Technology & Combat Characteristics
A force reconnaissance variant of the Ahead, the Ahead Forcing Scout Type was designed for conducting long-range, long duration reconnaissance operation independently, without any accompanying ship. This mobile suit is more commonly known as "Long Tail", and the add-on parts that differentiate it from the normal Ahead are located on its upper body and rear waist. To enhance the Long Tail's reconnaissance abilities, it is fitted with a new sensor unit on its head that covers the main cameras. Other measures to extend the Long Tail's operating time included the equipping of additional GN Condenser, and a large battery mounted in front of the chest that can be used for powering the GN Drive Tau. As a result, the mobile suit can operate independently for nearly a week without resupply. However, if the Long Tail uses large amount of GN Particles instantaneously, like the normal Ahead during combat, it is necessary to draw on the particles stored in the GN Condenser, and this would limit the mobile suit’s activities.
The cylinders mounted on the back of the Long Tail's waist are composite tanks. These tanks store GN Particles, as well as water that is used for attitude control and as a propellant. Both of these resources are indispensable for long-range travelling. The mobile suit is also additionally equipped with large GN Verniers on its back, and they are designed to generate maximum thrust using a small amount of GN Particles. The downward-pointing, wing-like part at the bottom of the GN Verniers is a microwave receiver antenna, enabling the mobile suit to receive electrical energy when within transmission range of a power generating satellite. Optional, long-range boosters units for the normal Ahead were later developed using data from the Long Tail.
Thanks to a widened cockpit, the Long Tail's pilot has more space for stretching their body, and furthermore, the pilot is administered with special nanomachines to maintain their physical conditions. In terms of armament, the Long Tail is equipped with the normal Ahead's standard weaponry consisting of a GN Beam Rifle that is convertible into a GN Submachine Gun, GN Beam Sabers, GN Vulcans and GN Shield. The mobile suit also has its own unique weaponry, the back-mounted GN Beam Cannons, which are ultra-large beam cannons with extremely high firepower. However, these beam cannons are only used at the right timing due to their intense GN Particle consumption, and because of the availability of the other weapons.
History
Following the destruction of the asteroid base he was assigned to by the GN-006/SA Cherudim Gundam SAGA, Amy Zimbalist was reassigned to an anti-Celestial Being reconnaissance team. He was then given a mission: to pilot the Ahead Forcing Scout Type and search for the enemy's secret base independently. After spending nearly a week in the mobile suit, Amy was reaching his mental limits. Alone in the cockpit, he lamented that the machine's developers had not considered the pilot's mental state, and wondered why they did not turn it into a twin seater when they widened the cockpit.
He fantasized that if the mobile suit is a twin seater, he would get a female co-pilot and then the cockpit's tight space might deepen their relationship, bringing about love. He had not considered that his co-pilot might not be a female. The Ahead Forcing Scout Type was reaching its limits too. Amy's commander had ordered him not to return until he found the enemy's base, however he did not think the commander would want him to deplete the mobile suit's energy and be left drifting in space. Finalizing his decision to give up, Amy vowed to get back at the Gundam, but the mobile suit's enhanced senor unit suddenly detected a weak heat source emanating from an asteroid in front.
Amy grumbled about lady luck's poor timing, but he still conducted his duties professionally. He sent out a warning and when there was no response, he hardened his resolve and diverted all of the mobile suit's remaining GN Particles to its GN Beam Cannons. The asteroid was easily shattered by the GN Beam Cannons' powerful beam, and at the same time, the Ahead Forcing Scout Type became immobile. Amy then prayed that his comrades would come and rescue him as soon as possible upon receiving his distress signal. He also hoped that the asteroid he destroyed contained an important facility and that this would lead to a promotion.