AMD-02 Guardian

"The AMD-02 Guardian, is the main mobile suit of choice for not only the Republic but of many Mercenary companies, some pirate groups, and several other groups. Therefore you may end up fighting one of these mobile suits during your time as a mobile suit pilot in ZAFT. Don't underestimate these mobile suits!"

- A ZAFT Academy Instructor The AMD-02 Guardian is the primary mobile suit of the Altarian Self Defense Forces and later the Lunar Colonial Militlia for much of the First Bloody Valentine War. It is a well-rounded and respected mobile suit that has seen plenty of combat since its introduced.

General Overview
During the early CE66 the PLANTs started research into military application of a new form of the older Exo-Frame Worker Units, the Mobile Suit. However the PLANTs who are under the watchful eye of the sponsor nations have to do it secret about it making progress slow. Eventually they managed to come up with a workable prototype the YMF-001 Zero-Gee Mobile Fighter or just Mobile Fighter for short. One of the two prototypes built along much of the data from the PLANTs research soon fell into the hands of the Republic of Altair and their Self-Defense Forces. With all this hand Altair managed to come up with a production unit in the matter of months, the AMD-02A Guardian beating the PLANTs by little under a year. It looks similar to the PLANTs original prototype with Cyclops like mono-eye and the exposed tubing. It would also look somewhat similar to the PLANTs own production unit the ZGMF-1017 GINN, but the Guardian would have its own unique mobile suit and style. Thanks to Altair sporting the second highest population of Coordinators in the Earth Sphere allows the Republic to deploy numerous Guardians over the years.

 The Guardian while older then the GINN would be slightly better on paper then its near-cousin the GINN. It had a higher thruster acceleration and slightly more maneuverable then the GINN hands down. Also the Guardian was built with the thought to facing enemy Mobile Suits while the GINN was mainly geared to taking out mobile armors or armored tanks instead of enemy mobile suits. The Guardian would show this when various pirate or other raider forces equipped with GINNs would go against Altair Convoys protected by Guardians making it one of the more advanced and superior of the two first generation mobile suit, though it should be noted that in the right hands a GINN could stand up against a Guardian very easily.

 The Republic would introduce a few different variants of the main Guardian since its introduction for different missions. One such variant is the AMD-02S which is Altair’s version of ZAFTs CGUE, and is mainly used by Altair ace pilots and commanders. Another variant is the AMD-02E which is a recon unit designed to support the normal Guardians with information data as well as support fire from its sniper rifle. While the AMD-02H is the heavy attack version of the Guardian and is equipped with duel shoulder cannons, heavier armor, and several heavier weapons that it could equip. Several other variants would be introduced over the years to support the Altairan Self-Defense Force.

 However nearly three years after its roll-out, during the midst of the First Bloody Valentine War, the Guardian would like the GINN be pretty much obsolete when compared to the newer second-generation designs coming out from ZAFT and the Earth Alliance as well as Orb. Therefore the Republic of Altair would look to replace it, and thanks to managing to acquire the data on the Earth Alliance G-Weapons the Republic would introduce the new AMD-05A Sentinel. This new machine was vastly superior to that of the Guardian and other similar mobile suits, not just including the Sentinel’s ability to carry proper beam weapons, as well as a Natural use OS, but general in overall specs.

 Even with the far-superior Sentinel introduced the Guardian would remain in service with the Republic till the end of the war and afterwards. After this it would mainly found in the hands of Colony National Guard Units, and would also be sold to the Lunar Colonial Alliance who would use it for years after the war and all the way to the start of the Second Bloody Valentine War. These later Guardians would be equipped with Universal OS Systems allowing either coordinators or naturals to pilot it and would be used by many groups throughout the Earth Sphere. Over the years the Guardian would fall into the hands numerous groups including Mercenaries, Freelancers, Civil Defense Units, Pirates and various others. It would continue serve like this for another decade before it would officially be retired in CE85 after a long, proud career being one of the most-used and well respected mobile suit in the Earth Sphere.

Fixed Armaments

 * MSW-02L Anti-Armor Dirks
 * The Mobile Suit carries two of these small close-combat weapons, in the waist storage racks. Unlike ZAFT's close-range weapons these are heat-style weapons. Later the "Gladius" Heat Saber is based on this weapon.

Opitonal Fixed Armaments

 * MSW-04A 40mm Vulcan Gun-Pod
 * The MSW-04A is an attachable fixed weapon pod that contains a single 40mm Vulcan Cannon, and is only able to be attached to the side of the head. This weapon gives the Guardian a short-range weapon similar to the later head-mounted CIWS Weapons.


 * MSW-07E2 180mm Rail-cannon 
 * This weapon gives the Guardian a heavy combat weapon and is able to be used against enemy ships or bases. It is usually attached along the length of the arm to give it better control and aim.


 * MSW-05M Five-Shot Missile Pod
 * The MarSec version of MMI's M66 Canus Missile Launchers, weapons developed for the ZAFT GINN Mobile Suit. The M66 these weapons can be equipped to the legs of the Guardian when nedded some heavier firepower.


 * MSW-03S Anti-Mobile Suit Heat Sword
 * Basically a heat version of the standard MA-M3 Sword equipped to ZAFT GINNs and is far superior thanks to this.

Opitonal Grenade Armament

 * MW-03 Hand Grenades 
 * Basic Hand Grenade of the Guardian and is able to be used against other mobile suits or armored vehicles. Like all grenades three can be carried in the shield as needed.


 * MW-05 Flash-Bang Grenades 
 * A grenade made to blind enemy combat units and can also burn out sensor systems on any mobile suit or mobile amor. Like all grenades three can be carried in the shield as needed.


 * MW-07 Cluster Grenades 
 * A more advanced grenade which explodes into several smaller explosive sub-munitions which can tear into an enemy combat unit. Like all grenades three can be carried in the shield as needed.

Opitonal Hand Weapons

 * MSW-15A1 52mm Assault Rifle
 * Standard rifle of the Guardian and is basically a MarSec version of the MMI built MMI-M8A3 Machine Gun for the GINN. Though thanks to the smaller calibre sports a heaver ammo capacity and faster firing. Can be equipepd with MSW-G10 reloable grenade launcher, underneath the gun-barrel.


 * MSW-16B 108mm Bazooka 
 * A heavy bazooka weapon for the Guardian and can be used in conjuntion with other heavy weapons, or replacing the MSW-07E2 Rail-cannon.


 * MSW-18H1 90mm Heavy Assault Rifle
 * A heavier alternative for the Guardian when the regular MSW-15A1 rifle is not enough punch against enemy combat units. These rifles are so-powerful it can punch a hole into any standard ship armor, and can literally tear apart any enemy combat unit.


 * MSW-14C1 45mm Assault Carbine
 * A smaller rifle weapon for the Guardian for when it needs lighter weapon during missions. Thanks to size a mobile suit can carry two at a time, often one in each hand, though pilots have to go out without a shield though a MSW-S1 Shield can still be used.

Variants
MarSec has developed a few variants and models ever since the introduction of the Guardian. Like its GINN Cousin it sports many different variants for many different missions and enivorments.
 * AMD-02B Guardian (Kai)
 * AMD-02S Guardian Commander
 * AMD-02C Guardian Cannon
 * AMD-02E Guardian Recon Type
 * AMD-02H Guardian Heavy Weapon Type
 * AMD-02X Guardian Experimental Type
 * AMD-02Q Guardian Special Operations Type