The ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam is a Mobile Suit introduced in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and also appearing in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny, it has the distinction of having a nuclear fission reactor. Its pilot is Kira Yamato .

Features

One of ZAFT's ZGMF-X series Gundam units built in CE 71 using technology derived from the four captured Alliance Gundams, the Freedom Gundam features Phase Shift armor and its armaments include CIWS cannons, Beam Sabers, shield, cannons

plasma, machine guns and a Beam Rifle. When these last three weapons are used simultaneously, the Freedom is then called "Full Burst Mode". The MS is atmospheric-flyable and the rear-mounted wings can be deployed in "High Mobility Aerial Tactics (HiMAT)" to enhance its mobility in the atmosphere or in the air. 'space. He also has an advanced targeting system, the Multi Lock-On System, which allows him to target and fire on multiple enemy units simultaneously. Due to its abilities it has a reputation as a "Mobile Suit Killer", but its high performance has resulted in a complicated control scheme that demands extremely fast reaction speed and spatial awareness from its pilot.

If needed, the Freedom Gundam can dock with a support unit, the METEOR unit, for higher firepower and greater speed. The Freedom Gundam has virtually unlimited combat stamina as it is equipped with a Neutron Jammer Canceller and powered by a nuclear reactor. Kira describes the Freedom as having over four times the power of the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam . However, what exactly this means is unclear. The Freedom Gundam is designed to work alongside the ZGMF-X09A Justice Gundam, and they are often based on the FFMH-Y101 Eternal starship, which is designed specifically to service them. Even in CE 73, the MS is still considered by some people, like Shinn Asuka, to be the strongest Mobile Suit. Overall, it's one of the Clyne Faction's symbols of power, along with the Eternal, Archangel, and Justice.

• High Mobility Aerial Tactics Mode (HiMAT)

Is the atmospheric flight configuration of the Freedom Gundam, in which its wings are unfolded for greater maneuverability. The Freedom Gundam is able to fly even in normal mode, but this form is better suited for dogfights. HiMAT mode can also be used in space, which enhances the Freedom Gundam's AMBAC capabilities.

• Multi Lock-On System

As its name suggests, this unique system allows the Freedom to target multiple enemies and attack them simultaneously. To effectively use this system, the pilot must have a high spatial awareness capability, which is rare even among Coordinators . This system can also be used when the Freedom is docked to the METEOR unit.

• Full Burst Mode

The name of the attack mode in which the Freedom uses its Beam Rifle, railguns, and plasma cannons at the same time. This mode is often used with the Multi Lock-On System to destroy a large number of enemy units simultaneously. However, despite its power, Full Burst mode can only fire forward.

• Neutron Jammer Canceller

As with the other four ZGMF-X series Gundam units produced during this period, the Freedom is equipped with a Neutron Jammer Canceller (N-Jammer Canceller) device, which neutralizes the effects of ubiquitous neutron jammers and allows these MS to be powered by nuclear reactors to use a nuclear fission reactor. This gives them almost unlimited combat stamina, even with Phase Shift armor enabled.

• Phase Shift Armor

Like all Project G machines before it, the Freedom is equipped with phase shift armor called Phase Shift. When this armor is activated, the Freedom's color changes from light gray to white and blue with some hints of black and red. The Phase Shift armor makes the Freedom immune to physical attacks such as bullets, sword stabs, missiles, etc. Thanks to his N-Jammer Canceller he has a permanent Phase Shift.

• Operating System

The Freedom uses the Generation Unsbdued Nuclear Drive Assault Mode complex operating system.

• METEOR Unit

Like Justice, Freedom can dock with the powerful METEOR unit, a large mobile weapons platform with powerful thrusters and more powerful beam cannons of the same caliber as battleships, large beam swords and dozens of heavy missile launchers.

Armaments

• MMI-GAU2 "Picus"76mm CIWS: Mounted in the warhead, the MMI-GAU2 "Picus" 76mm CIWS have a high rate of fire but low penetrating power. Thus, they are mainly used to intercept missiles and enemy units at close range.
• M100 "Balaena" Plasma Bean Cannon: A pair of powerful plasma cannons located in the wings, they are positioned over the shoulders when in use. Among the MS ranged weapons, the Plasma Cannon has the most firepower and the longest firing range.
• MA-M01 "Lacerta" Beam Saber: Freedom's main close combat weapons are two MA-M01 "Lacerta" beam sabers, which are stored above the railguns. As with the Beam Rifle, the same type of Beam Saber is used by the Justice. Since the sabers are powered by the MS's nuclear reactor, they have a higher output than those used by the original GAT-X series. Both sabers can be combined into a double-edged saber, and this form is known as the "Ambidextrous Halberd". Kira has rarely used beam sabers in this form.
• MMI-M15 "Xiphias" Railgun: A pair of railguns (linear barrel) that are waist mounted, they have an excellent rate of fire and high ammo capacity. Folded into three parts when not in use, they can be used to deal with situations where beam weapons are ineffective and are the Freedom Gundam's strongest solid armament. They are developed based on Duel Gundam Assault Shroud's "Shiva" railgun. Although the railguns have collapsible handles on the sides, they can be used without the handles being held in the hands.
• MA-M20 "Lupus" Beam Rifle: The Freedom uses a MA-M20 "Lupus" High Energy Beam Rifle, which is the same rifle used by its sister unit the ZGMF-X09A Justice Gundam. This Beam Rifle is stronger than the ones used by the original GAT-X series or the ZGMF-600 GuAIZ because it is powered by the MS's nuclear reactor. It can be stored on the rear skirt armor when not in use.
• Laminated Anti-Beam Shield: Hand-held and/or mounted on the left forearm, Freedom's shield has a laminated armor surface instead of an anti-beam coating like on the shields used by most MS. The same type of shield is also used by the Justice Gundam.

History

On April 1 CE 71, ZAFT began building two new weapons, the ZGMF-X09A and ZGMF-X10A and they were named "Justice" and "Freedom" respectively by PLANT Supreme Council Chairman Patrick Zala. Both machines were part of a series of advanced MSs developed based on technology reverse engineered from MSs captured at The Alliance, G Project.

On May 8, CE 71, the Freedom Gundam was stolen by Kira Yamato, with the help of Lacus Clyne. Kira rushed to Earth with the stolen machine and came to the Archangel's rescue during JOSH-A's battle. With

the Archangel, Kira defected and joined the Neutral Union of Orb, he used the Freedom to defend the country during the Battle of Orb. During the battle, he was reunited with his old friend Asran Zala , the pilot of the Justice Gundam, and they united to fight against the invading Earth Alliance forces, which included three new Gundams, the GAT-X131 Calamity Gundam , the GAT-X252 Forbidden Gundam, and the GAT-X370 Raider Gundam. Later he returned to space with the Archangel and battleship Orb Kusanagi, he encountered the support ship FFMH-Y101 Eternal, which was stolen by Lacus Clyne and his followers, but also ZAFT captain Andrew Waltfeld who deserted. The Eternal carried two METEOR units. The three ships then joined forces, becoming the Three Ship Alliance.

In the Battle of Mendel, Freedom and Justice again fought Calamity, Forbidden and Raider. After the three machines temporarily retreated to their mothership, Kira flew the Freedom to Mendel's colony, where he saved his comrade Mu La Flaga by quickly disabling Rau Le Creuset's ZGMF-600 GuAIZ. At the height of the battle, the Freedom attempted to retrieve a life pod containing Flay Allster, who had data on ZAFT's Neutron Jammer Canceller in his possession. However, the Freedom was damaged by the Raider when Kira became distracted, and the pod was recovered by the Calamity.

During the Second Battle of Jachin Due, Asran and Kira used the firepower of their METEORs to thwart an Earth Alliance nuclear missile attack on the PLANTs. Next, Kira took on Rau Le Creuset and his ZGMF-X13A Providence Gundam. Freedom was quickly overpowered by Providence's Dragoon System, but Kira still managed to severely damage Providence and impale its cockpit with a Beam Saber, killing Rau. Providence was then vaporized by the last shot of the GENESIS laser, and the subsequent explosion heavily damaged Freedom.

After the war, the Freedom was repaired and hidden in a secret underground base in Orb, where it remained for over two years. He returned to action after an assassination attempt on Lacus. Kira and the Freedom quickly defeated the UMF/SSO-3 ASH assassins. Afterwards, Kira used the Freedom to "kidnap" Cagalli at her wedding and brought her aboard the Archangel before the ship left Orb. Later, Kira used the Freedom in two unsuccessful attempts to stop the struggle between Orb and ZAFT forces during the Battle of Dardanelles and the Battle of Crete. During the Battle of Berlin, the Freedom fought and destroyed the Alliance's GFAS-X1 Destroy Gundam, resulting in the death of its pilot, Stella Loussier.

Shortly after, ZAFT launched an attack on the Archangel called Operation Angel Down. During the battle, the Freedom was stabbed in the abdomen by Shinn Asuka's ZGMF-X56S/α Force Impulse Gundam and the wreckage fell into the waters below. However, Kira managed to shut off the unit's nuclear reactor before losing consciousness and thus avoiding a nuclear explosion. His sister, Cagalli Yula Athha, later rescued him and the rest of Freedom's torso from the waters using her MBF-02 Strike Rouge.

ZAFT developed an advanced version of the Freedom, called the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom Gundam , which never progressed beyond the prototype stage due to technical limitations and the Treaty of Junius signed after the first war. In CE 73, either the incomplete unit or its blueprints (it is unknown which) were stolen by the independent Terminal faction, who then modified the Mobile Suit into a personal unit for Kira, who piloted it after destruction of Freedom.

Did you know?

• The Freedom's head crest displays the text "X-10A DIECI", which is a reference to its model number. Dieci means ten in Italian. In the universe of the Cosmic Era, it is a tribute to the creator of the first Mobile Suit, the Italian Coordinator Gian Carlo Maniani.
• Kira's line "the Freedom is four times more powerful than the Strike" was likely a reference to Amuro Ray 's statement, that the RX-78-2 Gundam has "more than five times more power" when he is on board.
• According to Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Official File/Mechanics Vol.4, Page 11, the cockpit of the Freedom and other MS in the ZGMF-X series has a switch for ECM/ECCM (electronic countermeasures and electronic countermeasures) , but he did not specify what these devices are or whether they are common MS devices. However, it is known that the AME-WAC01 DINN special electronic installation type can carry ECM modules, and the FX-550 Skygrasper has dedicated electronic warfare packs. Also, in Episode 21 of Gundam SEED, the Archangel crew noticed that ZAFT forces use ECM and ECCM technology, but they did not state the source of the ECM and ECCM.
• In Mobile Suit Gundm SEED ORIGINAL SOUND TRACK III, released on September 21, 2003, there is a title named "Freedom Self-Destructs". Considering that other titles are based on events from episodes that did not air when it was released ("Dominion Sinks", "Flay's Death"), the self-destruction of the Freedom Gundam in later episodes might have been scheduled at some point.
• The Freedom's Real Grade (RG) kit has 14 HiMAT wings instead of 10, as the black colored sections of the larger wings can be separated from the blue colored sections.
• For the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED HD Remaster, Freedom's Full Burst mode is reanimated, notably to show railguns firing in bursts rather than a single shot, and also to show exhaust smoke after firing. Additionally, Freedom's CIWS was also fired during the full explosion. His catapult launch sequence is also reanimated to eliminate double wing flapping on takeoff.