GAT-04 Windam

In early CE 73, ZAFT rolled out the first of their new ZGMF-1000 ZAKU series, a high performance design that outmatched the Earth Alliance's current primary mobile suit, the GAT-02 Dagger L. Faced with the decidedly unpleasant prospect of having to deal with large numbers of ZAKUs should the tensions between the PLANTs and Earth erupt into open war, the Atlantic Federation initiated a crash development program to create a high-performance 'ZAKU Buster' mobile suit.

They were able to get the Windam into service in less than six months, a remarkable feat considering that it was a significant structural departure from the Dagger series. Armed with a quadruple set of 12.5mm M2M5 'Todesschrecken' autocannon mounted in its head, two ES04B beam sabers stored on its hips, a pair of Mk315 'Stiletto' rocket-boosted anti-armour penetrators stored within the hip armour, one M9409L beam rifle (hand-carried in action), and an A52 offensive shield (mounting a pair of Mk438/B 'Wurger' dual-purpose missiles), the Windam carried enough firepower that it outgunned the ZAKU Warrior considerably, though it was slightly outmatched by the ZAKU Phantom.

The Windam was also capable of mounting Striker packs, although due to its redesigned shoulders the Launcher and Sword packs were incompatible with it. The most commonly seen version was the Jet Windam, fitted with a Jet Striker pack that allowed for atmospheric flight. It could also use the Aile high-mobility pack developed for the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam, as well as the Dagger L's Doppelhorn artillery pack (which mounted a pair of recoilless cannon capable of destroying most mass-production mobile suits outright, or dealing significant damage to a warship).

The most controversial of the Windam's Striker packs was the Nuclear Striker, launchers and support systems for a pair of Mark V nuclear missiles.

It first entered combat when the Atlantic Federation opened the Second Bloody Valentine War with an attempted nuclear strike on the PLANTs. There, the Windam units were equipped exclusively with Nuclear Strikers, and deployed once ZAFT's main fleet had been drawn into action, intending to catch the PLANTs' defenders offguard. Unfortunately, that battle turned into an unmitigated disaster, as a Nazca-class destroyer hastily refitted with a Neutron Stampeder system wiped out the entire nuclear strike force, without a single missile getting into lethal range of the PLANTs.

Afterwards, the Windam began to replace the Dagger L in space and terrestrial based units - it proved effective in its design task of serving as a 'ZAKU buster', as demonstrated during Operation: Spear of Twilight, where a small force of Windams inflicted heavy casualties on the ZAKU squadrons dropping from orbit to reinforce ZAFT's Carpentaria Base.

One Windam unit was used by Captain Neo Roanoke (aka. Mu La Flaga) of the 81st Autonomous Mobile Group (also known as the Phantom Pain), painted in his distinctive personal colours. Roanoke made use of this Windam until it was destroyed by Kira Yamato's ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam over Berlin in early CE 74.

Record 1405 - vehicle/ship class - Last update 28 Mar 2007, 23:15:49

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