ZGMF-X56S/α Force Impulse Gundam

The Force Impulse is a Mobile Suit in the series Gundam SEED Destiny.

Combat Abilities
Besides being equipped with the standard armament of the ZGMF-X56S Impulse (chest-mounted CIWS guns, anti-armor knifes, mobile shield, beam rifle), the Force Impulse uses the α Force Silhouette pack, which grants the suit access to two beam sabers.

Beam Sabers
Similar to the old GAT-X105 Aile Strike, the Force Silhouette grants the Impulse access to two "Vajra" beam sabers as additional close combat weapons.

System Features
Since the Impulse is equipped with Variable Phase Shift armor, the strength and energy consumption can be adjusted for different modes. When using the Force Silhouette pack, the armor automatically takes a blue, white, and red color scheme. Additionally, the Force Silhouette greatly enhances Impulse's speed and allows it full atmospheric flight capability.

Besides these facts, the Force Impulse can use the standard Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System or the YFX-M56 Core Splendor cockpit system.

History
In CE 73, ZAFT created the Impulse as part of the Second Generation of Gundam-type mobile suits. The Impulse is similar to the old GAT-X105 Strike, created by the Earth Alliance during the Bloody Valentine War. Like the Strike, the Impulse can be equipped with exchangeable Silhouette packs, an advanced variation of the old Striker Packs, granting the suit the ability to adapt to different combat situations. One such pack is the α Force Silhouette, which is analogus to the AQM/E-X01 Aile Striker, although far more advanced. The high-mobility α Force Silhouette is the most comonly pack used by the suit.

The Force Impulse was used in battle first on October 2nd, CE 73, when the ZAFT military colony Armory One was infiltrated by three Extended humans working for the EA Phantom Pain special forces unit. The Extendeds stole three Gundams of the Second Generation series and caused serious damage to the interior of the colony while fighting ZAFT mobile suits. Shinn Asuka eventually launched in the Sword Impulse to fight the three Gundams but eventually switched to the Force Silhouette after loosing the weapons of the Sword pack.

After the Minerva decended down to Earth, the Impulse was commonly launched with the Force Silhouette pack as it granted the suit flight capabilities inside the atmosphere of the plante.