Technology & Combat Characteristics
The primary mobile suit of the AEU military in AD 2307, AEU Hellion Perpetuum is the transformable machine's formal name but it is often referred to as simply "AEU Hellion". It is actually the third and final version of the AEU Hellion, which was introduced in AD 2292 and upgraded twice, once in AD 2300 and another in AD 2305. To distinguish the three versions, they are later given different names: the AEU-05/92 AEU Hellion Initium (aka Hellion '92 type or Hellion year 92 type), the AEU-05/00 AEU Hellion Medium (aka Hellion '00 type or Hellion year 00 type) and the AEU-05/05 AEU Hellion Perpetuum (aka Hellion '05 type or Hellion year 05 type). Although the transformation system did not allow the mobile suit to switch modes during combat, it is highly reliable due to its simple structure. The Flight mode's aerial combat performance is considered to be quite excellent and even caused some troubles for the Celestial Being's more advanced GN-001 Gundam Exia. Other similarities between the Union Realdo and the AEU Hellion Perpetuum include armaments, which consisted mainly of Linear Rifle, Sonic Blade, Defense Rod, etc, and both mobile suits' face parts being composed of optical cameras and sensor elements. Despite their similar characteristics, it is dangerous to deal with both machines in the same manner during combat, as they differ in their performances and basic battle tactics.
Even though the AEU Hellion Perpetuum is in the process of being replaced by the newer AEU Enact, it is still deployed as the primary mobile suit in many locations. There are many variations of the machine that differ in head design and weaponry, including a commander type with improved communication capabilities and an added forward-tilting horn on its head, space type, ground type, bomber type, reconnaissance type, etc. It is also produced in large numbers and together with its variants are actively exported to non-AEU member countries, PMCs (Private Military Companies) and even landed in the hands of terrorist groups such as La Edenra.
History
The AEU Hellion Perpetuum was the main mobile suit of the Advanced European Union (AEU) as of AD 2307, although it was beginning to be replaced by the newer AEU-09 AEU Enact. When the AEU Enact's demonstration was interrupted by the appearance of Celestial Being's GN-001 Gundam Exia, the AEU military scrambled multiple AEU Hellion. However, these units were quickly shot down by Gundam Exia with support from the GN-002 Gundam Dynames. The Celestial Being used this event to show to the world that AEU has more military power than allowed under the treaty.
The AEU later conducted a joint military exercise with the Republic of Moralia and PMC Trust. This also served to attract the Celestial Being's attention and to attempt a capture of one of the Gundams. For the exercise, the AEU mainly deployed the AEU Hellion Perpetuums, while the PMC Trust and Moralia deployed the variant unit, the AEU-05G AEU Hellion Ground Type, in addition to the normal AEU Hellion Perpetuums. Moralia also deployed the AEU-05 AEU Hellion Reconnaissance Type. Despite having over 100 mobile suits, they were no match for the four Gundams. After the events in Moralia, the terrorist organization, La Edenra, bombed multiple places around the world to force Celestial Being to stop their armed interventions. With some help, Celestial Being discovered the organization's three active bases and sent the Gundams to destroy them. One of the bases was guarded by three custom colored AEU Hellion Perpetuums, but they were easily dispatch by the GN-002 Gundam Dynames.
Eventually, the AEU worked with the Union and the Human Reform League to capture the Gundams. The three blocs conducted a joint military exercise and purposely allowed a group of terrorists to attack a military base nearby to lure the Gundams. As the Gundams took the bait, the three blocs attacked. During the operation, AEU deployed several variants of the AEU Hellion Perpetuum, including the AEU-05 AEU Hellion Bomber Type and the AEU-05 AEU Hellion Capture Equipment Type. A squad of the AEU Hellion Capture Equipment Type, led by Patrick Colasour's AEU-09T AEU Enact Commander Type, managed to capture the GN-005 Gundam Virtue. However, they were later shot down by the GNW-001 Gundam Throne Eins that arrived to save the Virtue.
By AD 2312, the AEU Hellion Perpetuum was vastly outdated but was still used by the Earth Sphere Federation Forces, albeit not in the frontlines. A number of units were also acquired by the anti-Federation organization Katharon. The AEU Hellion Perpetuums of both factions were seen in action during the Break Pillar Incident, where they worked with numerous other mobile suits to shoot down the falling outer wall pieces of the damaged orbital elevator, La Tour, reducing the destruction caused to the city at the elevator's base.