ZGMF-X56S Impulse Gundam

In late CE 73, ZAFT creates a new series of advanced mobile suits to succeed their previous generation of Gundams, which were all lost in the previous war. Since the Treaty of Junius bans the military use of the Neutron Jammer Canceller, these new Gundams use conventional battery power instead. However, technological improvements over the last two years mean that battery efficiency is improved, and Phase Shift armor is less power intensive than it had once been. To further improve endurance, ZAFT also introduces the new Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System, which allows a properly equipped battleship to remotely recharge a mobile suit's battery.

One of these new suits is the ZGMF-X56S Impulse, a multi-role unit similar in concept to the Earth Alliance's old GAT-X105 Strike. In its basic configuration, the Impulse is lightly armed, with only chest-mounted CIWS, two "Folding Razor" knives, and a beam rifle. It is also equipped with a dual-mode mobile shield, which is reinforced by a beam-deflecting energy barrier in its expanded mode. However, its typically goes into battle using one of its three Silhouette packs. In addition to adding weapons and equipment for different mission profiles, these packs also reconfigure the Impulse's Variable Phase Shift armor.

The high-mobility α Force Silhouette adds only a pair of "Vajra" beam sabers to the armament, but greatly enhances Impulse's speed and allows it full atmospheric flight capability. The close combat β Sword Silhouette adds two "Flash-Edge" beam boomerangs and two "Excalibur" anti-ship swords, and supports short-range flight. The long range fire support γ Blast Silhouette includes two large "Kerberos" beam cannons, two "Deluge" railguns, and two 4-tube missile launchers, as well as a pair of "Defiant" beam javelins for short-range defense, and supports hovering and jumps when not on land. Force Impulse has the standard blue, white, and red color scheme, while Sword Impulse is red, white, and black and Blast Impulse is black, white, Green, and blue.

The Impulse was designed simultaneously with ZAFT's new battleship Minerva, which includes a catapult exclusive to its use. Using this smaller catapult, the Impulse launches in three parts: the YFX-M56 Core Splendor, the upper body ("Chest Flyer"), and the lower body ("Leg Flyer"), followed by a Silhouette pack. Replacement Silhouettes, or in an emergency a replacement Chest or Leg Flyer, can also be launched if necessary. This Core Splendor system was first tested on the ZGMF-X101S ZAKU Splendor, then adapted to the Impulse's design.

After the Impulse is completed, additional Silhouettes are designed. The first of these are the δ Chaos Silhouette, ε Abyss Silhouette, and ζ Gaia Silhouette, which are designed for use with their own alternate Leg Flyer units, and duplicate the abilities of the ZGMF-X24S Chaos, ZGMF-X31S Abyss, and ZGMF-X88S Gaia respectively. In addition, the θ Destiny Silhouette (which includes extra forearm pieces mounted on the shield hardpoints) serves as a testbed for some of the weapons and systems of the ZGMF-X42S Destiny, including the beam wing propulsion system and beam shields. While the Destiny Silhouette effectively duplicates the functions all three original Silhouettes, its very high power consumption makes it unsuitable for combat use on a battery-powered mobile suit. Chaos Impulse is green and white, Abyss Impulse is solid blue, Gaia Impulse is black and white, and Destiny Impulse is magenta, white, and pink. An additional Silhouette, with the designation of η, predates the Destiny Silhouette but has not yet been revealed.

The ZGMF-X56S Impulse uses the operating system Generation Unrestricted Network Drive Assault Module.

The Impulse is initially piloted by Shinn Asuka, who was selected personally by PLANT Supreme Council Chairman Gilbert Dullindal. Shinn performs very well with Impulse, destroying over a dozen enemy warships, numerous mobile suits, and the stolen ZGMF-X31S Abyss. He even manages to defeat the ZGMF-X10A Freedom. After he receives the new ZGMF-X42S Destiny, Impulse is reassigned to Lunamaria Hawke. Lunamaria first pilots the Impulse during Operation Ragnarök, the invasion of Heaven's Base in Iceland, where it assists Shinn's ZGMF-X42S Destiny and Rey's ZGMF-X666S Legend in defeating the base's GFAS-X1 Destroy squad. Impulse is heavily damaged at the end of the Second Bloody Valentine War in the battle near Mobile Fortress Messiah by Athrun Zala's ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice.

ZGMF-X56S Impulse
Manufacturer: Integrated Design Bureau User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty Unit type: prototype multi-mode mobile suit First Deployment: 2 October, CE 73 Head height: 17.76 meters Weight: 63.54 metric tons Special equipment: Variable Phase Shift armor, Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System, hardpoint for Silhouette packs, Core Splendor cockpit system Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery Armament: MMI-GAU25A 20 mm multi-barrel CIWS x2, M71-AAK "Folding Razor" anti-armor knife x2, MA-BAR72 high-energy beam rifle x1, MMI-RG59V mobile shield x1 Pilot: Shinn Asuka, Lunamaria Hawke

ZGMF-X56S/α Force Impulse
Manufacturer: Integrated Design Bureau User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty Unit type: prototype multi-mode mobile suit Head height: 17.76 meters Overall height: 18.41 meters Weight: 78.30 metric tons Special equipment: Variable Phase Shift armor, Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System, hardpoint for Silhouette packs, Core Splendor cockpit system Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery Armament: MMI-GAU25A 20 mm multi-barrel CIWS x2, M71-AAK "Folding Razor" anti-armor knife x2, MA-BAR72 high-energy beam rifle x1, MA-M941 "Vajra" beam saber x2, MMI-RG59V mobile shield x1 Pilot: Shinn Asuka, Lunamaria Hawke

ZGMF-X56S/β Sword Impulse
Manufacturer: Integrated Design Bureau User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty Unit type: prototype multi-mode mobile suit First Deployment: 2 October, CE 73 Head height: 17.76 meters Overall height: 19.37 meters Weight: 78.93 metric tons Special equipment: Variable Phase Shift armor, Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System, hardpoint for Silhouette packs, Core Splendor cockpit system Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery Armament: MMI-GAU25A 20 mm multi-barrel CIWS x2, M71-AAK "Folding Razor" anti-armor knife x2, MA-BAR72 high-energy beam rifle x1, RQM60 "Flash-Edge" beam boomerang x2, MMI-710 "Excalibur" anti-ship sword x2, MMI-RG59V mobile shield x1 Pilot: Shinn Asuka, Lunamaria Hawke

ZGMF-X56S/γ Blast Impulse
Manufacturer: Integrated Design Bureau User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty Unit type: prototype multi-mode mobile suit Head height: 17.76 meters Overall height: 19.21 meters Weight: 84.68 metric tons Special equipment: Variable Phase Shift armor, Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System, hardpoint for Silhouette packs, Core Splendor cockpit system Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery Armament: MMI-GAU25A 20 mm multi-barrel CIWS x2, M71-AAK "Folding Razor" anti-armor knife x2, MA-BAR72 high-energy beam rifle x1, M2000F "Kerberos" high-energy long-range beam cannon x2, MMI-M16XE2 "Deluge" hyper-velocity rail cannon x2, GMF-39 4-barrel missile launcher (AGM141 "Firefly" guided missile) x1, MA-M80 "Defiant" beam javelin x2, MMI-RG59V mobile shield x1 Pilot: Shinn Asuka, Lunamaria Hawke

ZGMF-X56S/δ Chaos Impulse
Manufacturer: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty Unit type: prototype multi-mode mobile suit Head height: 17.76 m Overall height: unknown Weight: unknown Special equipment: Variable Phase Shift armor, Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System, hardpoint for Silhouette packs, Core Splendor cockpit system Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery Armament: MMI-GAU25A 20 mm multi-barrel CIWS x2, MA-BAR72 high-energy beam rifle x1, MGX-2235B "Callidus Kai" multi-phase beam cannon x1, EQFU-5X mobile weapon pod: (MA-81R beam assault cannon, AGM141 "Firefly" guided missile x12) x2, MA-XM434 beam claw x2

ZGMF-X56S/ε Abyss Impulse
Manufacturer: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty Unit type: prototype multi-mode mobile suit Head height: 17.76 m Overall height: unknown Weight: unknown Special equipment: Variable Phase Shift armor, Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System, hardpoint for Silhouette packs, Core Splendor cockpit system Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery Armament: MMI-GAU25A 20 mm multi-barrel CIWS x2, MA-BAR72 high-energy beam rifle x1, MMI-TT101 Mk9 high-speed guided torpedo launcher x4, M68 dual cannon x2, MA-X223E triple beam cannon x2, M107 "Balaena Kai" plasma beam cannon, MX-RQB516 beam lance x1

ZGMF-X56S/ζ Gaia Impulse
Manufacturer: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty Unit type: prototype multi-mode mobile suit Head height: 17.76 m Overall height: unknown Weight: unknown Special equipment: Variable Phase Shift armor, Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System, hardpoint for Silhouette packs, Core Splendor cockpit system Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery Armament: MMI-GAU25A 20 mm multi-barrel CIWS x2, MA-BAR72 high-energy beam rifle x1, modified MR-Q17X "Griffon 2" beam blade x2, MA-M941 "Vajra" beam saber x2

ZGMF-X56S/η ? Impulse

 * no information available
 * Possibly a Silhouette copying the ZGMF-X23S Savior. Since the other packs copy the other three units (Abyss, Chaos, and Gaia), it is possible that this pack could allow the Impulse to use a Savior-like MA form.

ZGMF-X56S/θ Destiny Impulse
Manufacturer: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty Unit type: prototype multi-mode mobile suit Head height: 17.76 m Overall height: unknown Weight: unknown Special equipment: Variable Phase Shift armor, Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System, hardpoint for Silhouette packs, Core Splendor cockpit system Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery Armament: MMI-GAU25A 20 mm multi-barrel CIWS x2, M71-AAK "Folding Razor" anti-armor knife x2, MA-BAR72 high-energy beam rifle x1, MMI-710 "Excalibur" anti-ship sword x2, high-energy long-range beam cannon x2, RQM-60F "Flash Edge 2" beam boomerang/saber x 2, MX2351 "Solidus Fulgur" beam shield generator x 2

YFX-M56S Core Splendor
Manufacturer: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty Unit type: support fighter for use as cockpit of ZGMF-X56S Impulse Length: 5.67 meters Weight: 3.02 metric tons Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery Armament: MMI-GAU19 20 mm machinegun x2, QF908 6-tube anti-air missile launcher (AGM33 "Ladybird" guided missiles) x2 Pilot: Shinn Asuka, Lunamaria Hawke

Silhouette Flyer
Manufacturer: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty Unit type: unmanned support craft for ZGMF-X56S Impulse Length: unknown Weight: 3.82 metric tons Special equipment: hardpoint for Silhouette packs

Trivia

 * Impulse's head crest displays the text "X-56S SEI", which means "Six" in Italian and is a reference to Impulse's series number.
 * Impulse's role in Gundam SEED Destiny is highly reminiscent of the Gundam Mk-II in Zeta Gundam. Like the Gundam MK II, Impulse is heavily based on the primary mobile suit of the immediately preceding series, and each is eventually transferred from the protagonist to a female pilot in his squad.