Striker Packs

Striker Packs are specially designed auxiliary armament units in the Cosmic Era that allows one single mobile unit to be fitted for a number of different roles. As its name implies, it is originally designed to be the support units for the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam.

Overview
The Striker Packs were intended to boost the combat potential of one of the Earth Alliance's newest G-Weapons - the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam - by being able to change its weapon systems, either strategically or "on the fly" if needed. The concept sought to provide specifically-designed Striker Packs to meet a variety of combat situations, and a suitable Striker Pack is usually mounted onto the Strike before the MS launches. To allow the exchange of Striker Packs during mid-battle, several ways of delivering them were developed - from launching the desired Striker Pack from Archangel's catapult, to developing an equally-compatible support fighter (the FX-550 Skygrasper) to deliver the Striker Packs to the mobile suit. Furthermore, since the Striker Packs each contain a smaller auxiliary battery that can be harnessed by the unit, successfully switching packs mid-combat also extended the Strike's overall combat endurance and operation time.

These delivery methods however are not without their flaws. Switching packs in a fight left the Strike vulnerably exposed as its Phase Shift Armor is down during the process, this leaves both the pack and the unit susceptible to enemy fire. Additionally, the Striker Packs themselves lacked any kind of maneuvering capability, making mid-flight docking an extremely difficult proposition for the Strike's pilot. This is further compounded by the Striker Pack's components often having to be mounted individually across the Strike's body. However despite all this, in the few instances these techniques were used successfully, it aids and replenishes the Strike during combat. The Alliance also found the Skygrasper useful enough that they put the unit into production to support their Striker Pack compatible mass production MS.

A curiosity of the Striker Packs that was never fully capitalized was their combinatorial ability - the ability to swap and retool armaments from one pack to another. One instance of this is shown in a scene in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Re: had the Strike Gundam utilize the Aile Striker Pack with the 'Panzer Eisen' rocket anchor and the 'Schwert Gehweir' anti-ship sword used with the Sword Striker Pack. Another example is seen with the creation of a combined Multi-weapon Striker Pack (derived the Aile, Sword, and Launcher Packs) used to form the Perfect Strike.

The usefulness of the Striker Packs system was fully demonstrated during the first war, and together with the terms of the Treaty of Junius Seven, caused both the Earth Alliance and ZAFT to adopt it or its derivative as the mainstays of their armed forces afterwards. The Alliance continues developing new Striker Packs, while ZAFT created derivative weapon systems known as "Wizards" and "Silhouettes". In fact, ZAFT later uses the Striker Pack's delivery concept for their own Silhouette System, which utilized unmanned "Silhouette Flyer" vehicles to deliver Silhouettes for mid-battle changeovers.

Earth Alliance

 * AQM/E-X01 Aile Striker
 * Aile Striker is a high-powered thrusters backpack designed to enhance GAT-X105 Strike Gundam's mobility and maneuverability in both space and the atmosphere. Later on, it was upgraded to allow full-fledged atmospheric flight by both the Orb Union and the Alliance. Aile was the most commonly used of the Striker Packs (especially by early Strike pilot Kira Yamato), and generally the one that Strike would sortie with. Aile Striker is equipped with a pair of beam sabers, and the Strike often use this Striker pack together with a beam rifle and shield.


 * In addition to normal model of the Aile Striker, Fujiyama also developed an improved model for the Cosmograsper, this Aile Strike is not equipped with beam sabers.


 * Multi Launcher Pack
 * Designed for the GAT-04 Windam used in CE 73. Little is known about the Multi Striker. In anime, it carries two nuclear missiles and thrusters to properly balance the Windam against the additional weight. The name implied that it may able to armed with different equipment as well. First deployed and to date only deployment in the Battle of Aprilius One.


 * Speculum Striker
 * Design by Fujiyama as Another Trial model of the Aile Striker. It has atmospheric flight capabilities as well as hardpoints on its wing and is equipped with a pair of beam sabers. Similar to Aile Strike Gundam, the Speculum Raigo also carries a beam rifle and shield. Appears in the Frame Astrays manga.


 * Caliburn Striker
 * Design by Fujiyama as Another Trial model of the Sword Striker. Caliburn Striker's "Midas Messer Kai" Beam Boomerang is mounted on the right arm, "Panzer Eisen kai" rocket Anchor is mounted on the left arm and and both "Schwert Gewehr Kai" anti-ship sword and "Caladbolg" large beam saber are mounted on the backpack. Used by the Raigo Gundam in the Frame Astrays manga.


 * Sumbullet Striker
 * Design by Fujiyama as Another Trial model of the Launcher Striker. Sumbellet Striker replaces the weapons pod with a large 8-tube missile launcher and mounts it on the left side of the backpack. A modfied plasma-sabot bazooka "Todesblock Kai", based on the one used by the GAT-X131 Calamity is mounted on the right side of the backpack. It also has the "Agni Kai", an improved model of the Agni impulse cannon of the Launcher Striker. Used by the Raigo Gundam in the Frame Astrays manga.

Orb Union

 * AQM/E-YM1 Multiple Assault Striker
 * This Striker Pack combines all of the aspects and armaments of the Aile, Sword and Launcher Striker Packs making it very powerful. The only downside to this is the very high energy consumption, so this pack is also fitted with four additional battery packs. When one of this battery pack is depleted, the battery is jettisoned to avoid dead-weight. The designation "AQM/E-YM1" shows that, contrary to the Aile/Sword/Launcher Strike Packs, this Striker Pack has passed the experimental stage ("X" designation) and that it is used as a prototype ("Y" designation). This may suggest that this configuration's data were used in the development of the IWSP. When used by Strike, it's called Perfect Strike, rather than Multiple Assault Strike.


 * P202QX (AQM/E-M1) IWSP
 * The IWSP (Integrated Weapons Striker Pack) was originally developed by PMP Company, but was abandoned due to energy issue. Orb's Morgenroete Inc. later accquired one of the prototypes and solved the energy issue using their superior battery technology. IWSP combines the primary characteristics of the Aile, Sword and Launcher Striker Packs into a single set of equipment. As such it is very heavy, very powerful, very energy intensive and difficult to use. It has two 9.1m anti-ship swords, two 115mm rail guns, two 105mm cannons and a combined shield that is armed with one Midas Messer beam boomerang and a 30mm six-barrel Gatling gun. During the first Bloody Valentine War, it was not used because Cagalli Yula Athha was unable to master the complicated weapon controls in the short time between its completion and the war's end. After the war, the IWSP is installed on the Strike Rouge to make it look tougher, but this is entirely for show. The IWSP is shown to be able to grant the equipped suit full flight capability in the atmosphere when it is later used by Waid Rabby Nagada's Slaughter Dagger. Before the second war, Actaeon Industries managed to build a new but functionally identical IWSP and this model is given the "AQM/E-M1" model number. Data obtained from the pack's usage is used to make Noir striker, Jet striker and Doppelhorn striker. The pack seems to be mainly used by the Phantom Pain unit.
 * Oddly enough, IWSP is the only Striker Pack that has its name tacked on after the name of the mounting MS.
 * There are minor differents between Orb's and Alliance's IWSP:


 * The barrels of the rail guns on the AQM/E-M1 appear shorter than P202QX's, the sensors on top of each gun are also different.
 * The over shoulder cannon shielding and barrels are different.
 * The top thrusters on the pack are different in the protective armor plate, with AQM/E-M1's appear to indent towards the middle and the main thruster intake vents are straight.
 * AQM/E-M1's shield appears smaller but the vents at the top are larger, and has some sort of handle at the top.
 * AQM/E-M1's boomerang blade is narrower, and the Gatling gun is longer.

Junk Guild
The ZGMF-X12 Astray Out Frame, built by Lowe Guele from the frame of an incomplete ZAFT mobile suit, has a back hardpoint identical to that of the Strike Gundam, allowing it to use Earth Alliance Striker packs. Alternately, it can use some custom-built packs designed by the AI unit 8. In addition, Lowe modified the flight pack of an MBF-M1 Astray to mount on his MBF-P02 Astray Red Frame as a Striker-like optional high-mobility pack.


 * Back Joint
 * A pair of heavy-duty manipulator arms that is equipped with a pair of "Armor Schneider" folding knives and spotlights. Additional boosters can be mounted on top.


 * Back Home
 * A large storage backpack that contains a camouflage "Shooting Cloak" and living quarters for the pilot, and mounts a shield on the back. Mounts on top of the manipulator arm pack.


 * G-Flight
 * A very large Striker that allows the Out Frame to transform into a high-speed mobile armor flight mode.


 * Multi-Pack
 * An adaptor that allows Out Frame to mount ZAFT's Silhouette and Wizard Packs.

Librarian Works

 * Shield Striker
 * Standard Striker Pack for the LG-GAT-X105 Gale Strike Gundam. The Shield Striker is basically a modified Aile Striker. The Aile Striker's wings are removed, as are its large thrusters, with its smaller thrusters' location adjusted, and the shield mounted on an articulated support arm on its top. The beam sabers are also slightly relocated, mounted vertically in the front instead of horizontally on the upper sides.


 * Buster Striker
 * Standard Striker Pack for the LH-GAT-X103 Hail Buster Gundam. The Buster Striker mounts the gun launcher and high energy rifle similar to the ones used by the GAT-X103 Buster Gundam.


 * Bazooka Striker
 * Standard Striker Pack for LR-GAT-X102 Regen Duel Gundam. The Striker Pack mounts the 350mm rail bazooka Gae Bolg and has a manipulator arm, allowing Regen Duel to hold it with ease.


 * DRAGOON Striker
 * Standard Striker Pack for LN-ZGMF-X13A Nix Providence Gundam. The DRAGOON Striker consists of high-output thruster binders and the Judicium beam rifle. Nix Providence can shoot the beam rifle without holding it and the DRAGOON Striker can be seperate from the Nix Providence and function as part of the DRAGOON system.


 * Maga no Ikutachi Striker
 * Standard Striker Pack for LN-GAT-X207 Nebula Blitz Gundam. Based on the Astray Gold Frame Amatsu's "Maga no Ikutachi" energy absorption claw and is equiped with 2 "Magashira no Hoko" harpoons. Can be used by LV-ZGMF-X23S Vent Saviour Gundam for improved flight performance due to the Mirage Colloid particles.

Silhouette Packs
After the end of the Bloody Valentine War, ZAFT designed its own Gundam based on the principles of the GAT-X105 Strike, called the ZGMF-X56S Impulse. The Impulse Gundam's mission packs are called "Silhouettes". Silhouettes and Wizard packs are unique in the fact that they are mostly one main component, thus they are much easier to dock with mid-battle, however, they do not posses secondary batteries like Striker Packs. So far, 7 Silhouette Packs have been designed but only 4 have been produced. Unlike the Earth Alliance's Striker packs, the Silhouettes have a dedicated delivery system. Launched using the specialised catapult installed on the Minerva, the Silhouette packs use a small flight unit to reach the Impulse and attach to the mobile suit using a laser guide. This way, different packs can be exchanged very quickly in battle.


 * α Force Silhouette
 * The Force Silhouette (analogous to the AQM/E-X01 Aile Striker), as well as granting atmospheric flight and improved mobility to the Impulse, mounts an additional pair of beam sabers as added weaponry. The Force Silhouette was the most commonly used Silhouette pack.


 * δ Chaos Silhouette
 * The Chaos Silhouette (used in conjunction with a specialized Leg Flyer) is a specialize Silhouette for high speed space combat, based on ZGMF-X24S Chaos. It is a concept that is not implemented.


 * ε Abyss Silhouette
 * The Abyss Silhouette (used in conjunction with a specialized Leg Flyer) is a specialize Silhouette for aquatic battle, based on ZGMF-X31S Abyss. It is a concept that is not implemented.


 * ζ Gaia Silhouette
 * The Gaia Silhouette (used in conjunction with a specialized Leg Flyer) is a specialize Silhouette for high speed ground combat, based on ZGMF-X88S Gaia. It is a concept that is not implemented.


 * θ Destiny Silhouette
 * The Destiny Silhouette serves as a testbed for some of the weapons and systems of the ZGMF-X42S Destiny. While the Destiny Silhouette effectively duplicates the functions of all three original Silhouettes, its very high power consumption makes it unsuitable for combat use on a battery-powered mobile suit. Nevertheless, it is still combat capable.


 * ι Destiny R Silhouette

Wizard Packs
ZAFT's new standard mobile suit, the ZAKU Warrior/ZAKU Phantom, uses interchangeable packs known as "Wizards". In addition, the Clyne Faction's DOM Trooper is compatible with Wizard packs. Wizards differ from Silhouettes in that they must be equipped on board the carrier and no facilities exist for changing them in mid-flight.


 * EX-A1 Gunner Wizard
 * Long-range sniper-use Wizard consisting of the large and very powerful but slow-firing beam cannon. Commonly used by ZAKU Warrior pilots Dearka Elsman and Lunamaria Hawke.


 * EX-K Slash Wizard
 * Close-range combat Wizard consisting of two beam Gatling cannons and a large beam axe. Commonly used by ZAKU Phantom pilot Yzak Joule.


 * EX-M Blaze Wizard
 * High-mobility Wizard consisting of two large thruster pods, which each contain a 14-round missile launcher. Commonly used by ZAKU Phantom pilots Rey Za Burrel and Heine Westenfluss, and is the most common Wizard. Alec Lad's TMF/A-802W2 BuCUE Hound appear in Frame Astray manga also seen equipped with this wizard.


 * EX-AAL Noctiluca Wizard
 * Amphibious assault landing Wizard consisting of two large propulsion fans and "skid plate" foot attachments, which contain torpedoes, depth charges, and sonar arrays. Used on the Noctiluca ZAKU Warrior, which has specialized head and shoulder fins.


 * EX-R4 Command Wizard
 * Command, Control, and Communication (C3) Wizard consisting of a large antenna-laden backpack. Used on the Command ZAKU CCI, which mounts a large parabolic dish antenna on the right shoulder and carries an antenna rifle.


 * EX-EZ1200 EZ Wizard
 * Designed by the Clyne Faction as the standard equipment of the DOM Trooper. It consists of a small backpack mounting a strengthened beam saber and a pair of thrusters, and can be removed to mount other ZAKU Wizards.


 * EX-G1 Knight Wizard
 * Designed by ZAFT as a weapon carrying Wizard Pack for the DOM Trooper Original Spec Type. It can carry 2 "Gigalauncher" bazooka/beam cannons, 8 close combat drill bits, or 1 "Gigalauncher" and 4 drill bits.


 * Kerberos Wizard
 * Designed for use with the upgraded TMF/A-802W2 BuCUE Hound, the Kerberos Wizard adds two other heads to the base BuCUE, making a wholly fast-attack melee unit, and also makes the BuCUE appear as the mythical greek dog Cerberus. It can also be mounted on the ZAKU series and ZAKU Warrior is seen equipped with this wizard in Delta and Frame Astray manga.

"Assault Shroud"
During the war, ZAFT developed a heavy armor system equipped with missiles and a shoulder-mounted rail gun for the stolen GAT-X102 Duel; this system was called the "Assault Shroud" and was in service on the Duel from early February CE 71 to the last day of the war (November 25, CE 71) when it was destroyed by the Forbidden Gundam.

The Duel's Assault Shroud was based on a technology originally developed for the ZGMF-1017 GINN and ZGMF-515 CGUE. Each of them use a different type of Assault Shroud. GINN's Assault Shroud is armed with a small gatling gun on each shoulder and forearm-mount grenade launchers. Unlike the other, the CGUE use Assault Shroud also give the MS a certain degree of atmospheric flight capabilities but unlike the GINN's assault parts, it does not mount much in the way of additional weapons.

"Fortresta Mode"
A similar system was deployed by the Earth Alliance for the mass-production GAT-01D Long Dagger and GAT-01D1 Duel Dagger mobile suits, called "Fortresta Mode". The Fortresta configuration mounted a clip-fed linear cannon rather than Assault Shroud's railgun, and carried a slightly larger number of slightly smaller missiles.

Fatum-00 Subflight Lifter Backpack
While ZAFT did not develop striker pack technology during the Bloody Valentine War, its ZGMF-X09A Justice possessed a heavily-armed detachable backpack, the Fatum-00, which could convert into a "subflight lifter" (essentially a flying platform upon which the Justice Gundam could ride).

METEOR Support Unit

 * see: Mobile suit Embedded Tactical EnfORcer

EF-24R Flight Rotor Shrike
In CE 73, the Orb Union upgraded some of its MBF-M1 Astray mobile suits with the 11.8 metric ton EF-24R Flight Rotor Shrike, which consisted of a pair of wings, each mounting a large helicopter-like rotor. This pack attaches to the Astray's existing flight unit backpack and provides considerably enhanced aerial capability.

In addition, the MBF-M1 and MBF-M1A Astray mobile suits' flight packs, while not removable, were based heavily on the AQM/E-X01 Aile Striker pack. These flight packs served as the basis for a removable flight pack used by the MBF-P02 Gundam Astray Red Frame.

"Oowashi" and "Shiranui" Backpacks
The ORB-01 Akatsuki is able to use two different Striker Pack-like backpacks. The aerial use "Oowashi" pack is equipped with two high energy beam cannons and is similar to the subflight lifter on the ZGMF-X09A Justice Gundam, which can detach from the mobile suit and fly on its own. The space use pack "Shiranui" incorporates a DRAGOON system, with seven remote beam cannon pods. It is currently unclear whether Akatsuki, which is closely related to the GAT-X105 Strike, can equip standard Striker packs, but it seems likely based on the statement that the test type Core Block for the Impulse Gundam could theoretically mount Akatsuki's packs due to their similarity to the Strike's.

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