CAT1-X2/3 Hyperion Gundam Unit 2

The CAT-X2/3 Hyperion Unit 2 is a mobile suit from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED X Astray. It is piloted by Balsam Ardeno.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The Hyperion series features a wide variety of armament, which come in form of CIWS guns, beam knives, beam cannons and a beam sub-machine gun. Additionally, the suit mounts the Lightwave Barrier shield system, granting it incredible defense capabilities.

Armaments

 * Multi-barrel CIWS
 * Like most other mobile suits, the Hyperion series features two head mounted multi-barrel CIWS guns to shoot down incoming missiles or enemies at close range. These guns are the only shell-firing weapons on the suit.


 * RBW Type 7001 "Romteknica" Beam Knifes
 * For close combat, the Hyperion features five RBW Type 7001 "Romteknica" beam knives. One is stored on each limb, and one mounted as a bayonet on the sub-machine gun. These knives were powered by their own independent batteries and thus drew no power from the suits' batteries. This also made the beam knives usable as throwing weapons.


 * "Forfanterie" Beam Cannon
 * The strongest weapons of the Hyperion are two "Forfanterie" beam cannons, which are mounted on the backpack of the suit. These cannons are folded over the shoulders when in use.


 * RFW-99 "Zastava Stigmate" Beam Sub-machine Gun
 * For additional ranged combat, the suit is armed with a "Zastava Stigmate" beam sub-machine gun. The beam sub-machine gun's battery was stored in a "clip" which could be quickly and easily be replaced, and while its shots were weaker than those of standard beam rifles, its rate of fire was much greater. The machine gun also mounted one of the beam knives.


 * RBW Type 7001 "Romteknica" Beam Knifes
 * After modifications, a beam knife can be attached to the beam sub-machine gun and be used as a bayonet to attack enemies in close combat.


 * "Armure Lumiere" Mono-phase Lightwave Shield
 * The main feature of the Hyperion series is the "Armure Lumiere" mono-phase lightwave shield system. This system consists of 7 emitters, one on each arm and 5 on the backpack. The arm-mounted emitters can generate triangular beam shields, and the backpack-mounted units can project an energy globe similar to the "Umbrella of Artemis" that completely surrounds the mobile suit, protecting it from any attacks. However, this barrier completely drains the suit's batteries in approximately 5 minutes. Hyperion itself can attack through this barrier, including throw a beam knife. The shield system can also be used to form a massive beam spike, which is even able to stab through another lightwave barrier.

History
In mid CE 71, the Earth Alliance's Eurasian Federation created three of its own advanced prototype mobile suits based on the defense conglomerate Actaeon Industries armed prototype mobile suit Gel Finieto, separate from the EA's GAT-X series. These were the CAT1-X1/3 Hyperion Unit 1, CAT1-X2/3 Hyperion Unit 2, and CAT1-X3/3 Hyperion Unit 3. The three units were identical, except for their coloration. The Federation later created a limited production variant of the Hyperion Series, called the CAT1-XG Hyperion G.

Hyperion Unit 2
Like Unit 1, Hyperion Unit 2 was assigned to the Artemis space fortress under command of Gerard Garcia and piloted by Balsam Arendo. When Canard defected from the Alliance, Balsam was ordered to capture him. Canard in his damaged Unit 1 eventually fought Balsam and killed him by creating a beam spike to penetrate his lightwave barrier, then stabbed into Unit 2's cockpit with a beam knife. Canard then used its beam submachinegun for increased firepower and the remains of the mobile suit as a source of spare parts to repair his damaged Unit 1.