The YFX-600R GuAIZ Experimental Firearms Type is a mobile suit featured in the original design series SEED-MSV and later appears in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Special Edition. The unit is piloted by Heine Westenfluss.
Technology & Combat Characteristics
As its name suggests, the GuAIZ Experimental Firearms Type (EFT) was designed to serve as a testbed for new mobile suit weapons designed by ZAFT, particularly those later used in the ZGMF-X09A Justice and ZGMF-X10A Freedom. Among the weapons is the prototype of the Fatum-00 backpack/subflight lifter later used by the Justice, which replaces the backpack thrusters mounted on the standard GuAIZ and is only armed with two beam cannons and four machine guns. The rail cannons mounted on the MS's hips are the same as those used by the Freedom, while both the two beam sabers and the optional beam rifle are the same models later used on both Gundams. Lastly, it mounts two 76mm CIWS vulcan guns on its head and is the first mobile suit build by ZAFT to have Phase Shift armor. The GuAIZ was designed before the development of the Neutron Jammer Canceller and as such is powered by battery pack. Due to this, the suit was unable to meet the energy needs of its PS armor and its energy intensive beam weaponry. When both systems ran concurrently, the MS only lasted for 5 minutes. The technicians later added an auxiliary power pack into the Subflight lifter but this only doubles the operating time. Later, when the suit was used in the Battle at Jachin Due, it was tethered to an external generator for longer operating time.
Armaments
- MA-M01 "Lacerta" Beam Saber
- The only close combat weapons of the mobile suit, they are mounted on the hips of the suit and can be combined into a double-bladed beam saber.
- MMI-GAU2 "Picus" 76mm CIWS
- Mounted in the GuAIZ EFT's head are two "Picus" 76mm multi-barrel CIWS guns. These light projectile weapons are mainly used for intercepting missiles and to destroy lightly armored vehicles.
- MMI-M15 "Xiphias" Rail Cannon
- same weapon as the ones on Freedom Gundam and are also mounted on the hips. They are useful for going through anti-beam defenses.
- MA-M20 "Lupus" Beam Rifle
- The upgraded version of GuAIZ's MA-M21G Beam Rifle. Typically held in the right hand, the beam rifle draws energy from the mobile suit's power plant to fire energy beams that are highly effective against conventional armor. So effective is the weapon that only a handful of shots are needed to completely destroy an Earth Alliance warship.
- MA-4B "Fortis" Beam Cannon
- A pair of rapid-fire "Fortis" beam cannons are mounted at the front of the backpack/subflight lifter, they serve as its main weapon.
- GAU5 "Volucris" Machine Gun
- Four "Volucris" machine guns are mounted on the backpack/subflight lifter, they are mainly used to shoot down incoming missiles or close enemy units.
Special Equipment and Features
- Backpack/Subflight Lifter
- Prototype of the Fatum-00 backpack used by Justice, it can be used as a remote controlled attack unit or used as a subflight lifter when separated from the suit. The backpack mounts two MA-4B "Fortis" beam cannons and four GAU5 "Volucris" machine guns, and also unlike the Fatum-00, it only has three thrusters. This low number of thrusters proved to be inadequate and as a result, the thruster count for Fatum-00 waas increased to six.
- Phase Shift Armor
- GuAIZ EFT is equipped with Phase Shift (PS) armor that ZAFT obtained from the four Gundams that they stole from the Earth Alliance. When equipped with the Neutron Jammer Canceller and nuclear reactor, it can use the PS armor much longer.
History
Only three of this testbed mobile suit were produced and all participated in the last battle of the first war. There were rumours that deployment of these units in the battle were unauthorized and carried out independently by their pilots. During the battle, all 3 units are tethered to external generators on Jachin Due and fought as a fix turret of sorts, as the energy intensive weapons expend the suits' battery power very quickly. One unit was destroyed by Athrun Zala in the Justice. Another unit was piloted by Heine Westenfluss, who fought against Morgan Chevalier's GAT-01A1+AQM/E-X04 Gunbarrel Dagger, eventually overloading his machine and crippling it. The last known unit was destroyed by the combine efforts of Barry Ho's MBF-M1A M1A Astray and Jean Carry's MBF-M1 M1 Astray.
Gallery
Notes & Trivia
- The story about the GuAIZ Experimental Firearms Type piloted by Heine Westenfluss appears in the comic Bonbon adaptation of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny while the last unit appears in the photonovel, Seed MSV Senki.
- The color scheme of the GuAIZ Experimental Firearms Type is similar to the ZGMF-X999A ZAKU Mass Production Trial Type , likely hinting at their shared purpose to evaluate new weapon systems.
References
External links
Template:Cosmic Era mobile weapons