GAT-04 Windam

The GAT-04 Windam - (aka Windam ウィンダム) is a mass-production multi-mode mobile suit, it is featured in the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny. The unit is piloted by Neo Roanoke.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The GAT-04 Windam is developed from the GAT-02L2 Dagger L and is the most advanced Earth Alliance mass production type mobile suit. The suit is more mobile than its predecessor due to the additional vernier thrusters mounted on its legs and shoulders, and has higher performance that is comparable to the ZAFT's ZAKU-type mobile suits. When piloted by a skilled pilot, the Windam can prove to be a challenge even to Kira Yamato's ZGMF-X10A Freedom. Weapons wise, the Windam's standard armament is similar to the Dagger L and includes CIWS guns, beam sabers, anti-armor penetrators, a better beam rifle as well as shield. Like its predecessors, the Windam has the ability to mount Striker Packs, however the design of its shoulder armor prevents it from mounting the Sword or Launcher Striker Packs. The Windam has been seen mounting only the Jet Striker, Doppelhorn Striker, Aile Striker, and the new Multi Striker Packs.

Armaments

 * M2M5 "Todesschrecken" 12.5mm Automatic CIWS
 * The Windam is equipped with four CIWS guns to shoot down incoming missiles or enemies at close range. Two are located in the head, while another two are located on the clavicle.


 * ES04B Beam Saber
 * Another armament of the Windam which is standard on most mobile suits are its two ES04B beam sabers for close combat. When not in use, these sabers are stored on the side armor of the suit.


 * Mk315 "Stiletto" Rocket-Propelled Anti-Armor Penetrator
 * Identical to the ones used by Dagger L, these penetrators are dagger-like weapons, which are stored inside the suit's side armor. The penetrators can be used for close combat but are most times used as throwing weapons, which can destroy a single suit if they hit a critical spot.


 * A52 Offensive Shield Type E
 * Mounted on the left arm of the Windam, it is a physical shield that is used to defend against enemy attacks. The A52 Offensive Shield Type E is a new type of shield and is named as such as it carries missiles.


 * Mk438/B Dual Multipurpose Missile "Würger" SA10
 * The shield mounts a Mk438/B dual multipurpose missile "Würger" SA10, giving it some offensive power.


 * M9409L Beam Rifle
 * For ranged combat, the Windam is equipped with a M9409L beam rifle. This new beam rifle is larger and more powerful than the beam carbine used by the GAT-02L2 Dagger L series.

Striker Packs

 * AQM/E-A4E1 Jet Striker


 * "Drache" Air-to-Surface Missiles


 * Mk1323 Unguided Rocket Pods


 * Mk438 Triple "Würger" Air-to-Air Missile Pods


 * Multi Striker Pack


 * Dual Mk-5 Nuclear Missile


 * AQM/E-X01 Aile Striker


 * 2 x Beam Saber


 * AQM/E-M11 Doppelhorn Striker


 * Dual Recoilless Cannon

Special Equipment & Features

 * Hardpoints for Striker Packs
 * As with the old GAT-01A1 105 Dagger and GAT-02L2 Dagger L mobile suit series, the Windam is capable of mounting Striker Packs, thus being able to adapt to different missions and environments. Among these are the AQM/E-A4E1 Jet Striker, which gives the Windam atmospheric flight capability, the AQM/E-M11 Doppelhorn Striker, which is for artillery bombardment, the Multi Launcher Pack, and the old AQM/E-X01 Aile Striker, which can be used as an alternative to the newer Jet Striker. The Windam however has considerably different shoulders than the previous GAT-01 and GAT-02 models, and is probably not compatible with Striker Packs that use shoulder-mounted weaponry, like the AQM/E-X02 Sword Striker and AQM/E-X03 Launcher Striker. Although it could be mounted with the Another Trial versions of the Sword and Launcher Striker Packs developed for the Strike E.

History
The Windam was introduced in October CE 73, when a squad equipped with Multi Launcher Strikers was sent to destroy PLANT, shortly after declaration of the Second Bloody Valentine War. However, they and their supporting fleet were all destroyed by ZAFT's Neutron Stampeder. Soon afterwards, Windams equipped with the Jet Striker were deployed to oppose ZAFT's "Operation Spear of Twilight", in which large numbers of mobile suits were dropped to Earth to reinforce their Carpentaria and Gibraltar bases. Windams were also employed in a failed attempt to destroy ZAFT's battleship Minerva as it left Orb territorial waters, and in most major Earth Alliance operations on the planet thereafter.

Neo Roanoke, commander of the 81st Independent Mobile Battalion, piloted a custom Windam with a unique purple and dark gray color scheme, operating from the aircraft carrier John Paul Jones and later the land aircraft carrier Bonaparte. The Windam was also used in large numbers in space in the last month of the second war, during which they were deployed without any Striker Pack or with the Doppelhorn Striker. The Windams were used to protect the emitter of the Requiem superweapon at the Daedalus lunar base as well as its relay stations. At the end of the war, a dozen Windam joined Terminal to destroy Requiem.

Variants

 * GAT-04+AQM/E-A4E1 Jet Windam

Notes & Trivia

 * The Windam appears to be analogous to the RGM-89 Jegan to the Dagger L's RMS-179/RGM-79R GM II
 * The performance level of the Windam however remains unknown. Although the Windam was originally stated to be a high-performance, high-mobility "ZAKU buster", the show has done little to confirm this. The reason for this is that the majority of the battles in SEED Destiny are implied, with only small parts of the war and portions of individual battles being shown to us. We almost never see a Windam in any scene which does not involve ZAFT's Minerva battleship, and as such, they are often quickly shot down by ace pilots Shinn Asuka, Athrun Zala, and occasionally Kira Yamato. The single exception to this is Neo Roanoke, who piloted his custom colored Windam skillfully. During the battle in the Indian Ocean, Neo and Sting Oakley together managed to fight Athrun Zala to a standstill, and given previous examples of Athrun's superior performance relative to Oakley, this gave us some evidence that a Windam can be used as a serious fighting force. Roanoke even managed to (very briefly) hold his own against Kira Yamato, destroying Freedom's shield with a rocket propelled knife before his Windam was destroyed.
 * While some materials such as Gundam SEED DESTINY MS Encyclopedia state that the Windam has VPS armor and wrecks of PS-down Windams can be spotted, it's contradicted by the fact that Windam can be damaged by all sort of projectile, explosion, missile and Minerva-class battleship's 40mm CIWS. Other sources such as Gundam Fact Files list its armor as unknown.