Technology & Combat Characteristics
Superior as the Celestial Being's Gundams are compared to other mobile suits in AD 2307, only four such machines are deployed for the organization's armed interventions. This is expected to be insufficient as the conflict with the three major powers of the world (Union, HRL and AEU), which had much superior numbers, intensifies. The GN Arms is developed from the data of the GNR-000 GN Sefer and the GN-001/hs-A01D Gundam Avalanche Exia'.
Powered by a GN Condenser, the GN Arms can operate independently for a limited period of time. For sustained combat, the GN Arms has to transform and dock with a Gundam to form the GN Armor as it lacks the semi-perpetual GN Drive.
Two GN Arms units were produced: the GN Arms Type-E for the GN-001 Gundam Exia and the GN Arms Type-D for the GN-002 Gundam Dynames, and after docking with their Gundam partner, they form the GN-001+GNR-001E GN Armor Type-E and GN-002+GNR-001D GN Armor Type-D respectively. The GN Arms do not compensate for any of their Gundam partner's weakness, but rather improve on their specialties. Accordingly, the GN Arms Type-E has Large-Size GN Swords and GN Beam Guns to complement the close combat specialized Exia, while the GN Arms Type-D has the GN Twin Rifle and Large-Size Missile Container for anti-fleet combat, augmenting the capabilities of the long-range shooting specialized Dynames. Both GN Arms also share the same Large-Size GN Cannons and Claws. In the GN Armor form, the GN Arms is powered by the Gundam's GN Drive, gaining infinite operating time and can perform at its fullest, with its offensive capabilities and mobility being usable at their maximum potential and the generation of a GN Field for defense becoming possible. Sortieing directly in the GN Armor form is doable as seen with the GN Armor Type-D, eliminating the need for a pilot in the GN Arms Type-D. The GN Arms' data is later used to develop the GNR-010 0 Raiser.
When not in used, each GN Arms is docked to the rear of a Assault Container, which can also store a Gundam. Carrying the GN Arms and its Gundam partner, the Assault Container can undergo independent operations in space or on earth, and is capable of atmospheric re-entry and escape. The GN Arms' GN Verniers serve as part of the Assault Container's propulsion system, and a special mechanism transfers the GN Arms' pilot to and fro from the bridge of the Assault Container to control the machines accordingly. The Assault Container has built-in weaponry for supporting the Gundam in battle, it can also replace the normal unarmed containers of the mothership, CBS-70 Ptolemaios, and when utilized in this latter manner, the Large-Size GN cannons of the stored GN Arms can serve as the Ptolemaios's main guns. Therefore, the deployment of the GN Arms and by extension, the Assault Containers, can also be viewed as the weaponization of the unarmed Ptolemaios.
History
To neutralize the threat of Celestial Being, the three major powers of the world, the Union, HRL, and AEU established an alliance under the United Nations' control, creating the UN Forces. In respond to this, Sumeragi Lee Noriega recalled the Gundam Meisters and their Gundams to the CBS-70 Ptolemaios and asked Ian Vashti to bring Lasse Aeon along to retrieve the GN Arms.
As the Ptolemaios and the four Gundams battled the UN Forces' GNX-603T GN-Xs for the first time, Lasse returned in time with the GN Arms Type-E. Beam fire from the GN Arms Type-E rescued the GN-005 Gundam Virtue from the attack of Patrick Colasour’s GN-X. The GN Arms Type-E then fired its GN Beam Guns and Large-Size GN Cannons at the other GN-Xs, destroying one unit. The UN Forces then retreated. After the battle, the GN Arms Type-E docked with its Assault Container while rendezvousing with the Ptolemaios.
When Setsuna F. Seiei, the pilot of GN-001 Gundam Exia, wanted to go down to Earth to stop UN Forces' attack on Team Trinity and to figure out the purpose for the Gundams' existence, Lasse volunteered to go along, noting the Assault Container's ability to exit the atmosphere. He also wanted to use the opportunity to conduct further performance test of the GN Arms Type-E. On Earth, Lasse in the Assault Container and Setsuna in the Exia battled Ali al-Saachez who had taken control of the GNW-002 Gundam Throne Zwei, saving Nena Trinity. Meanwhile, the Ptolemaios traveled to a dock hidden in an asteroid in Lagrange 1 for repairs and resupplies, and was attached with the Assault Container loaded with the GN Arms Type-D.
As Lasse and Setsuna made their way back to the Ptolemaios in the Assault Container, the UN Forces discovered the mothership and launched another attack. During the battle, Lockon Stratos sortied in the GN Armor Type-D and attacked the ships of the enemy fleet, destroying two of three ships. However, the GN Arms Type-D component of the GN Armor Type-D was then severely damaged by attacks from Ali's Throne Zwei and the last ship, forcing Lockon to eject the Dynames and continue the fight. The Dynames was later incapacitated, and Lockon left the Gundam with the rifle-shaped controller in hand. He then found one of the wrecked GN Arms Type-D's Large-Size GN Cannons, connected the rifle-shaped controller to it, and shot down the Throne Zwei with the cannon. As the Throne Zwei exploded, it fired a beam shot in retaliation, destroying the Large-Size GN Cannon and killing Lockon.
In the final battle with the UN Forces, the Assault Container loaded with Exia and GN Arms Type-E was launched from the Ptolemaios to take down the huge enemy mobile armor, the GNMA-XCVII Alvatore, while the GN-003 Gundam Kyrios and the GN-004 Gundam Nadleeh defended the mothership from the GN-Xs. When the Assault Container's GN Missiles and beam shots proved useless against the Alvatore's GN Field, Lasse rammed the container at the mobile armor and fired an almost point-blank beam shot, but this was also futile. The GN Arms Type-E and Exia then ejected from the Assault Container as it was ripped apart by the Alvatore.
The GN Arms Type-E and Exia shot repeatedly at the Alvatore, but failed to even scratch its armor. They eventually docked to form the powerful GN Armor Type-E and severely disabled the Alvatore. However, the GN Armor Type-E also suffered heavy damage in the process, and after piercing the Alvatore's GN Field with the right Large-Size GN Sword and lodging the weapon in the mobile armor, the GN Arms Type-E component exploded from the accumulated damages. The Exia ejected in time and destroyed the Alvatore with its GN Sword. Despite being seriously injured, Lasse survived the explosion and was rescued after the battle.