Rick Vayu
Mauser Multi-Weapon Mount x 2: Behind armored panels on either side of its chest, the Vayu has multiple weapon systems that have been optimized for both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat. Each Mauser set includes a vulcan barrel, a light beam machinegun, and four micro-missiles. While individually, each of these weapons is only a minor threat, their combined firepower can be quite staggering.
Aile Murama x 1: An extra light pole arm variation of the Blaze Schneider heat sword, this weapon places a long, thin thermal blade on the end of a collapsible pole arm. The blade itself can fold outward in stages, compacting itself for easy storage. This means it can also be wielded as a long sword, if the pilot is not comfortable with the larger weapon. An apogee motor built into the hilt allows the weapon to be thrown at a target with increased force, if necessary.
Though the Aeshma Wing's flight capabilities had been a key factor in ranking it the primary mobile suit of the Grand Cross, limitations emerged after its arrival on Earth. Its aerodynamics were mediocre, requiring a pilot to expend more battery energy to keep it aloft and manage high-speed maneuvers. Grand Cross engineers tried to remedy these problems, but slowed their efforts when the organization's weapon supplier came up with a better answer: the Vayu. It did not require the same high endurance engines as the Aeshma Wing because it was much lighter. In fact, it did not use vernier or rocket engines at all, but an elaborate turbine system that works in tandem with its frame.
The success of this design prompted the Tresdemo Foundation to dedicate an entire factory complex to Vayu production. As the Grand Cross made more headway on Earth, another factory was established there as well. Unfortunately, this streak of prosperity has not lasted, and the mounting resistance of the United Alliance Armed Forces have forced the Grand Cross and the Foundation to improvise more. With the number of battlefronts in space growing, and their losses mounting, the colony rebels have reworked their mobile suit strategies.
When the Alliance began mounting heavier weapons and beam resistant shielding on their new mobile suits, the Foundation wanted to reply with faster designs that relied on a ballistic arsenal. The Vayu, with its shell-firing rifles, missiles, and heat blade, was one machine not hampered by the UAAF's new magnetic coating and I-fields. Likewise, its speed and agility made it more than a match for the latest Alliance models. So, as they had with the Gades, Foundation engineers retooled the Vayu into a space worthy machine.
The Rick Vayu has only a few slight alterations to its core design, with most of the significant changes being based around its propulsion system. Rather than completely replace the older Branford turbines with verniers, however, Foundation engineers followed the Ahzi's example, and gave it a modular engine. For atmospheric operations, the Rick Vayu could keep its original turbines, which are preferable. In a vaccum, the turbines can be swapped for a compact, but powerful, vernier assembly. Thanks to the quirks of the mobile suit's construction, this modification is fairly simple, allowing Grand Cross engineers to easily convert the numerous Vayu units already in the field to the Rick Vayu standards. Within time, this revamped machine is likely to become a favorite among ace pilots.