Aeshma E.W.A.C.
Blaze Schneider x 1: An eloquent name for a simple weapon, this reinforced battle sword is a larger counterpart to the Aeshma Prime's heat hawk. Since its blade conducts heat more effectively, the weapon is excellent for energy-conscious pilots who want to keep their mobile suit's battery from draining too quickly. When not in use, the sword can be latched to either the Aeshma's hip or back.
Logan-V "Cat's Eye" Sensor/Comm System: The EWAC's heavy sensor and communications suite, the Logan system depends on the large radome that is mounted on the mobile suit's sensor head. This radome is equipped with a passive radar system, allowing the suit to monitor enemy forces without giving itself away with active radar signals. The Aeshma EWAC also features additional infra-red and visual sensors, allowing it to monitor the enemy in a variety of methods. As an added bonus, the radome acts as a gigantic communications dish, allowing the pilot to stay in contact with allies over great distances, and even overcome most forms of system jamming.
The original Aeshma EWAC was an innovative "field-bash" construct developed by one of the Grand Cross' space corps. Having lost their only EWAC-use shuttle craft, the unit commander demanded that his technicians find a way to provide him with a replacement. The first consideration was to follow the example of the United Alliance Armed Forces, and mount the salvaged radome and communications gear on a captured Foxhound mobile armor. However, the vulnerability of such a unit, along with the risk of it being taken down by friendly fire (not to mention the knowledge that they could do better) prompted the mechanics to improvise with a Aeshma Prime instead. Though the new additions proved to be a hefty drain on the mobile suit's power systems, the "Cat's Eye Aeshma," as it was first called, proved to be more than satisfactory.
The powers-that-be within the Grand Cross, upon hearing of its success, commissioned their mobile suit manufacturers to refine the field variant into a totally original design. In order to save time, the development staff continued to use an Aeshma Prime frame as their base, though they added additional armor plating and a strengthened set of myomer muscles to make it sturdier. Not wanting to damage the additional communications equipment, the mobile suit's propulsion system was kept exclusively in its legs, with a handful of compressed-air apogee motors riding the skirt armor for added thrust. The entire unit looked a little bulkier than the mainstream Aeshma, a quality which prevented it from using its heat sword to the same effectiveness as its Wing cousin.
The installation of the radome was, by far, the most difficult part of the project. The original field-bash had carried the giant disc right on its back, but this had proven impractical, preventing a full range of humanoid movement. Connecting it to the sensor head allowed the designers to tip it, and provide the added the benefit of a direct connection to the mobile suit's monocular eye. Additionally, with its strengthened comm gear, and satellite assistance, an EWAC unit can easily keep a direct feed to the Grand Cross colonies from as far away as the Earth. In order to avoid the massive energy drain caused by the activation of the new systems, a bulkier electrical battery was installed, giving the mobile suit the same three-to-five hour staying power of most other models.
Though the Grand Cross is replacing the Aeshma Prime with the Wing variant, the EWAC-type has remained on the active duty list. It is likely that it will continue to do so, since developing a radome-equipped Wing model would prove to be redundant and needless. In fact, engineers have recently developed a process that simplifies the modification of older Prime units into EWAC models, allowing the Grand Cross to put some of their growing surplus to good use. It should also be noted that the latest EWACs have also had a great deal of additional computer equipment installed, allowing their pilots to interface with the virtual reality networks used on space colonies and the Earth.