GN-001S Gundam Sterling Exia

The GN-001S Gundam Sterling Exia (aka Gundam Sterling Exia, Sterling Exia), is the upgraded version of GN-001REIII Gundam Exia Repair III. It first appeared in Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Super Soldiers & Innovators, shortly before the ELS Invasion.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
With the 5th Generation Gundams taking top priority, Celestial Being soon found itself lacking a competant mobile suit force. As a result, CB engineers decided to overhaul the GN-001REIII Gundam Exia Repair III for Sterling Aarden's use, redesignating it GN-001S Gundam Sterling Exia. As Exia R3's long-range capabilities were already considered satisfactory, the engineers focused on enhancing the suit's close combat capabilities and agility. The upgrades would in theory bring Sterling Exia up to the level of the 5th Generation Gundams.

Making use of the advances in GN Drive technology, CB engineers created a new and revolutionary powerplant for the Sterling Exia, the GN-S Drive. Not only was the new drive more compact than the original GN Drives, it also acheived a partical generation of 200%, compared the the 100% of the original drives. This extra power allowed the engineers to equip the suit with more powerful GN Thrusters (positioned on the rear skirt armor, rear calves and rear shoulders. It also meant that the GN Long Rifle was capable of accurate and powerful fire at extreme range, as well allowing the suit itself to generate a very strong GN Field.

Armaments

 * GN Beam Saber
 * Length adjustable beam sabers mounted on the hips. The same kind used by the 5th Generation Gundams. The beam saber hilts are stored on the side-skirts which can rotate a full 360° for quick access.


 * GN Long Rifle
 * The GN Long Rifle is designed for engaging in long range combat and is equipped with a crystal sensor similar to the weapons used by the 3.5 and later generation Gundams. Designed in the same style as the GN Sword III, it can be folded in half when its not in used. When folded, the weapon can still be fired, albiet with reduced power and accuracy, but with a greater rate of fire. This weapon was designed primarily for long-range sniping, similar to the GN Sniper Rifles used by GN-002 Gundam Dynames & Gundam Cherudim.


 * GN Sword III
 * The direct descendant of Exia's GN Sword in appearance. Unlike the GN Sword, or the GN Sword Kai, the GN Sword III does not have a "storage configuration". However, the switch from rifle to sword mode is much faster and smoother than before. Both modes benefit from the increased power of the Twin Drive, and the blade's green edge is derived from the same material that makes up GN Condensers. First tested on the GN Katars of the 00 Seven Sword, this material enhances the power of the sword by converting large amounts of GN Particles into heat intense enough to melt most armors on contact. While having this feature, GN Sword III also has the ability to generate a beam saber, covering the whole blade of the sword. The GN Sword III's Raiser Sword was first seen when used to destroy all 3 Baikal Class battlecruiser at once. The GN Sword III has 2 modes: Rifle Mode (in which the sword is folded and a rifle extends from the front), a single uncharged shot is more than enough to destroy a Baikal Class battlecruiser, and Sword Mode (which has the sword fully extended and with another rifle mounted above the blade). While Raiser Sword requires both GN Sword II units present in order to be used, the GN Sword III can initiate it with just one.


 * GN Beam Cannon
 * Mounted in the Sterling Exia's wrists, the GN Beam Cannons are descendants of the GN Vulcans equipeed to the previous variants of the Exia. While they still possess a high rate of fire, thanks to the Sterling Exia's GN-S Drive, they are as powerful as the GN Rifle II carried by Sterling's previous suit, the GN-000 II 0 Gundam II.

Special Equipment & Features

 * GN Field
 * Optical Camouflage
 * Trans-Am System
 * Trans-Am Burst System
 * GN-S Drive