Cosmic Era technology

For Nuclear Technologies like the Neutron Jammer and GENESIS please see Cosmic Era Superweapons for more information.

This article deals with technology from the Cosmic Era timeline of the Gundam fictional universe metaseries.

Mobile Suit Technology

Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System

The deuterion beam energy transfer system is a technology developed by ZAFT to remotely recharge the batteries of mobile suits. The system was eventually installed into the Second Generation Gundams produced by ZAFT.

Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)

A supplemental generator which is used to activate mobile suits and other vehicles prior to launch.

Power Extender

A device first installed in the Strike Rouge which improves its energy storage capacity, allowing it to use its Phase Shift Armor for a longer duration than other mobile suits.

DRAGOON system

The DRAGOON system is a weapon system used on both mobile suits and mobile armors. There are several different versions of the system, but all of them allows the user to remotely control several weapon units to perform attacks from different angles. Over time these units were equipped with different weapons and capabilities.

G Project

The G Project was the Earth Alliance's crash program to develop mobile suits that could be piloted by Naturals. The five prototype mobile suits developed under the G Project were the GAT-X102 Duel, the GAT-X103 Buster, the GAT-X105 Strike, the GAT-X207 Blitz and the GAT-X303 Aegis.

Striker Packs

Striker Packs are interchangeable packs that can be mounted on the back of a mobile suit built to use them. They were first used on the Strike from the EA. Over time, nearly every major faction created their own version of Striker Packs, with ZAFT creating the Silhouette and the Wizard Packs.

Voiture Lumiere

While the exact detail of this technology is unknown, Voiture Lumiere is a new form of propulsion system that can be used for interplanetary travel. GSX-401FW Stargazer's Voiture Lumiere is contained within a back-mounted ring shaped structure, which is movable and transformable via a variable arms mechanism. It functions like a solar sail, catching solar wind on its curtain of light generated by the ring structure, and starts to move at 0.5 cm then in a minute it will move at least 18 meters. After an hour, its at least 64 meters from where it started and the Voiture Lumiere, will achieve a speed of 128 km/h and will constantly gain momentum. Alternatively, the curtain of light can capture a power beam from an external source and uses it for propulsion. There exists several other versions developed by different factions and they function in slightly different ways.

Lorenzini Sensor

A specialized sensor used by underwater mobile suits such as the GOOhN, ZnO, and GINN WASP Type to detect electrical impulses in the surrounding water. This system is modeled on the electroreceptor organs possessed by sharks, which are known as the Ampullae of Lorenzini.

Multi Lock-on System

The Strike Freedom's Multi Lock-On System

The Multi Lock-On Weapons System enables a mobile suit to lock on to several enemies at once, and fire at them simultaneously. Only 4 mobile suits are known are to have this system, ZGMF-X09A Justice Gundam, ZGMF-X19A ∞ Justice Gundam, ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam and ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom Gundam,

Stealth & Jamming Technology

Colloid particles are a group of synthetic particle which can be used for a variety of military purposes. They were first used in form of the Mirage Colloid stealth system but eventually several other forms of technology using these particles were discovered. Examples include the "Geschmeidig Panzer" energy deflection armor, which can be used to bend beam weapon attacks, the Mirage Colloid Virus Spreader, used to take control over enemy mobile suits and lastly the Mirage Colloid Holographic Projection System, which use Colloid particles to create afterimages of the suit using them.

Mirage Colloid stealth system

The first use discovered was as a stealth device, and this technology was incorporated into the GAT-X207 Blitz Gundam. With the Mirage Colloid stealth system activated, the mobile suit was covered by the particles, which bent electromagnetic waves around it, rendering the Blitz invisible to both visual and electronic detection. However, while this system is activated, the mobile suit loses its ability to use its Phase Shift armor.

Mirage Colloid Virus Spreader

While the initial advances in Mirage Colloid technology were made by the Atlantic Federation, a more novel development came from another source: the Mirage Colloid virus spreader, created by the defense conglomerate Actaeon Industries and utilized in their prototype NMS-X07PO Gel Finieto. This system used Mirage Colloid particles to access the operating systems of nearby mobile suits and infect them with a computer virus, unimpeded by Neutron Jammer interference.

Mirage Colloid Holographic Projection System

The Mirage Colloid Holographic Projection System is often used by ZAFT's ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam along with its Wings of Light (Hikari no Tsubasa). This system spreads Colloid particles, leaving a trail of visible after-images that can confuse enemy sensors.

Neutron Jammer

A device which suppresses nuclear fission reactions by blocking the movement of free neutrons. Its effective range is so great that even a handful of these devices are sufficient to cover the entire Earth, nullifying all nuclear weapons and powerplants on the planet's surface. The N-Jammer also has the side effect of disrupting radio waves, thus rendering radar and conventional communications useless, and for this reason space warships are equipped with these devices as an electronic countermeasure.

Neutron Jammer Canceller

N-Jammer Cancellers are devices used to negate the effects of Neutron Jammers. When activated, the Canceller creates a small field which blocks the effects of the N-Jammers, allowing nuclear reactors or weapons to work. However, while the N-Jammers had a vast working area, the NJCs only worked in a small area, which means, that any nuclear reactor or weapon intended to work under NJ effect has to be outfitted with their own NJC. To create N-Jammer Cancellers, a rare material is needed, which is controlled by PLANT and on Earth by the Atlantic Federation. On Mars however, this material is plentiful, which is however kept a secret by its inhabitants to prevent any superpower from attacking them.

Offensive Technology

Armor Schneider

A small combat knife used by the Strike Gundam. While nowhere near as effective as the beam weapons with which its Aile Strike and Sword Strike configurations are equipped, the Armor Schneiders are still capable of piercing the armor of a standard mobile suit, and unlike beam weapons they don't deplete the Gundam's energy battery. These knives fold up like switchblades for storage in the Strike Gundam's hip armor and the blades vibrate when in use, enhancing their piercing power. These weapons are also something of a trademark for Mobile Suits used by Gai Murakumo, but his seems to be completely different despite having the same name. Gai's Armor Schneiders are usually treated with anti-beam coating as they are often used to block beam-based attacks, they also do not fold up when stored. ZAFT would make their own with the Impulse Gundam's "Folding Razor".

Anti-Armor Penetrator

A special weapon carried by the Dagger L and Windam. The Stiletto rocket-propelled anti-armor penetrator is an explosive device shaped like a throwing knife, which uses small vernier rockets to propel itself towards its target. These weapons are stored in the mobile suit's hip armor in the same fashion as the Armor Schneider assault knives used by the Strike Gundam.

Beam Saber

A new kind of melee weapon first employed by the Earth Alliance's prototype Gundams. The blade of the beam saber is formed using the same magnetic field generation technology that holds the Blitz Gundam's Mirage Colloid in place. After capturing four of the five prototype Gundams, ZAFT quickly duplicates the Alliance's beam saber technology and begins equipping its own mobile suits with these weapons as well.

Spherical Breaker

A unique close combat weapon used by the Raider Gundam, which consists of a spherical mace attached to a macromolecular wire. The sphere is composed of extremely dense material, making it massive enough to damage even Phase Shift Armor. Thanks to the anti-beam coating applied to the wire, the spherical breaker can also be swung rapidly to create a crude shield against enemy beam weapons.

Wired Gunbarrel

A unique weapon system used by the Moebius Zero and Exus, which consists of four remote-controlled gun pods connected to the mobile armor by thin wires. The gunbarrels can be coordinated to surround enemy units and attack them from multiple directions simultaneously, but this complex system can be operated only by highly skilled pilots with exceptional powers of spatial awareness.

Beam Rifle

A compact, powerful beam weapon used by the Atlantic Federation's prototype Gundams. Its beam blasts are effective even against Phase Shift Armor, but repeated use will quickly drain the mobile suit's energy battery. After capturing four of the five prototype Gundams, ZAFT quickly duplicates the Alliance's beam rifle technology and begins equipping its own mobile suits with these weapons as well.

Linear Gun

A weapon which, like a railgun, uses electromagnetic forces rather than gunpowder to fire its projectiles. However, the conductive projectiles fired from a linear gun don't come into physical contact with the firing mechanism, and are instead accelerated using attractive and repulsive magnetic forces, as in a so-called magnetic levitation (maglev) train. Although the acceleration produced is relatively small compared to that of a railgun, a linear gun can yield similar muzzle velocities if its barrel is long enough, and the lack of physical contact eliminates friction heat and wear on the barrel. Linear guns of this type are widely used by the Earth Alliance forces, and are the standard weapons of the Alliance's tanks and Moebius mobile armors. The Valiant Mk.8 linear cannons installed in the Alliance warship Archangel are larger versions of this weapon.

Railgun

A weapon which uses electromagnetic forces, rather than gunpowder, to fire solid projectiles at very high velocities. A railgun consist of two conductive rails, to which an electrical current is applied, and a metal projectile which fits between them and completes the electrical circuit. The current flowing through the rails produces a powerful magnetic field, which interacts with the current running across the projectile to create an immense outward force that accelerates the projectile down the weapon's barrel. Railguns of this type are installed in ZAFT's Nazca-class destroyers and Laurasia-class frigates, and other examples include the 115mm Shiva railgun on the shoulder of the Duel Gundam Assault Shroud and the 450mm railguns on the back of the BuCUE.

Gun-Launcher

A projectile weapon akin to a railgun or linear gun, which uses electromagnetic forces rather than gunpowder to launch its projectiles. In addition to solid shells, the gun-launcher can also fire specialized munitions such as armor-piercing and high explosive rounds. The Buster Gundam and the Launcher Strike Gundam are among the mobile suits equipped with this type of weapon.

Phonon Maser

The phonon maser was created by ZAFT for use in amphibious mobile suits, to counteract the ineffectiveness of standard beam weapons in underwater environments. Phonon masers concentrate sound waves into highly destructive laser-like beams. The Earth Alliance was later able to duplicate phonon maser technology for use in its own series of amphibious mobile suits.

Positron Blaster Cannon

Positron blaster cannons are the most powerful mass-produced energy weapons in the Cosmic Era. They are usually mounted on ships and capable of inflicting great damage to a fleet or an area. Their firing also causes a Positronic interference which can be used to launch a vessel into space without use of a mass driver.

Gungnir System

The Gungnir System, named for the legendary spear of the Norse god Odin, is a powerful electromagnetic pulse system produced by ZAFT to disable electronic systems (including the controls of mobile suits) without harming living creatures. ZAFT's own mobile suits have heavy EMP shielding and are unaffected by the Gungnir System, but the Earth Alliance's early mass-production model GAT-01 Strike Daggers' shielding proved insufficient to protect against it. Later Earth Alliance mobile suits include improved EMP shielding, rendering the Gungnir useless. Besides disabling mobile suits, it can also disable any electronic items such as a moblie armor as well as a Mass Driver. The output of the EMP creates a current inside the Mass Driver is so great that it destroys the metal part of it. Gungirs are also rather difficult to set up in the heat of battle, due to their large size and the fact that they have to be assembled in the field. Gungnirs detonate to produce the EMP Wave and can do as much damage to equipment as a Cyclops system, with no ill effects on plant life.

Lohengrin Cannon

The same positron blaster cannon used by the Archangel can also be installed in ground fortifications. Although the Lohengrin cannon has great destructive power, it also has severe negative effects on the environment, so great care must be taken in positioning and using it. One of these weapons is installed at the Lohengrin Gate that guards the city of Gulnahan.

Neutron Stampeder

A device that remotely controls the movement of free neutrons to induce runaway nuclear fission reactions. The Neutron Stampeder causes the immediate detonation of any nuclear weapons within its area of effect, but it can only be used once because the quantum fresnels that make up its firing mechanism disintegrate during use, and it is effective only against enemies who are using nuclear technology. ZAFT uses a prototype version of the Neutron Stampeder, attached to a Nazca-class warship, to defend the PLANTs from a nuclear strike by the Earth Alliance.

Defensive Technology

CIWS

This weapon borrows its name from the close-in weapons systems used by modern-day naval vessels, which are in turn named after the massed phalanx formations of ancient Greek infantry soldiers. The phalanx is an anti-ship missile defense system. The basis of the system is the 20 mm M61 Vulcan Gatling gun autocannon, used since the 1960s by the United States military in nearly all fighter aircraft (and one land mounting, the M163 VADS), linked to a Ku-band radar system for acquiring and tracking targets. This proven system was combined with a purpose-made mounting, capable of fast elevation and traverse speeds, to track incoming targets. An entirely self-contained unit, the mounting houses the gun, an automated fire control system and all other major components, enabling it to automatically search for, detect, track, engage and confirm kills using its computer-controlled radar system. Due to this self-contained nature, the CIWS is ideal for support ships which lack integrated targeting systems and generally have limited sensors. In Gundam SEED, the CIWS is used as a defensive system made up of one or more rapid-fire machine guns which can be used to shoot down incoming missiles and aircraft at short range. This term is usually abbreviated as CIWS, pronounced "see-whiz”. The Earth Alliance and the Orb Union use the 75mm Igelstellung as their standard CIWS, which are computer-controlled, and installed in the heads of the Atlantic Federation's prototype Gundams and in rotating turrets on the hulls of Earth Alliance warships. The Igelstellung is a Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) designed for shooting down missiles and aircraft at short ranges, but it can also be used against infantry and other ground targets, or employed as a defensive weapon against enemy mobile suits. Thanks to their high-performance fire control systems, these Igelstellungs can locate, track, and fire upon their targets fully automatically, and the automatic targeting system can also be disengaged so that human operators can control the Igelstellungs manually. ZAFT forces on the other hand, employ a variety of different machine guns for this purpose, including the MMI-GAU2 Picus, the MMI-GAU1 Sagittus, and retractable 58mm machine gun turrets. After the first war between Earth and the PLANTs, new types of CIWS are introduced which use smaller shells in exchange for a higher rate of fire. The Earth Alliance and Orb Union standardize on 12.5mm systems, while ZAFT uses 12.5mm and 20mm systems for its mobile suits and 40mm systems in its newest warships.

Shields

Shields are additional defensive measures employed by mobile suits. While most shields are carried through some combination of a handle and a forearm hardpoint, others such as the as the ZAKU, or the Strike Freedom have permanently mounted shields. Prior to the 2nd Bloody Valentine War, shields were typically additional pieces of armor with an Anti-Beam Coating. Some mobile suits mounted ranged weapons in their shields. Namely the CGUE, Blitz, Calamity, and Strike I.W.S.P.

Composite shields

Composite shields offer a combination of defense and melee weapons. While all shields can be used as a blunt weapon, Composite shields mount a beam blade. This system can be seen in both production versions of the GuAIZ, the Providence, and the Dreadnought.

Beam shields

During the second EA/PLANT war, ZAFT created a new version of energy shield, the so-called beam shields. These shields are similar to the lightwave barrier and the positron deflector used by EA. Beam shields are usually mounted on the forearms of a mobile suit and create an energy barrier, capable of defending the suit against heavy beam weapons fire with outputs lower than the beam shield's power requirement. The first known suits using these shields are ZAFT's ZGMF-X42S Destiny and ZGMF-X666S Legend and are eventually also used by Terminal on the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice, the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom and the ZGMF-XX09T DOM Trooper.

Lightwave Barrier

A lightwave barrier is an energy field which blocks both physical and energy weapons. This technology was developed by the Eurasian Federation and eventually installed on its asteroid fortress Artemis as well as the CAT1-X Hyperion series of mobile suits.

Positron Deflector

A positron deflector is new type of defense technology capable of protecting against attacks up to the power of a positron blaster cannon. It is created by the Earth Alliance after the first war and installed on several new mobile armors.

Geschmeidig Panzer

The "Geschmeidig Panzer" energy deflection armor, This system utilized a kind of Colloid particles to bend energy beams away from the mobile suit, providing excellent defensive capabilities. The "Geschmeidig Panzer" pods can also deflect water for use as a propulsion system. This system can also be used on a much larger scale inside space colonies to bend massive energy beams.

Anti-Beam Coating

Anti-beam coating is a material that can be applied to the surface of objects to make them resistant to beam weaponry. Nearly all mobile suit shields have anti-beam coating applied to their surface, allowing them to withstand numerous hits by beam rifles and blades, and even provide some protection against a warship's large beam cannons. However the anti-beam coating is an ablative layer, which wears down with each strike. Once the coating is worn away, the shield offers no protection beyond that of conventional armor. The coating is re-applied as part of a mobile suit's standard maintenance.

Mirror Coating

Mirror coating is a highly improved version of anti-beam coating developed by Morgenroete for use on the ORB-01 Akatsuki. While ordinary anti-beam coating merely disperses energy beams, mirror coating actually reflects them. As a result, if the Akatsuki is hit at the proper angle, it can cause an attacking mobile suit to be destroyed by its own beam. Mirror coating also gives any surface it is applied to a highly reflective gold sheen. Units with Mirror Coating cannot use Phase Shift, however, much like with standard anti-beam coating.

Laminated Armor

Laminated armor is an outer armor layer consisting of a single piece, rather than connected plates. It provides protection against beam weaponry by dispersing them across the entire surface of the armor. This provides superior protection against beam weapons, but eventually laminated armor begins to melt from the accumulated heat. Laminated armor is used on the Archangel-class assault ships, various ZAFT ships and a slightly different version is used on the GAT-01A1 105 Dagger and GAT/A-01E2 Buster Dagger to protect their vital areas.

Ablative Gel

A special heat-absorbing gel which the Earth Alliance warship Archangel uses to protect itself from the heat of atmospheric entry. This substance evaporates away as the ship descends, so it must be continually replenished by the gel dischargers on the underside of the hull.

Phase Shift Armor

Phase Shift Armor is a technology designed to protect mobile weapons from physical attack. It was used first on the five original Gundams developed as part of the G Project, which led to nearly every major faction using this technology as of CE 74. Over time, different and more efficient versions of PS armor were developed by the different factions. One variant, developed by the Earth Alliance, is called Trans Phase armor, which only activates at the point of impact. Another version is the Variable Phase Shift armor, which was first developed by ZAFT. This version allows the pilot of an MS to alter the strength of the PS armor to adapt to different combat situations.

Anti-Beam Depth Charge

Anti-beam depth charges are cylindrical pods that can be released by some warships, which detonate and release clouds of beam-absorbing particles. These particles disperse relatively quickly, but temporarily reduce the power of beam shots. As the particles have the same effect on beams fired by the ship that deployed them, anti-beam depth charges are typically used to cover a retreat.

Neutron Stampeder

A device that remotely controls the movement of free neutrons to induce runaway nuclear fission reactions. The Neutron Stampeder causes the immediate detonation of any nuclear weapons within its area of effect, but it can only be used once because the quantum fresnels that make up its firing mechanism disintegrate during use, and it is effective only against enemies who are using nuclear technology. ZAFT uses a prototype version of the Neutron Stampeder, attached to a Nazca-class warship, to defend the PLANTs from a nuclear strike by the Earth Alliance.

Other Technologies

Mass Driver

Mass drivers are large electromagnetic catapults which are used to cost-efficiently send cargo and people into space. The drivers work like railguns and apply hundred of gees of acceleration on a ship carrying cargo to hurl it into space, without this ship using its own thrusters. They can also used to send passenger shuttles into space, although the acceleration must be decreased to only a few gees. Mass drivers are very time and cost consuming to build and maintenance, making them important objects on Earth.

All mass drivers are built around the equator and often protected by large armies. Facilities containing mass drivers include the Victoria Base, the Panama Spaceport and the Orb Union's Kaguya mass driver. During the first war, these mass drivers were major attack targets of ZAFT, to prevent the Earth Alliance from sending weaponry and people to space. Several mass drivers are destroyed during the war, but eventually rebuilt afterwards.

Quantum Computers

Quantum computers are advanced computer systems that use quantum mechanical principles to achieve vastly superior processing capability compared to conventional computers. Quantum computers in the Cosmic Era are capable of supporting highly sophisticated artificial intelligence programs. Several of these quantum computer AIs were utilized by Morgenroete, Inc. to assist in the design of Orb's MBF-M1 Astray mobile suits. In the rush to evacuate Orb during the Earth Alliance invasion, the quantum computers were left behind with Morgenroete engineer Yoon Sefan. Sefan took the computers with her when she joined the Junk Guild, and they helped her design the civilian-use Astray variant MWF-JG71 Raysta.

Scale System

MBF-P03 Gundam Astray "Blue Frame" equipped with "scale system"

A scale system is method of propulsion developed by ZAFT for use in land battleships. Scale systems use the vibrations of thousands of tiny mechanical scales to move over loose soil or sand, and can also function in water. For smaller vehicles such as mobile suits, a scale system can also be used for underwater propulsion, though the relatively fragile scales cannot withstand the high pressures of the ocean depths, requiring the mobile suit to remain close to the surface. As the scale system can propel a vehicle sideways or backwards (or vertically, in underwater use) with equal speed to forward motion, vehicles with a scale system tend to be more agile than those of comprable size that are reliant on conventional thrusters or screw propellers.

See also

• Cosmic Era Superweapons
• Cosmic Era human enhancements
• ニュートロンジャマー
• ニュートロンジャマーキャンセラー

External links

• http://www.gundamofficial.com
• http://www.mahq.net