Technology & Combat Characteristics
The GAT-01 Strike Dagger was the wartime mass-production model of the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam and one of the first OMNI Enforcer mobile suits to enter mass production. Like the Strike and the GAT-X102 Duel Gundam, it was based on an X100 series frame. To maximize ease of production, the Strike Dagger omitted the Strike's Striker Pack System and Phase Shift armor. Additionally, its head-mounted CIWS and blade antenna were both reduced to only one, and various parts of the mobile suit were simplified, such as its arms and leg armor. In combat, the Strike Dagger was designed to operate in large numbers and overwhelm ZAFT forces, which were elite but fewer in number.
It should be noted that the Strike Dagger's cockpit structure did not change significantly compared to the X100 series and this was to ensure the safety of its pilot. However, due to being rushed into production, the Strike Dagger's vetronics and other systems did not have sufficient EMP shielding and proved to be vulnerable to ZAFT's Gungnir EMP weapon.
History
The OMNI Enforcer's mobile suit development was initially divided into two parallel routes: the G Project at Heliopolis and the mass production unit development project at Porta Panama. It was the latter that eventually gave birth to the Strike Dagger. The GAT-X series combat data from the Archangel, which it transferred to the 8th Space Fleet before entering the atmosphere, contributed to the development of the Strike Dagger and its Natural-use OS.
The Strike Dagger first saw action on May 25, C.E. 71, as part of the 13th Autonomous Corps during the Battle of Porta Panama and fared well in combat against ZAFT's ZGMF-1017 GINN. However, the whole Strike Dagger unit was crippled when ZAFT used its Gungnir EMP weapons. Due to the massive losses ZAFT suffered in the failed Operation Spitbreak, all the surviving Alliance soldiers and mobile suit pilots were brutally slaughtered by ZAFT forces in revenge.
Despite their defeat at the Battle of Porta Panama, production of the Strike Dagger continued, allowing the OMNI Enforcer to quickly build up their mobile suit forces. The Strike Daggers were used to greater effect during the Battle of Orb, where they overwhelmed the Orb Union's MBF-M1 M1 Astrays with their superior numbers. After the OMNI Enforcer reclaimed the Victoria mass driver, securing its route into space, the Strike Dagger replaced the outdated TS-MA2 Moebius mobile armor in all roles other than nuclear missile delivery.
After the First Alliance-PLANT War, production of the Strike Dagger ceased in favor of more powerful machines such as the 105 Dagger. Despite this, the Strike Dagger served as the primary mobile suit for the United States of South America during the nation's war for independence, but it fared badly against the Atlantic Federation's 105 Daggers and the newer GAT-02L2 Dagger Ls. However, one unit, piloted by USSA ally Barry Ho, managed to defeat several Atlantic Federation mobile suits before being crippled. Additionally, at least one Strike Dagger appeared at the end of the Second Alliance-PLANT War, after a ceasefire was declared following the Battle of Messiah.
