Uewing
Beam Sabre x 1: A weaker variation of the beam sword, this weapon also creates a stable energy blade that is useful in close combat. More powerful than common heat weapons and other alloy blades or clubs, it has the capacity to usher in a new standard in close range armaments. It is also quite easy to replace and repair, though it does drain more energy from the mobile suit's electrical battery. When not in use, the sabre can be latched to the Aeshma's hip.
Net Gun x 1: A bazooka variant created for passive enforcement and non-lethal captures. It fires a mobile suit-sized net made of fibrous steel, enveloping the target. Pikes on its edges can secure to surfaces, for added effect. Though useful, this device does have a short range, which limits its capabilities. An ammunition canister contains five shots.
Over the course of the recent conflict with the Grand Cross, the United Alliance Armed Forces had initially struggled to compete with the shear power of the former's mobile suits. Fortunately for UAAF, victory had not proven itself to be a total impossibility, just the product of extremely demanding effort or really dumb luck. On either of these occasions, there had been spoils of war to salvage, and though Grand Cross soldiers were often very thorough in disposing of their mobile suits, a few had been recovered intact. Even fewer of these were drummed back into service under the Alliance's banner, refitted and repainted for active duty. Among these, the Aeshma Wing was the most common unit.
The Uewing (short for UAAF Aeshma Wing, or the more underhanded "Uewie" Wing), as it had been named by soldiers on both sides of the war, was effectively the same as its original Grand Cross counterpart. Only a few alterations were made to its design. The first major change was in the paint scheme and sensor head, which were deliberately restyled in order to prevent UAAF pilots from shooting down their own allies. Next was the arsenal, where the standard Grand Cross carbine rifle was swapped for a more common Aeshma Prime machinegun. To compensate for the loss in firepower, a beam sabre (one of the Alliance's new trademark weapons) replaced the older heat sword. Since it was hard for the Alliance to capture any of the Grand Cross' heavy missile launchers intact, these were generally kept out of the arsenal.
As the United Alliance Armed Forces began to produce its own designs, though, these captured units were eventually taken out of service for the sake of logistical simplicity and presentation. In simple terms, the UAAF wanted to maintain its own design distinct image. Most of these machines were either scrapped or donated to Alliance allies, including the Ark Nova militia. That organization has since deployed them as defensive units to replace the mobile walkers and armors that they have lost during the war.