CAT1-X Hyperion Gundam series

In the anime series Gundam Seed, the Earth Alliance's Eurasian Federation created three of its own Gundam mobile suits, separate from the EA's GAT-X series. These were the CAT1-X1/3 Hyperion Gundam Unit 1, CAT1-X2/3 Hyperion Gundam Unit 2, and CAT1-X3/3 Hyperion Gundam Unit 3. The three units were identical, except for their colorations. They were armed with a "Zastava Stigmate" beam submachinegun and 5 "Romteknica" beam knives (one stored on each limb, and one mounted as a bayonette on the submachinegun), which were powered by their own independent batteries (and thus drew no power from the suits' batteries). This also made the beam knives usuable as throwing weapons. The beam submachinegun's battery was stored in a "clip" which could quickly and easily be replaced, and while its shots were weaker than those of standard beam rifles, its rate of fire was much greater. In addition, the Hyperion Gundams were carried two head-mounted CIWS guns and a pair of "Forfanterie" beam cannons on their backpacks, which folded over the shoulders in use. Their main feature, however, was the "Armure Lumiere" mono-phase lightwave shield system. This system consisted of 7 emitters, one on each arm and 5 on the backpack. The arm-mounted emitters could generate triangular beam shields, and the backpack-mounted ones could project an energy globe similar to the "Umbrella of Artemis" that completely surrounded the mobile suit, protecting it from any attacks. However, this barrier would completely drain the suit's batteries in a matter of minutes. The beam submachineguns could vary their beam speed in order to fire through this barrier.

Hyperion Unit 1 was assigned to Canard Pars, a Coordinator born in the same "Ultimate Coordinator" project that produced Kira Yamato, but who had been rejected as a failure. Canard used his Hyperion Gundam to seek our Kira, thinking that if he killed the "successful" Ultimate Coordinator, he would prove that he wasn't a failed attempt after all. After the Earth Alliance acquired ZAFT's Neutron Jammer Canceller technology, Canard was determined to upgrade Hyperion Unit 1 with an N-Jammer Canceller and nuclear reactor, eliminating any time constraints on its beam barrier. He fought several battles with Prayer Reverie of the Junk Guild and his YMF-X000A Dreadnought Gundam, hoping to take its N-Jammer Canceller, and destroyed Hyperion Unit 2, piloted by Balsam Arendo, when he deserted from the Eurasian Federation, stealing its beam submachinegun for increased firepower and the remains of the mobile suit as a source of spare parts. Eventually Canard was defeated, but Prayer protected him from the blast of Hyperion Unit 1's overloading reactor. Canard later joined the Junk Guild, abandoning his quest to kill Kira Yamato and piloting the YMF-X000A/H Dreadnought H, a rebuilt Dreadnought Gundam encorporating technology salvaged from the Hyperion Unit 1. Also, the postwar ZAFT ZAKU series uses beam assault rifles that used replaceable clips; the ZAFT Gundam ZGMF-X56S Impulse Gundam uses a lightwave generator in it's shield, and the new Super Freedom uses a pair of lightwave shield generators in it's forearms.

Hyperion Unit 3 was destroyed near Artemis by MBF-P03 Gundam Astray Blue Frame pilot Gai Murakumo, who quite by accident discovered that the anti-beam coating on his Tactical Arms sword allowed it penetrate the "Armure Lumiere" beam shield. The identity of Unit 3's pilot is unknown. The name Hyperion comes from the a figure in Greek mythology.

Specifications

CAT1-X1/3 Hyperion Gundam Unit 1

Manufacturer: Earth Alliance/Eurasian Federation
Users: Earth Alliance
Unit type: prototype mobile suit
Head height: 16.9 m
Base weight: 54.7 t
Special equipment: "Armure Lumiere" mono-phase lightwave shield system, Neutron Jammer Canceller
Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery, nuclear fission reactor
Armament: multi-barrel CIWS x2, "Romteknica" RBW Type 7001 beam knife x4, "Zastava Stigmate" RFW-99 beam submachinegun with "Romteknica" RBW Type 7001 beam bayonette x2, "Forfanterie" beam cannon x2
Pilot(s): Canard Pars

CAT1-X2/3 Hyperion Gundam Unit 2

Manufacturer: Earth Alliance/Eurasian Federation
Users: Earth Alliance
Unit type: prototype mobile suit
Head height: 16.9 m
Base weight: 54.7 t
Special equipment: "Armure Lumiere" mono-phase lightwave shield system
Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery
Armament: multi-barrel CIWS x2, "Romteknica" RBW Type 7001 beam knife x4, "Zastava Stigmate" RFW-99 beam submachinegun with "Romteknica" RBW Type 7001 beam bayonette x1, "Forfanterie" beam cannon x2
Pilot(s): Balsam Arendo

CAT1-X3/3 Hyperion Gundam Unit 3

Manufacturer: Earth Alliance/Eurasian Federation
Users: Earth Alliance
Unit type: prototype mobile suit
Head height: 16.9 m
Base weight: 54.7 t
Special equipment: "Armure Lumiere" mono-phase lightwave shield system
Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery
Armament: multi-barrel CIWS x2, "Romteknica" RBW Type 7001 beam knife x4, "Zastava Stigmate" RFW-99 beam submachinegun with "Romteknica" RBW Type 7001 beam bayonette x1, "Forfanterie" beam cannon x2