ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom Gundam

The Strike Freedom is a mobile suit in the series Gundam SEED Destiny, piloted by Kira Yamato. The latter's usage of the mobile suit plays a pivotal role in ending the Second Bloody Valentine War, as part of the Three Ships Alliance and Orb Union's 2nd Space Fleet. Despite its design bearing a striking similarity to its predecessor, the ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam, this mobile suit can be easily distinguished by its golden joints, detachable wing tips (actually DRAGOON weapon pods), and its signature capability to lock onto multiple targets at once.

Combat Characteristics
Strike Freedom features both an highly enhanced offensive and defensive capabilities. Unlike its predecessor, the Freedom (which can be categorized as a medium range mobile suit), the Strike Freedom excels in various ranges. Kira often utilized Freedom in close combat battles aided by the Gundam's high mobility (not to mention the fact that he refrains from striking or shooting at the cockpits of his opponent's mobile suits and usually just incapacitates them to the point that they can simply limp away from the battle).

The trademark feature of the Strike Freedom is it's ability to lock onto multiple targets at once which is known as "Full Burst Mode". This ability is also shared by the original Freedom, as well as by the ZGMF-X13A Providence, ZGMF-X09A Justice, ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice and the MVF-M12A Ootsukigata.

The DRAGOON system, which is the latest addition to the mobile suit itself, seems to use the new quantum computer technology developed by ZAFT which allows pilots lacking enhanced spatial awareness to operate remote weapons with relative ease. Together with the HiMAT mode, Kira Yamato is able to engage (and incapacitate) multiple targets with ease - either via melee combat or from a distance.

Strike Freedom's modified "Voiture Lumière" booster engine on its wings can generate a visual effect similar to ZGMF-X42S Destiny's Wings of Light. This has been shown to be achievable only when the Strike Freedom deploys all of its DRAGOONs, leaving the thrusters uncovered in the remote weapons' docking sections to create this effect. It is unknown whether it functions in the same manner as Destiny's "Wings of Light" (which also disburses Mirage Colloid gas particles to create holographic afterimages that confuse enemy sensors), though it has never once shown the ability to do so in the anime.

As with Freedom, the unit is compatible with the METEOR weapon system to augment its already impressive firepower.

EQFU-3X Super DRAGOON System
The DRAGOON system is Strike Freedom's newest and most powerful weapon to date. Strike Freedom mounts eight DRAGOON pods mounted on the wings, each with their own high output beam cannon. The new system does not require pilots with spatial awareness to effectively control these units due to a quantum computer built into the system, although it will likely increase their effectiveness. When the DRAGOONs deploy, Kira prefers to use the system to attack enemy units/ships from long range or in Full Burst Mode in conjunction with all the other weapons. Adding to the eight DRAGOON units, the eight golden joints that attach the units to the wing section can also dismount, and are programed to create a beam barrier in a similar fashion to the method also used by the ORB-01 Akatsuki Gundam, despite differences in the structural design and mounting of such weapon pods. However, this was only seen in the Gundam vs. Gundam video games, and never on the show.

The DRAGOONs are never shown, and most likely unable to, operate from within the Earth's atmosphere. There is no explanation why Kira didn't leave it on Archangel when he was sortied to Earth. It may be even possible that the Strike Freedom's DRAGOONs can be used as an added armament like how it was used by the ZGMF-X666S Legend.

MA-M02G "Super Lacerta" Beam Saber
The unit also retains the two hip-mounted beam sabers from the original Freedom. They are assumed to be of the same output. A notable difference in Kira's usage of these beam sabers is that he no longer combines the beam sabers into a double-bladed beam saber (a la Darth Maul's saberstaff as seen in the climactic battle scene in Star Wars Episode I) but instead chooses to wield the two beam sabers individually. One of the beam sabers is usually held in a reverse grip.

MA-M21KF Beam Rifles
The Strike Freedom mounts two MA-M21KF beam rifles on its hips, which can now be swiveled to the rear skirt armor in exchange for its "Xiphias" rail cannons. The beam rifles can be combined to form one long beam cannon similar to that of the GAT-X103 Buster Gundam (though not as long as the Buster's gun launcher/high energy rifle).

MGX-2235 "Callidus" multi-phase beam cannon
Strike Freedom's secondary long range weapon. Its function is similar to the beam cannon of the ZGMF-X24S Chaos Gundam but the cannon itself is shaped more like the Scyllia cannon of the GAT-X303 Aegis Gundam.

MMI-M15E "Xiphias 3" Rail Cannons
Strike Freedom also sports an upgraded version of the "Xiphias" rail cannons of the original Freedom. Their position can be swapped to the rear skirt armor in exchange for the beam rifles.

History
The Strike Freedom made its debut in CE 74, when Kira boards the Eternal albeit in a damaged MBF-P02+AQM/E-X01 Aile Strike Rouge after coming to the aid of Andrew Waltfeld and then launches in the Strike Freedom to defend the ship from a ZAFT attack force. Kira with the Strike Freedom successfully disabled 25 ZAKUs and GOUFs within two minutes, and then proceeded to disable three Nazca class destroyers.

When it arrived on Earth it immediately confronts the ZGMF-X42S Destiny, piloted by Shinn Asuka, breaking up its battle with the ORB-01 Akatsuki (piloted by Kira's twin sister, Cagalli Yula Athha). The initial clash between the two suits proved somewhat inconclusive as neither unit was able to cause any major damage to the other, let alone gain the upper hand. Also, it becomes clear that the two mobile suits were roughly equal in power. The Destiny, however, is forced to retreat when Rey Za Burrel ordered Shinn Asuka to return to the Minerva to resupply.

When the Destiny does return to the battlefield, it is now accompanied by Rey Za Burrel in the ZGMF-X666S Legend. Together both units manage to give the Destiny an opportunity to damage and put the Strike Freedom into the defensive. Athrun Zala in the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice arrives on the scene at that moment however, stopping the attack as well as the numerical disadvantage of the battle. For the remainder of this battle, which was not long, the Strike Freedom engages the Legend in a skirmish in which neither suit gains an advantage nor damages the other.

In the final battle of the Second Bloody Valentine War, the Strike Freedom and the Infinite Justice, both equipped with the METEOR mobile weapons platform, destroy an important relay station that was to be used by the Requiem tactical cannon, which was under ZAFT control. After accomplishing this goal they realized the station could be replaced and proceeded towards the Requiem itself. The Strike Freedom finally engages the Legend and heavily damages it, then docks with the METEOR once more and then heads to the mobile fortress Messiah and proceeds to heavily damage it, which leads to its destruction and the subsequent end of the Second Bloody Valentine War.

Construction
The ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom currently has no clear fictional historical background, as various official sources have some contradicting statements. However, the sources at least agree that the Strike Freedom was completed in secret by Terminal c/o the Clyne Faction. It also agreed that the mobile suit is based on the earlier ZGMF-X10A Freedom and is powered by an ultracompact hyper-deuterion nuclear fission reactor.

Shigeru Morita, one of the series' major staff members, had stated that the Stargazer had a direct link with the Strike Freedom with regards to technical development. He also stated that Strike Freedom is powered by the same power plant used by the newer Gundams appearing in SEED Destiny thereby putting to rest the debate on the Strike Freedom's power plant.

In the Master Grade model kit manual, Strike Freedom was stated as originally under the production of ZAFT as a newer version of the ZGMF-X10A Freedom. In the manual, this mobile suit was planned by ZAFT to be mass-produced for achieving victory for any war. Further in the manual, Strike Freedom's original maiden flight date was after the Amory One Incident (The incident shown in early episodes of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny). Later, during final stages of its development, Terminal stole the mobile suit and modified it for Kira Yamato. It also explained the "ZGMF" model number, which is common for ZAFT's mobile suits. Shigeru Morita's declarations over his will to build links between Strike Freedom, Destiny and Stargazer, that the first two field a propulsion system derived from Stargazer's "Voiture Lumière" interplanetary propulsion system, were also confirmed by this manual.

From High Grade model kit manual, Strike Freedom was completed by the former Clyne Faction led by Lacus Clyne. The manual states that the Strike Freedom was created by stealing data from the next-generation Second Stage series that was under development by ZAFT and combined with the combat assessment data from the Freedom which was restored in Orb after the last battle fought in the previous conflict ([|Bloody Valentine War]). Further stated are the following: as this hybrid machine is a further power-up of the Freedom, which already far surpassed ordinary mobile suits, no normal human can operate it. The manual also explains Strike Freedom name, that when Lacus Clyne finally approves the decision of its developers and gives it to her paramour, Kira Yamato, she gives it the names of the Strike and Freedom that had previously fought alongside him as if offering up a prayer.

Despite the intention of ZAFT to mass produce this mobile suit (as stated in the MG manual) only one mobile suit was known to be completed and deployed in the Cosmic Era universe, shown in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny.

=Trivia=


 * When Strike Freedom was shown in the 3rd opening animation, its head crest displayed the words "Liberta Modifica", which is "Modified Freedom" in Latin. Starting with episode 39 the words were changed to read "X-20A VENTI", which is "Twenty" in Italian, a reference to the Strike Freedom's model number.


 * The ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom holds the honor of being the only unit commissioned to Kira that never sustained damage since its debut. The GAT-X105 Strike Gundam, Kira's first unit, sustained catastrophic damage when Athrun's Aegis self-destructed, but was repaired and recommissioned to Mu La Flaga before ultimately being destroyed while defending the Archangel from the Dominion's Lohengrin. The ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam was crippled once in battle against the ZGMF-X13A Providence Gundam, and was later completely restored before being destroyed by the ZGMF-X56S/α Force Impulse piloted by Shinn Asuka.

=References=

=See also=
 * ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam
 * GSX-401FW Stargazer

=External links=
 * ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom Gundam on MAHQ
 * ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom Gundam on Wikipedia