ZGMF-600 GuAIZ

In the anime series Gundam Seed, the ZGMF-600 GuAIZ (pronounced "gates" in Japanese and "gwaze" in the English release) is an advanced mobile suit intended to replaced both the outdated ZGMF-1017 GINN and the commander-model ZGMF-515 CGUE. It incorporated beam weapon technology from the four stolen Earth Alliance G Project units, in the form of a beam rifle and a shield mounting a pair of beam claws. It also mounted two CIWS guns in the head and a pair of extensional arrestors on the back, which were similar to the GAT-X207 Blitz Gundam's "Gleipnir" or the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam's "Panzer Eisen" rocket anchors, which were even capable of damaging mobile suits protected with Phase Shift armor. While the GuAIZ was the most advanced mass production unit of the war, ZAFT was unable to build them quickly enough to field in sufficient numbers. Those that were produced were assigned primarily to ace pilots like Rau Le Creuset and the members of the elite Joule Team. The GuAIZ was markedly superior to the GINN and proved to be equal in performance to the Strike Gundam, however; even in the hands of a highly elite pilot like Le Creuset, it simply could not be made powerful enough to match the nuclear-powered Gundams: Freedom, Justice, Regenerate and Providence, or the Trans-Phase Armor equipped second-phase Gundams piloted by Living CPUs, deployed by the Earth Alliance, Forbidden, Calamity and Raider.

A variant of the GuAIZ was also built, the YFX-600R GuAIZ Experimental Firearms Type. This suit was built as a testbed for many of the advanced weapons and technology used in the ZGMF-X09A Justice and ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundams, including Justice's backpack/subflight lifter and Freedom's hip-mounted railguns. However, the GuAIZ Experimental Firearms Type expended its battery power very quickly. Some say that it was ultimately tethered to an external power supply and used as a fixed turret at Jachim Due. Other sources say that it was equipped with an nuclear reactor for the Second Battle of Jachin Due. Either way, it's ultimate fate is unknown, but even if it survived the war, it service would end with the signing of the Junius Treaty. In addition, the YMF-X000A Dreadnought Gundam used a modified GuAIZ body.

After the end of the war, the GuAIZ was redesigned, replacing the extensional arrestors with a pair of hip-mounted folding railguns and removing the additional thrusters to allow less experienced pilots to use them; and so it became the advanced production type ZGMF-601R GuAIZ R. Though more powerful than the original GuAIZ in terms of firepower(since the removal of the additional thrusters on its shoulders reduced it's overall speed), the GuAIZ R is generally outperformed by the follow-on ZAKU series (especially ZAKUs equipped with the high-performance Blaze or Slash packs). GuAIZ R units also fared poorly against renegade GINN High Maneuver Type IIs in the Battle of Junius Seven, but it unclear whether this was a sing of inferiority on the part of the GuAIZ R, or merely on the part of the ZAFT pilots.

Specifications

ZGMF-600 GuAIZ

Manufacturer: Maius Military Industries/Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty
User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty
Unit type: mass production general purpose mobile suit
First Deployment: July 12, CE 71
Head height: 20.24 m
Weight: Max gross 80.2 t
Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery
Armament: MMI-GAU2 "Picus" 76mm CIWS x2, MA-MV03 shield-plus-dual beam claw system x1, EEQ7R extensional arrestor x2, MA-M21G high-energy beam rifle x1
Pilot(s): Rau Le Creuset

YFX-600R GuAIZ Experimental Firearms Type

Manufacturer: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty
User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty
Unit type: prototype advanced weapons mobile suit
First Deployment: September 26, CE 71
Head height: 20.24 m
Weight: unknown
Special equipment: Fatum-00 backpack/subflight lifter
Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery, ultracompact nuclear fission reactor
Armament: MMI-GAU2 "Picus" 76mm CIWS x2, MA-M01 "Lacerta" beam saber x2, MA-M20 "Lupus" high-energy beam rifle x1, MMI-M15 "Xiphias" rail cannon x2, Fatum-00 backpack/subflight lifter (M9M9 "Cervus" turret machinegun x2, MA-4B "Fortis" beam cannon x2, GAU5 "Volucris" machinegun x4)

ZGMF-601R GuAIZ R

Manufacturer: Maius Military Industries/Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty
User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty
Unit type: mass production general purpose mobile suit
First Deployment: Cosmic Era 72
Head height: 20.24 m
Weight: Max gross 77.3 t
Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery
Armament: MMI-GAU2 "Picus" 76mm CIWS x2, MA-MV05 active shield with beam saber x1, MMI-M20S Pollux IX railgun x2, MA-M21G high-energy beam rifle x1