GAT-X103 Buster Gundam

With the outbreak of the Bloody Valentine War, the Earth Alliance’s Atlantic Federation began a secret project to develop mobile suits to counter ZAFT’s mass produced ZGMF-1017 GINN as well as operate free of interference from the N-Jammers. The GAT-X103 Buster Gundam was one of five initial prototype mobile suits that the Alliance developed secretly with the Orb Union. As an artillery mobile suit, the Buster Gundam’s main armament consisted of a 350mm gun launcher and a 94mm high-energy rifle. These two weapons could be used independently or both interchangeably combined to form two powerful long-range weapons. The Buster Gundam was also equipped with two 6-barrel missile pod launchers on its shoulders. Like the other prototype Gundams, the Buster Gundam was equipped with the new Phase Shift (PS) armor technology. When using Phase Shift mode, the Buster Gundam was nearly impervious to attacks from shell-firing artillery or melee weapons. However, use of Phase Shift for extended periods of time was a massive drain on the battery.

On January 25, C.E. 71, the Buster Gundam was stolen by ZAFT pilot Dearka Elsman during ZAFT’s assault on the neutral Orb Union colony Heliopolis. Following the escape of the Earth Alliance battleship Archangel, Dearka and his Buster Gundam continued to harass the Archangel‘s crew during the later period of the war. In one battle near the Orb Union, the Buster Gundam was seriously damaged, forcing Dearka to surrender. He was captured by the Archangel and held captive until the ship’s crew defected from the Earth Alliance. When the Earth Alliance attacked Orb, Dearka reclaimed the Buster Gundam and fought alongside the Archangel to defend Miriallia Haw. In the last battle of the war on September 26, C.E. 71, the Buster Gundam was heavily damaged while fighting Rau Le Creuset’s ZGMF-X13A Providence Gundam. The Alliance also produced the GAT/A-01E2 Buster Dagger, a simplified mass production version. After the war, another Buster Gundam piloted by Shams Couza was upgraded to the GAT-X103AP Verde Buster Gundam.