ORB-01 Akatsuki Gundam

The ORB-01 Akatsuki Gundam (literally meaning "Dawn" or "Daybreak") is a Mobile Suit in the series Gundam SEED Destiny. The Akatsuki Gundam Oowashi Sky Pack is piloted once by Cagalli Yula Athha and the Akatsuki Gundam Shiranui Space Pack is piloted by Mu La Flaga.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
When not using any of its backpacks, the Akatsuki Gundam is equipped with a Type 73J2 Prototype Twin Beam Saber (also called a beam naginata) for close combat, the standard head-mounted CIWS, a arm-mounted shield for defense and a Type 72D5 "Hyakurai" Beam Rifle, comparable to other models of beam rifles. The beam naginata is capable of being mounted as a bayonet on the beam rifle.

It appears to be derived from the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam, which Orb engineers had copious opportunity to study, with additional firepower and uses a Striker Pack-inspired support system.

Perhaps its most remarkable feature is its gold frame, known as the Yata-no-Kagami. In reality, the gold plating of the mobile suit is actually made up of millions of mirrors with a special beam-deflecting coating, making the mobile suit virtually impervious to beam attacks. Despite this, its vulnerability to melee and physical weapons remained equal to that of any other mobile suit.

"Oowashi" Sky Pack
On Earth, the Akatsuki Gundam can be equipped with an aerial backpack known as Oowashi, granting the Akatsuki flight capabilities. This backpack mounts two Type 73F modified high-energy beam cannons. Similar to the Justice's Fatum-00, the Oowashi sky pack is capable of separating from the mobile suit and transforming into a separate fighter aircraft.

"Shiranui" Space Pack
Should it needed to be brought in space, the Akatsuki Gundam can be equipped with the "Shiranui" backpack, which is equipped with a system similar to the DRAGOON system; the Shiranui contains seven remote beam turrets, which each mount a beam cannon as well as beam shield emitters that can provide full defense in a limited area, of around 1-2 ships' size.

Armaments

 * MSM5D 12.5mm CIWS
 * The Akatsuki Gundam is equipped with a pair of head-mounted 12.5mm CIWS (Close In Weapon System). The CIWS is a small-caliber (for a mobile suit) shell firing weapons and designed to intercept the incoming missiles and lightly armored vehicles.


 * Type-72D5 "Hyakurai" Beam Rifle
 * The Akatsuki Gundam is equipped with Type-72D5 "Hyakurai" Beam Rifle as primary ranged weapon. The beam rifle is destroy an mobile suit in the single shot. It also allowed to attach and detach with Type-73J2 Twin Beam Saber and serves as bayonet.


 * Type-73J2 Prototype Twin Beam Saber
 * The Akatsuki Gundam is equipped with double-bladed beam saber named "Type-73J2 Prototype Twin Beam Saber" for close combat. It was similar to either ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam and ZGMF-X09A Justice Gundam combine its beam sabers and its capable to attach and detach the double-bladed beam saber to the Type-72D5 "Hyakurai" Beam Rifle which served as bayonet.


 * Model-71 Defense Shield
 * The Akatsuki Gundam is equipped with "Model-71 Defense Shield".

"Oowashi" Sky Pack

 * Type-73F Modified High-Energy Beam Cannon
 * The Akatsuki Gundam "Oowashi" Sky Pack is equipped with a pair of poweful beam weapon named "Type-73F Modified High-Energy Beam Cannon". It was powerful enough to destroy an battleship and mobile suit.

"Shiranui" Space Pack

 * Guided Mobile Beam Turret System
 * M531R Remote Control Unit
 * The Akatsuki Gundam "Shiranui" Space Pack is featuring the "Guided Mobile Beam Turret System" similar to DRAGOON System (Disconnected Rapid Armament Group Overlook Operation Network System) and equipped with seven M531R Remote Control Units. Each of them is mount with a single beam cannon and beam shield emitters which capable to provide the full defense in the limited area, of around one-to-two ships' size.

System Features

 * Operating System
 * The Akatsuki utilizes a customised version of the General Unilateral Neuro-link Dispersive Autonomic Maneuver operating system, the operating system used on the GAT-X series. This operating system was created by Kira Yamato when the Archangel landed to Orb after its defection from the Earth Alliance. He devised this system to make Natural pilots combat well using a mobile suit, making them fare well against Coordinator pilots.


 * "Yata-no-Kagami" Anti-Beam Reflection System
 * While mostly similar to other mobile suits, the Akatsuki Gundam nevertheless features a unique piece of technology. The entire body of the suit (and its backpacks) is covered with a specialized mirror coating called "Yata-no-Kagami", which is capable of deflecting beam fire or reflecting shots back to their source. Due to this coating, it is able to block beam weapons and is even able to block shots fired from a Positron Blaster Cannon. Despite this strength, the armor provides no protection against melee attacks such as beam saber, since Shinn Asuka was able to cut off one of the Akatsuki's arms with his beam boomerang.


 * In the final episode of Gundam Seed Destiny, Mu also used Akatsuki's "Yata-no-Kagami" Anti-Beam Reflection to penetrate Requiem's Positron Deflector to destroy Requiem in order to prevent the destruction of Orb.

Construction
Before his death, fearing that the Orb Union will face another war, Uzumi Nara Athha commissioned the creation of the ORB-01 Akatsuki Gundam. Its existence remained a secret as per Uzumi's orders, only to be used as the nation's last line of defense, or if Cagalli is in dire need of additional power (though according to his voice-recorded will, Uzumi hoped that the day that the mobile suit's hangar will be opened would never come).

Second Battle of Orb
The Akatsuki Gundam is first piloted by Cagalli Yula Athha. Using the Oowashi pack, she piloted this mobile suit to defend Orb against a ZAFT attack in CE 74, after being informed of its existence by Ledonir Kisaka. Cagalli assumes command of the Orb military, and uses the Akatsuki Gundam to try and defend Orb against ZAFT's forces, but was soon confronted by ZAFT's top ace, ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam pilot Shinn Asuka. While Shinn's beam attacks only backfire, he easily outperforms her by using melee attacks, giving minor damage to the gold mobile suit. When the battle headed to space, the Akatsuki Gundam is repaired and with Cagalli's orders, she lent it to Mu La Flaga, while Cagalli remained behind in Orb to take charge of her country. While the mobile suit is in his possession, La Flaga used the Shiranui pack for the remaining moments of the war.

Intervention at Copernicus
While the Archangel is docked at the lunar city of Copernicus, Mu La Flaga uses the Akatsuki Gundam with "Oowashi" Sky Pack to intervene in the defense of several crew members while they are trying to rescue Meer Campbell. Despite Akatsuki Gundam's presence, Meer is hit by a bullet intended for Lacus Clyne and is killed.

The Final Battle
The Akatsuki Gundam (with "Shiranui" Space Pack) plays a major role in ending the Second Bloody Valentine War by defending the Archangel and the Eternal, as well as aiding in the destruction of the Requiem superweapon.

Trivia

 * The name Akatsuki means "dawn" in Japanese; it also bears the meaning of "beginning". Morgenroete, the company that built Akatsuki, means "dawn" in German. The kanji of "Akatsuki" is engraved on the right shoulder of ORB-01 Akatsuki Gundam as well. "ORB-01 ALBA" is also engraved on the left side of the Akatsuki's head. Alba means "dawn" in Italian, in reference to the unit's name.
 * "Yata no Kagami" is named for a legendary mirror that is one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan.
 * Cagalli's insert song for Phases 24 of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED was Akatsuki no Kuruma, or Wheels of Dawn.
 * Cagalli's insert song for Phase 40 of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny was Honoo no Tobira, or Doors of Flames, possibly in reference to Cagalli's name of kagaribi, a watch fire or a bon fire.
 * The beam naginata does not actually function like a true Japanese [] weapon; the name only refers to the shape of the weapon and it is a reference to a similar weapon used by the MS-14 Gelgoog in Mobile Suit Gundam.
 * It is speculated by some fans that the Akatsuki Gundam is equiped with a Neutron Jammer Cancellor, as the Shiranui Pack uses what can be considered a full fledged DRAGOON System. The power requirements of the system would mean that a nucluear power source was needed to keep the suit and the pods from running out of energy quickly during combat.
 * The Akatsuki Gundam is reminiscent of the MSN-00100 Hyaku Shiki from Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, which also had a reflective gold coloration related to beam-resistant armor. The Akatsuki Gundam (with the Shiranui backpack system) is also reminiscent of the RX-93 Nu Gundam from Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack, which had fin funnels which could be used as a beam shield. The armaments of the two are also similar. The Hyaku Shiki also however, sported vertically oriented wing binders, the shape of which is echoed in the DRAGOONs of the Shiranui Akatsuki Gundam.
 * Cagalli gave the Akatsuki Gundam to Mu La Flaga after using it for a single battle, making it the fastest handed-down Gundam mobile suit ever. In Super Robot Wars K and Super Robot Wars L, Cagalli even directly hand it over to Mu La Flaga in the same scenario in which she rode it for the first time.
 * In Super Robot Wars K and Super Robot Wars L, Akatsuki Gundam will automatically wear its designated striker packs depends on the terrain of the current scenario. In atmosphere based scenario, it will use the Oowashi pack; while in space based scenario, it will use the Shiranui pack.
 * The Akatsuki is a playable unit in Gundam Vs Gundam NEXT. Despite its one of a kind status in the show and its overall potential, it is only a 2000 unit. It can switch between its Oowashi and Shiranui packs at will but both have their advantages and disadvantages: the Oowashi pack has greater speed and an effective charge shot but limited weaponry with the CIWS being its only subweapon. The Shiranui pack is slower and lacks the use of a beam saber but can use its its beam barrier to block any projectile attack. Furthermore, it can't charge its DRAGOONs when not in use.
 * Akatsuki later appears in Gundam Extreme Vs as a non-playable unit with its Shiranui pack installed.