Technology & Combat Characteristics
Years after completing their purposes, the GNY-001 Gundam Astraea and the other 2nd generation Gundams were transferred to Fereshte, a shadow support team to the primary Ptolemaios team, and upgraded for their use with the exception of the GNY-004 Gundam Plutone. The Gundam Astraea Type F (the 'F' is a reference to Fereshte) is the upgraded form of Astraea and has a new paint scheme of red with maroon and brown highlights.
With the know-how from developing the 3rd generation Gundams being feedback into the upgrade process, the Gundam Astraea Type F's performance is comparable to the newer Gundams even though it is a 15-year-old machine as the original Astraea was built in AD 2292. The second role of the Sensor Mask is particularly important, as no one should know there are other Gundams beside the Ptolemaios team's. It is worth noting that the suit's three-thruster cover for its GN Drive also facilitates ease of changing the GN Drive within, which is helpful to the Fereshte who only has one GN Drive, courtesy of the GN-000 0 Gundam that was also transferred to the team. Since Fereshte must switch the GN Drive amongst its Gundams, it can only deploy one machine at a time.
As the Astraea Type F is powered by a GN Drive, it also has access to the Trans-Am System, revealed in AD 2308, that briefly boosts the machine's output by threefold. Weapon wise, it uses similar weapons as Astraea: GN Beam Rifle, two GN Beam Sabers, GN Shield, Proto GN Sword, and GN Launcher.
In AD 2311, a GN Drive Tau-powered replica known as the GNY-001FB Gundam Astraea Type F Black was created alongside other replicas of Fereshte's Gundams (except 0 Gundam and Astraea Type F2) by the Innovators for their own purposes. By AD 2312, these replicas were in the hands of ex-Fereshte members Fon Spaak and Hanayo, who repainted them in the Fereshte's colors and also gave them the same designations as Fereshte's machines, thereby creating a second Astraea Type F.
The second Astraea Type F has access to additional weaponry, including a NGN Bazooka, GN Beam Pistols, GN Hand Missile, and the new GN Hammer. When it carries all its original and added weaponry, it is known as "Gundam Astraea Type F Full Weapon" and can engage large enemy forces by itself. As the second Astraea Type F is powered by the GN Drive Tau, it has more operational restrictions, such as limited operating time, and no Trans-Am System.
History
Go to Fon Spaak's page for the full history of the Astraea Type F.