile suit, the Strike proved to be no match for the superior Providence and was heavily damaged thus forcing Mu to retreat Archangel. Before he could enter the ship, he protected the ship from a positron blast from the EA ship Dominion. The positron blast destroyed the Strike but Mu managed to survive the blast.

During the Second Battle of Jachin Due, another Strike, called the MBF-02 Strike Rouge, was built by Orb and piloted by Cagalli Yula Athha. After the war, as part of the "Actaeon Project" MS development plan, at least one other Strike was re-manufactured. This unit was piloted by Phantom Pain pilot, Sven Cal Payang, and had a darker phase-shifted colors to better balance energy consumption and armor strength. It was later upgraded to the more powerful GAT-X105E Strike E.

Due to the Strike's successful design, it became the archetype for the majority of the Earth Alliance's mass-produced mobile suits from the GAT-01 Strike Dagger to the GAT-04 Windam. ZAFT would also take the basics of the Strike's Striker Pack feature and use it as the basis for their Wizard packs for their new ZAKU mobile suits. The Strike's design would also be used by ZAFT to create a new version of the mobile suit with numerous technological improvements, the ZGMF-X56S Impulse.

Variants

 * GAT-X105+AQM/E-X01 Aile Strike Gundam
 * GAT-X105+AQM/E-X02 Sword Strike Gundam
 * GAT-X105+AQM/E-X03 Launcher Strike Gundam
 * GAT-X105+AQM/E-X04 Gunbarrel Strike Gundam
 * GAT-X105+AQM/E-YM1 Perfect Strike Gundam
 * GAT-X105+P204QX Lightning Strike Gundam
 * GAT-X105+P202QX Strike Gundam IWSP
 * MBF-02 Strike Rouge
 * GAT-X105E Strike E

Notes & Trivia

 * Strike's head crest displays the text "CINQUE X-105", which means "Five" in Italian and a reference to the GAT-X105 Strike being the fifth mobile suit developed under the Earth Alliance's "G Project".
 * Interestingly, a number of models have shown that Strike can combine with the Aile, Sword and Launcher Striker Packs at the same time. This form officially referred as Perfect Strike Gundam in the HD Remastered series of Gundam SEED in which it makes its first debut in a motion picture. It is said to be the original concept behind the ZGMF-X10A Freedom and the later inspiration for the ZGMF-X42S Destiny.
 * In certain Super Robot Wars games (K and L) if anyone other than Cagalli assigned to pilot the Strike Gundam, the unit will become the conventional blue, red and white colored GAT-X105 Strike. Meanwhile, if Cagalli is assigned to, the unit will become her personal heavily pink colored MBF-02 Strike Rouge. It is for plot purposes, the Strike Rouge; this references the recolor of the Strike Rouge for Kira's use in Destiny.
 * The "Grand Slam" Anti-Ship Sword is provided in the Perfect Grade model kit of Strike Gundam, a weapon that never appears in the anime, but is featured in the special episode 08 of Gundam Evolve.
 * Despite being on a battery that runs down during the show, the Strike (and other SEED suits) slowly recover EN like any other unit in most if not all Super Robot Wars games that it appears in.