Technology & Combat Characteristics
A new GN Drive Tau-equipped machine introduced in AD 2312, the GNX-704T Ahead is one of two mainstay mobile suits operated by the Earth Sphere Federation's autonomous peacekeeping force, the A-Laws, the other being the GNX-609T GN-XIII. Unlike the GN-XIII, the Ahead is exclusive to the A-Laws, it is developed for and typically piloted by commanders or officers with at least a rank of First Lieutenant. The Ahead is a general-purpose unit created with the goal of setting a new standard for GN Drive Tau-equipped machine, and was designed to show high performance in all situations. Its performance is said to surpass that of the third generation Gundams used by the Celestial Being in AD 2307 to 2308. Depending on sources, this mobile suit is stated as being based on the GNX-603T GN-X or the GN-XIII, and also integrated data from the MSJ-06II-SP Tieren Taozi.
Development of the Ahead was assigned to a team comprised of former HRL engineers due to their experience in developing mobile suits capable of operating in space and on the ground without changing equipment such as the Tieren Taozi and the MSJ-06YIII-B Tieren Kyitwo, which could be easily applied to the development of a GN Drive Tau-type unit and allows the machine to fully utilize the GN Drive Tau's overwhelming output. It was also suggested that HRL engineers were selected due to HRL having an edge in mobile suit development through their studies of the remains of the GN-003 Gundam Kyrios, which they recovered after the defeat of Celestial Being in AD 2308. The head structure of the Ahead, such as its four camera eyes and two GN Vulcans, is also similar to the GN-X's, but the rest of its body structure is different. The Ahead can also mount an Automaton Container on the hardpoint on the back of its waist in place of the usual waist thruster unit. These custom machines also served to further evolve the Ahead, and their data were used in the development of a next generation Ahead. Other variants of the Ahead included the GNX-704T/FS Ahead Forcing Scout Type, which was developed for long distance, long duration solo operation. Following the revelation of the A-Laws' wrongdoings, the public image of the Ahead, which is exclusive to the organization, hit rock bottom and with its use becoming untenable, the Ahead series is ultimately discontinued by the new Earth Sphere Federation administration., and the Innovator-use mobile armor GNMA-Y0002V Gadelaza.
History
The GNX-704T Ahead was introduced in AD 2312 as a general-purpose mobile suit exclusive to the autonomous peacekeeping force, the A-Laws. Prior to the appearance of the reborn Celestial Being, the Ahead's missions mainly consisted of destroying anti-Earth Sphere Federation dissidents, such as Katharon and its older mobile suits. When the A-Laws fought with Katharon, and later the reborn Celestial Being, the Ahead was often seen leading the GNX-609T GN-XIIIs into battle. Though there were some teams that consisted entirely of Aheads. At its peak, the A-Laws had about 100 Aheads. The A-Laws was disbanded and the Ahead series discontinued by the new government administration when the autonomous peacekeeping force's wrongdoings were exposed to the world.