GX-9900 Gundam X

The GX-9900 Gundam X (aka Gundam X, GX, X) is a mass-produced mobile suit built by the former United Nations Earth, as well as the titular mobile suit of After War Gundam X. There are two feature versions of Gundam X. The primary featured one was piloted by Garrod Ran and later by Jamil Neate, after it was badly damaged in combat and was repaired and rebuilt as GX-9900-DV Gundam X Divider.

The second one was featured in the manga sequel, After War Gundam X: Under the Moonlight. The story featured a different Gundam X (adorned with teal colors) and its pilot was Rick Aller.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
Built at the height of MS advancement by the UNE, the GX-9900 series is one of the most advanced MS of its time. The series was mass-produced and pressed into service near the end of the 7th Space War. After the environmental devastation at the end of the 7th Space War, MS development on Earth became stagnant as humanity recovered; Gundam X and its brethren Gundam series thus remains top-of-the-line after 15 years. Because the UNE no longer existed, there was no regulation over the Gundams and they found new life in the hands of the Vultures. It's because of Vulture-use that no two Gundam X are exactly alike.

The unit is purposed as an assault MS. It carries a powerful beam cannon known as the Satellite Cannon. The cannon requires power beyond what Gundam X is capable of on its own, so UNE engineers created the D.O.M.E. (DOME) lunar microwave facility to power it. When the Satellite Cannon is to be used, solar power collected at the facility is sent to the Gundam X via a microwave beam and stored in the large reflector panels mounted on the suit's back in preparation for a particle beam blast powerful enough to wipe out a MS squad with a single shot.

While the Satellite Cannon is indeed powerful, it also requires a lengthy time to charge-up and fire. Any enemy target with enough speed and combat capability can take such an opportunity to attack Gundam X and disrupt its ability to absorb the microwave beam. Furthermore, the system can only be used when there is a clear line-of-sight to the lunar power facility. Because of this, the cannon tends to be used only as a last resort or for long-ranged assault. UNE engineers equipped Gundam X with a standardized set of weapons: a large beam sword, four chest mounted vulcan guns, and a shield buster rifle (doubling as a shield as well as a beam rifle). This allows Gundam X to be adaptable and versatile in most combat situations. The Vultures (who have salvaged Gundam X units) also added optional equipment to the suit, including a holster shield of a buster sheath rifle and a torpedo launcher.

The unit was specifically designed to exploit the capabilities of its Newtype pilot, but also usable for regular humans as well. At the helm of a Newtype pilot and using the Flash System, the pilot can mentally command remote controlled drone versions of Gundam X, the FX-9900 GX-Bits. These GX-Bits are very similar in design to the Gundam X, and the amount that the pilot can use is relative to their natural mental powers; the greater their New-Type abilities the greater amount of bits it can use for combat. In combat, the bits are used for coordinated attacks to protect its master and can utilize the Flash System sequentially to fire its Satellite Cannon. Naturally, for its regular human pilot, the bits are useless as UNE engineers never created an alternative control system for normal pilots to exploit the full potential of Gundam X.

The series has a simple security measure: a G-Controller, a detachable control stick of the cockpit system that also serves as the activation key for the Gundam X. However, this is not a strong security measure, as seen when Garrod is able to activate a random Gundam X that Tiffa lead him to using the G-Controller he had stolen earlier from Jamil Neate's personal vault. A skilled MS engineer can also hot-wire the system, bypassing the need for a G-Controller to activate the Gundam, and install a new control stick to control the machine.

For Garrod's unit, it was unfortunately defeated by a a Newtype pilot utilizing RMSN-008 Bertigo. Its Satellite Cannon was damaged beyond repair and had no components to replace it. To compensate the loss of its most powerful weapon, its equipment was upgraded with salvaged MS technology and redubbed as GX-9900-DV Gundam X Divider. The series would later be succeed by NUNE's GX-9901-DX Gundam Double X.

Armaments

 * Satellite Cannon
 * The satellite cannon is the single most powerful weapon mounted on a mobile suit in the After War timeline. The cannon is powered by a microwave beam emitted from the satellite system on the moon, which the GX absorbs through its chest, and stores it in the backpack mounted reflector panels until the cannon is ready to fire. A newtype pilot is required in order to contact the satellite system for firing. After the first use, a newtype is no longer required as the newtype's brainwaves are registered in the system. When in use, the satellite cannon deploys over the GX's right shoulder.


 * Shield Buster Rifle
 * The GX's main armament. The Shield buster Rifle is a unique weapon that can instantaneously transform from a beam rifle to a shield and back again. It's beam rifle mode is strong enough to cause serious damage to enemy suits, and its shield mode is thick enough to withstand most projectiles and prolonged exposure to a beam saber.


 * Large Beam Sword
 * Stored on the end of the satellite cannon, the Beam sword is the GX's main close-range weapon. It is more powerful than a standard beam saber. A unique feature of the beam sword is it's plus-shaped blade.


 * Breast Vulcan
 * The GX mounts four vulcan guns in its chest. These weapons are useful for causing light damage to enemies and downing incoming projectiles such as missiles.


 * Shoulder Vulcan
 * An optional ground-combat weapon, it is equipped on a hard point on the backpack in the upper left corner (left shoulder).


 * Holster Shield
 * Based on the Shield Buster Rifle, it is essentially the shield separated and semi-fixed on the left arm. It is possible to store the Buster Sheath Rifle within the shield. It is equipped on Rick Aller's unit.


 * Geneion Shield
 * A modified form of the Holster Shield that features a claw arm.


 * Buster Sheath Rifle
 * Based on the Shield Buster Rifle, it is essentially the rifle portion separated to function solely as a gun. It is equipped on Rick Aller's unit.


 * Buster Sheath Rifle Kai
 * An improvement of the Buster Sheath Rifle that features two barrels. It can fire two beams with different speeds simultaneously.

Special Equipment & Features

 * Flash System


 * Satellite System

Variants

 * FX-9900 GX-Bit
 * FX-9900-D G-Bit D.O.M.E.
 * GX-9900-DV Gundam X Divider
 * GX-9901-DX Gundam Double X
 * GX-9999 Gundam X Maoh

History
Developed by the United Nations Earth close to the end of the 7th Space War, the GX-9900 Gundam X, along with the other Gundam-type units were used in an attempt to prevent the mass colony drop of the Space Revolutionary Army. One of the Gundam X units in this battle was piloted by 15-year-old Newtype pilot Jamil Neate, who used his suit and FX-9900 GX-Bits to destroy one of the colonies moving towards Earth. This however only triggers the colony drop. At the end of the battle Jamil fights his rival Lancerow Dawell in his MAN-002 Febral mobile armor. During this battle Jamil's GX-9900 Gundam X lost its left arm and head, taking Jamil Neate's Newtype abilities with it. This Gundam X is later salvaged by the New United Nations Earth and parts and data of it are used in the construction of the new GX-9901-DX Gundam Double X.

In A.W. 0015, an intact Gundam X was discovered by Garrod Ran in an abandoned UNE facility, while fleeing with Newtype girl Tiffa Adill from a mysterious man named Reich Anto in his DT-6800C Daughtress Command and two accomplices in a DT-6800A Daughtress and DT-6800W Daughtress Weapon. However, Garrod was unable to activate the Gundam due to the G-Controller being missing. Remembering that he stole a control stick from Jamil Neates cabin safe, Garrod was able to activate the Gundam X and defeat Reich, along with his men.

The Gundam X would remain Garrod Ran's private machine, until his first combat encounter with Cyber Newtype, Carris Nautilus's RMSN-008 Bertigo resulted in the critical damage of the Gundam. With the MS's Satellite Cannon destroyed beyond repair, Kid Salsamille, Chief Mechanic on board the Freeden, repaired and upgraded the Gundam X into the GX-9900-DV Gundam X Divider.

In A.W. 0024, another intact black Gundam X unit was discovered in the Sea of Lorelei, inside a sunken Trieste-class that was resting on the ocean floor since the end of the 7th Space War, by Vulture pilot Rick Aller and Rosa the Second. Much to their surprise, he and Rosa II discovered that the original pilot had been kept in a state of suspended animation inside the cockpit of the black Gundam X unit.

Due to circumstances the pilot, Kai had to abandon the Gundam X, during which time Rick Aller took it for his own.

After being damaged by Kai's GB-9700 Gundam Belphagor, this Gundam X was repainted closer to the standard Gundam color scheme by Mana. The satellite cannon, which Rick was unable to activate, became an optional weapon. Its shield buster rifle got modified into a holster shield, which could separate the buster sheath rifle from shield part. The buster sheath rifle also mounted a beam sword.

Notes & Trivia

 * Despite being made around a decade later from the original Mobile Suit Gundam, the GX-9900 sports the ambient (APU?) hum that is identical to those of the RX-78-2 Gundam when starting up. This makes it one of the few Gundams that have noise when not in motion.
 * Although a default unit in the PSP game Gundam Vs. Gundam Next+, Gundam X was removed in the sequel Gundam Extreme Vs. It makes a return as a DLC unit in Gundam Extreme Vs. Full Boost and once again as a default unit in Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxi Boost.