RX-160 Byarlant
Prototype limited custom mobile suit developed by the Earth Federation Forces.
The RX-160 Byarlant was a prototype limited custom mobile suit developed by the Earth Federation Forces for the Titans.
The “R” in the model code meant it was a Federation model and the “X” designated it as an experimental mobile suit. The “160” in the model code denoted it was the one hundred and sixtieth experimental design in the Federation’s development programme.
History
Another in a long line of mobile suit prototypes developed by the Earth Federation Forces and the Titans during the Gryps War, the RX-160 Byarlant was one of the few new designs which was fast and agile, yet did not require external support systems or mobile armor transformations to achieve this capability.
The Byarlant was an experimental mobile suit designed by the Titans during the Gryps Conflict in UC 0087. When Jerid Messa arrived at Mount Kilimanjaro after his previous mobile suit was heavily damaged, he seized the incomplete Byarlant as his new personal mobile suit during the skirmish at Mount Kilimanjaro.
In order for the Titans to firmly establish aerial superiority over the Earth, the Byarlant was designed to possess self-sustained atmospheric flight without the use of an external support system such as the Base Jabber, or a complicated and costly transformation system that was the trend at that time. It was also designed to intercept, at high altitudes, enemy units descending from outside the atmosphere.
Years later, the EFF deployed two enhanced variants, the RX-160S Byarlant Custom and RX-160S-2 Byarlant Custom 02, when Zeon remnants attacked Australia’s Torrington Base in UC 0096.
Design
Capable of self-sustained atmospheric flight, the Byarlant mounted powerful thrusters in its shoulders and on its waist, with a large-capacity fuel tank in its torso to keep them running. The Byarlant’s flight capabilities were achieved through the incorporation of powerful thermonuclear jet thrusters in its shoulders and waist. By replacing the jet thrusters with rocket thrusters, the Byarlant could be used in space.
The mobile suit featured a distinctive design with claw-like hands that gave it a unique silhouette compared to conventional mobile suits of the era. These specialized manipulators were optimized for the Byarlant’s specific armament but limited its compatibility with mass-produced weapons.
However, the Byarlant was only armed with beam sabers and a pair of mega particle guns in its hands, limiting its flexibility due to a lack of versatile weapons. Due to prioritization of the flight systems, its offensive systems were lacking, and the unique design of its hands meant that the Byarlant could not wield mass-produced weapons employed by other mobile suits.
This factor kept the Byarlant from being mass produced, although one test unit was used in combat by Titans pilot Jerid Messa during the later parts of the Gryps War.
Armaments
The Byarlant’s standard weapons were mega particle guns mounted in its forearms and beam sabers for close combat.
Mega particle guns
Built into the Byarlant’s palms, the pair of mega particle guns were the mobile suit’s only ranged weapons. They were capable of rapid-fire and had a power output of 4.7 MW each. The weapons were integrated into the mobile suit’s specialized claw hands, providing substantial firepower whilst maintaining the unit’s streamlined design.
Beam sabers
For close-combat, the Byarlant had a pair of beam sabers stored in the inner part of the elbow, which could be pulled out during battle. The beam sabers’ handles had a unique triangular cross-section to match the mobile suit’s clawed hands, ensuring proper grip and manipulation during combat operations.
Known pilots
Behind the scenes
Kazumi Fujita was the original mechanical designer. The Byarlant’s unique design emphasized flight capability over conventional mobile suit versatility, reflecting the experimental nature of mobile suit development during the late Gryps War period.
Appearances
See also
External links
- RX-160 Byarlant on the Gundam Wiki
- RX-160 Byarlant on MAHQ