METEOR (Gundam)

This article is about a fictional weapon system from the Cosmic Era timeline of the anime Gundam metaseries.

The METEOR, Mobile suit Embedded Tactical EnfORcer, is a special weapon platform made by ZAFT to extend the armaments of the ZGMF-X09A Justice and ZGMF-X10A Freedom mobile suits and of the support battleship Eternal.The METEORs were first being used at The battle of Yakin Due, at which they were also both destroyed. The METEOR returned in Gundam SEED Destiny.

Originally the METEORs were powered by energy batteries. The METEORs had to remain inactive during the battles around the colony Mendel as the batteries of both METEORs weren't fully loaded then. Later versions on the METEOR were being powered by nuclear energy

Multi-purpose Weapons Platform

The METEOR is built to serve several purposes in the midst of battle.

The METEOR's main purpose is serving the ZGMF-X09A Justice and ZGMF-X10A Freedom, and providing these Gundams additional firepower. The most significant improvement of this is that it makes it able for the pilot to hit more targets at the same time in SEED mode. Unlike the ZGMF-X10A Freedom, the ZGMF-X09A Justice is mainly a melee strike weapon. The METEOR improves the range and the ability to hit multiple targets at once greatly. The |ZGMF-X10A Freedom can hit several targets at once making it able to hit only more targets while docked in the METEOR. When the ZGMF-X09A Justice and ZGMF-X10A Freedom were destroyed, the Mobile Suit extension function of the METEOR was not needed, until the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice and ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom were built.

When a Gundam is docked with the METEOR, all armaments are available for the pilot. Also, when the pilot is in SEED mode, he's able to use an additional 77 beam cannon that are placed inside the missile launchers.

The METEOR's secondary use is as additional turrets on the Eternal. While the Eternal's main cannon is unable to aim at every target, since it's only able to fire almost straightforward, the METEOR gives the Eternal omni-directional firepower. Therefore, the Eternal doesn't have to turn like other battleships; this also gives it the capability to inflict damage while moving at high speed.

When actively used as active additional turrets on the Eternal, each METEORs is unable to use any of its missile bays and 2 of its 4 beam cannons; when the METEOR is used as a Mobile Suit pack, all weapons are then available.

When the METEOR undocks from the Eternal and starts docking with a Gundam, both arms and a part of its main body move or transform. As no real system drives the METEOR at that moment, docking is when the METEOR is most vulnerable.

Unique Weapons System

Unlike other capability-expansion pack-type weapons systems in Gundam SEED and Gundam Seed Destiny, METEOR is unique as METEOR is able to function independently of the Freedom and Justice, and does not require the mobile suit to participate in battle. Therefore, the METEOR is neither a weapon pack or mobile armor, and therefore remains unique in the Gundam metaseries.

External links

* [http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/seed/meteor.htm Mecha Anime HQ: "METEOR"]