GAT-01 Strike Dagger

GAT-01 Strike Dagger is a mass-production general-purpose mobile suit, it is first featured in the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The GAT-01 Strike Dagger is a mass-production general-purpose model mobile suit based on the combat data of the G Project mobile suits, specifically the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam. The original GAT-01 design concept - later produced as the GAT-01A1 105 Dagger - was nearly identical in performance to the Strike. However, due to an urgent need to produce large numbers of mobile suits in a short time, the Strike Dagger removed several of the Strike's features that would be restored in the 105 Dagger, including the capacity to use Striker Packs, an advanced sensor system, and strong EMP shielding. Lastly the suit isn't equipped with the Strike's energy-intensive Phase Shift armor, which was removed both as a cost-cutting measure and to improve the Strike Dagger's energy efficiency and combat endurance at the cost of sacrificing defense and making the Strike Dagger vulnerable to the solid weapons of the GINN. However, despite not being as powerful as the prototype or the original design the Strike Dagger proved to be a versatile and capable mobile suit that could efficiently operate in a varsity of environments on the ground or in space.

One area of weakness that the Strike Dagger possesses is that it is unsuited for either aerial or aquatic environments, and for similar reasons. The Strike Dagger lacks the proper propulsion systems to operate in those environments. Additionally the Strike Daggers beam weapons cannot be used underwater. Because of these limitations for full battlefield control the Strike Dagger worked in tandem with limited production mobile suits such as the GAT-333 Raider Full Spec and the GAT-X255 Forbidden Blue as well as support machines such as the F-7D Spearhead fighter jet. Though the Strike Dagger lacks the propulsion power to fly it can be equipped with a parachute so that it can be safely dropped from a carrier plane.

Weapon wise, the Strike Dagger's armament is rather simple. It consists of head mounted "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS for defense against incoming missiles, a single ES01 beam saber for close-combat, which, when not used, is stored on the mobile suit's right shoulder and a shield for defense. The suit is typically armed with a single M703 57mm beam rifle to shoot down enemies. This rifle also mounts a grenade launcher. Despite being a "cheap and cheerful" production model, the suit is nonetheless highly effective in battle.

Armaments

 * "Igelstellung" 75mm Multi-barrel CIWS


 * ES01 Beam Saber


 * Shield


 * M703 57mm Beam Rifle


 * Grenade Launcher

History
The Strike Dagger is the Earth Alliance's main mass-production type mobile suit for the last few months of the Bloody Valentine War. Its design is a highly simplified version of the experimental Strike, which had proved highly effective in combat against ZAFT's mobile suits.

Introduced early in Cosmic Era 71 on May 25, the Strike Dagger saw first service in the Battle of Porta Panama, acquitting itself well in combat against ZAFT's ZGMF-1017 GINN mobile suits. However, the whole Strike Dagger unit which participated in that battle was neutralized when ZAFT used its Gungnir EMP weapon. Due to the massive losses which ZAFT had suffered earlier in the failed Operation Spit Break, the Alliance soldiers were brutaly slaughtered by ZAFT forces. After the Battle of Porta Panama, all Strike Daggers had their EMP shielding upgraded to defend against ZAFT's Gungnir weapon system.

From that battle onward, the Strike Dagger replaced the outdated TS-MA2 Moebius mobile armor in all roles other than nuclear delivery, proving superior to the GINN in ground combat. However it proved to be almost equal to Orb's MBF-M1 Astray, and equal ZAFT's successor unit, the ZGMF-600 GuAIZ. It's beam rifle can destroy either a ZGMF-600 GuAIZ, ZGMF-1017 GINN, ZGMF-515 CGUE or MBF-M1 Astray with a single shot. After the end of the first war, production of the Strike Dagger ceased in favor of the GAT-01A1 105 Dagger. However, during South America's war for independence, the nation's primary mobile suit was the Strike Dagger, which fared below average against the Atlantic Federation's newer GAT-01A1 105 Daggers and GAT-02L2 Dagger L models. However, one unit, piloted by USSA ally Barry Ho, managed to defeat several Atlantic Federation mobile suits before his own unit was crippled and he was rescued by Serpent Tail pilots Gai Murakumo and Elijah Kiel.

Trivia
Though of having a small and narrow eye visor plate and has two eyes behind it's eye visor, this suit is actually based on Universal Century's GM.