| MBF-M1/F M1 Astray Flight Type | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Unit type |
Mass-production flight-capable general purpose mobile suit |
|
Manufacturer |
Morgenröte, Inc. |
|
Operator |
Orb Union |
|
First deployment: |
C.E. 72 |
|
Accomodation: |
Pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso |
|
Dimensions |
Overall height 17.53 meters; max gross weight 65.3 metric tons |
|
Powerplant |
ultracompact energy battery, power output rating 3250 kW |
|
Equipment & Design Features |
Sensors, range unknown |
The MBF-M1/F M1 Astray Flight Type is an aerial combat variant of the M1 Astray developed by Morgenröte Inc. for the Orb Union military.
Technology & Combat Characteristics[]
The Astray Flight Type is an improved variant of the original MBF-M1 Astray, and its armament is identical as a result. The main difference is that whereas the Astray was an agile mobile suit designed mainly for ground combat, the Astray Flight Type, as its name indicates, is designed to be capable of aerial combat. To that end, it has enhanced mobility compared to its predecessor thanks to improved, higher-output thrusters, and a pair of wings that also house propellant tanks, improving its operational time.
Armaments[]
- "Igelstellung" 75mm Multi-Barrel CIWS
- The Igelstellung 75mm multi-barrel Close In Weapon System consists of a pair of head mounted Vulcan guns. These shell-firing weapons are designed to shoot down missiles and lightly armored vehicles, but are of very limited effectiveness against the heavier armor of a mobile suit.
- Type 70 Beam Saber x2
- The close combat beam weapon of Orb mobile suits, these are stored on the Astray's backpack
- Type 71 Beam Rifle
- The standard ranged beam weapon of the Orb military. The beam rifle fires a charged energy beam that is highly effective against most targets, such as mobile suits, but was less effective against targets designed to take beam attacks, such as laminated armor or shields treated with an anti-beam coating.
History[]
During the First Junius War, the Orb Union used data it had acquired from its collaboration with the Atlantic Federation's G-Project to develop its own mobile suit, the result of which was the MBF-M1 Astray. In the months following the war's end, it became apparent that the Orb Union's lack of aerial combat mobile suits presented a weakness should either ZAFT or the Alliance attack the nation again.
Thus, development was begun on a project intended to create an aerial-superiority mobile suit to counter ZAFT's and the Alliance's aerial units, the result of which would eventually yield the MVF-M11C Murasame.
However, in the short term it was decided that all of Orb's existing M1 Astrays would be upgraded with aerial combat capability. Thus the Astray's backpack, which already gave it tremendous maneuverability, was redesigned. A pair of wings were added that housed additional propellant tanks, and its thrusters were enhanced for greater output, allowing it to achieve full atmospheric flight capability, as well as exponentially boosting its maneuverability in space. These wings are designed to be able to fold along the main backpack when operating on the ground.
The resulting M1 Astray Flight Type had aerial capabilities that were easily a match for the Alliance's Jet Daggers or ZAFT's DINNs. A few short years later ZAFT would roll out the superior ZGMF-2000 GOUF Ignited, although by that time the Murasame had likewise been rolled out. Nonetheless, the Astray Flight Type continued to see use throughout the Second Junius War.