MBF-M1 M1 Astray

Model number: MBF-M1
Code name: M1 Astray
Unit type: mass production general purpose mobile suit
Manufacturer: Morgenroete, Inc
Operator(s): Orb Union; Three Ships Alliance
First deployment: C.E. 71
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso
Dimensions: head height 17.53 meters
Weight: max gross weight 53.5 metric tons
Armor materials: unknown
Powerplant: ultracompact energy battery, power output rating unknown
Propulsion: unknown
Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown
Fixed armaments: 2 x “Igelstellung” 75mm multi-barrel CIWS, mounted in head; 2 x Type 70 beam saber, mounted in recharge racks behind shoulders, hand-carried in use
Optional hand armaments: Type 71 beam rifle; mock battle saber

The MBF-M1 M1 Astray was the Orb Union’s way of having the power necessary to keep their independence from the Earth Alliance and ZAFT, as well as their neutrality in the Bloody Valentine War. The M1 Astray was based on the prototype Gundam Astray units developed at the space colony Heliopolis, which in turn were based on stolen data from the Earth Alliance’s initial five prototype Gundams. Whereas the Astray prototypes were later customized by their individual pilots, the M1 Astrays were simple mass production suits armed only with vulcan guns, a beam rifle and beam sabers. During the development of the M1 Astray at Orb’s Morgenroete facility, lead researcher Erica Simmons was unable to create an operating system that would allow Naturals to pilot a mobile suit as well as Coordinators. However, with the arrival of the Alliance battleship Archangel, Kira Yamato created a custom OS for the M1 Astray based on his modifications to the OS in the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam.

With this new OS, Natural pilots were able to fight on a level comparable to Coordinators. The M1 Astrays were first deployed during the Alliance’s invasion of Orb, and the surviving units were transferred to space on the battleship Kusanagi. While the M1 Astrays performed well against ZAFT’s aging ZGMF-1017 GINN and the Alliance’s GAT-01 Strike Dagger, they fared worse against ZAFT’s latest mass production model, the ZGMF-600 GuAIZ. In addition to the M1, Orb produced a space-use variant, the MBF-M1A M1A Astray, along with the Earth-use hover variant MBF-M1+EF-24R M1 Astray Shrike.

Pilot(s): Asagi Caldwell, Juri Wu Nien, Mayura Labatt, Maruoichi, Kuno, Kikuchi, Jean Carrey, Rondo Gina Sahaku, Lowe Guele
First appearance: Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
Original mechanical designer: Kunio Okawara

Cockpit hatch

Head

Mock battle saber

Rear view

Shield

Torso

Type 71 beam rifle