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ZAFT
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ZAFT
ZAFT, Zodiac Alliance of Freedom TreatyZAFT (Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty)
is a political, economic, and military alliance of PLANT colonies. Specifically,
ZAFT usually refers to the military side of organization. It was originally
formed as a political organisation known as the Zodiac Alliance by Siegel Clyne
and Patrick Zala in C.E. 50, to peacefully fight for the rights and independence
of Coordinators. This follows in the rather curious Gundam tradition of naming
the space-colony military with a 'Z' (Zeon, from early Universal Century, and
the Zanscare Empire of Victory Gundam) or 'Zodiac' within its acronym (such as
Gundam Wing's OZ/Order of Zodiac). The Zodiac Alliance was renamed "ZAFT" in C.E.
65, but became a military organisation only three years later.
ZAFT is well-equipped with Nazca-class and Laurasia-class warships in space,
Lesseps-class and Petrie-class vessels on land, and Vosgulov-class submarines at
sea.
ZAFT fights the Earth Alliance to a standstill in the Bloody Valentine War of
Cosmic Era 70-71. During mid CE 71 Patrick Zala, who blames all Naturals for the
death of his wife in the Bloody Valentine incident, becomes leader of not only
ZAFT but also of PLANT and effectively removes the moderate faction of the PLANT
Supreme Council. Zala plans to wipe out all human life on Earth, eliminating, he
believes, Naturals who are the cause of all warfare and establish Coordinators
as the master race, a "new humanity".
Following the Junius Seven colony drop disaster, the Earth Alliance demands that
ZAFT demilitarize and its government disperse; the obvious refusal results in
the second war between ZAFT and Earth in four years. Earth support for ZAFT
greatly increased after PLANT Chairman Gilbert Durandal's famous anti-Logos/Blue
Cosmos speech that was broadcast throughout the PLANTS and Earth. Even though
ZAFT and the Three Ships Alliance joined forces and fought together against
Earth Alliance forces, they remain enemies until the end of the war.
ZAFT has consistently proven itself to be on the cutting edge of nuclear
technology, producing the Neutron Jammer, the Neutron Jammer Canceller, the
Neutron Stampeder, and the GENESIS cannon. In addition, they developed the
Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System, which allows a battleship to recharge its
mobile suits' batteries without them having to return to the ship.
Ranks
ZAFT's military is organized as a militia rather than the Earth Alliance's OMNI
Enforcer military force, using positional titles as ranks rather than more
traditional ones. In addition, command is assigned based on personal connections
as skill - it is made clear at several points that a large part of why Athrun
Zala is given field command of the four elite pilots of Le Creuset team on Earth
is because of his father's position. Some of the common descriptive terms and/or
titles used are:
Kanchō: Captain, the officer in charge of a particular military vessel, such as
a battleship, a land carrier, or a submarine.
Taichō: Commander, given charge of one of ZAFT's teams, which are frequently
formed, dissolved, and rearranged. The team is identified by the name of its
leader, hence "Le Creuset-team", "Zala-team", and "Joule-team". A commander will
usually be given control of one or more vessels, whether space, land, or
sea-based, and/or a number of mobile suits. He or she will be responsible for
developing the appropriate strategies to use those resources to carry out the
tasks assigned to him or her by the Gichō, or chairperson.
Uniforms/Coats
Uniforms are also color coded, based on an individual's military achievement,
position, and/or responsibility to date. (It should be noted that most pilots
and commanding officers have longer coats than regular soldiers, regardless of
coat color.)
Green: Worn by common soldiers, technicians, or mobilesuit pilots. They
designate that the personnel has completed standard training up to their
expectations. These troops usually receive only about half a year worth of
training.
Olive: Worn by soldiers in ground combat situations.
Bright Green: Worn by mechanics only.
Red: Worn by elite mobile suit pilots, typically the top graduates from ZAFT's
academy. Although they are respected, soldiers who wear red do not necessarily
have higher positions than their green-clad comrades.
Black: Worn by the ship captains and executive officers or officers with high
level of responsibility. This is also the color worn by ZAFT officers attached
to or assisting ranking government officials.
White: Worn by senior or ranking ZAFT commanders or high-ranking ZAFT officials.
Standard white uniforms are worn by senior ship captains who are in command of
larger and more powerful capital ships, although they are still considered
equivalent in rank to other ship captains. Added devices or denotations on the
uniform increases the bearer's level of seniority, importance, and/or
responsibility, similar to how general and flag officers have different grades
of Generals and Admirals. These officers are essentially equivalent to Generals
and Admirals in other militaries.
Purple: Worn by members of the PLANT Defense Council and bureaucrats associated
with ZAFT. Once again added devices or denotations on the uniform represent the
bearer's level of seniority, importance, and/or responisbility.
Custom Color Mobile Suit Pilot Uniforms: Anyone in the ZAFT army that proves him
or herself in combat are allowed to have a custom color mobile suit pilot
uniform. These pilots have no distinct rank but are usually better than their
counter-parts. For example, Rey wore a white pilot suit, however he was not
above the command of Talia and still had to follow commands like regular green
uniform soldiers. Another example is Andrew "Andy" Waltfeld. He was known as the
Desert Tiger, and wore a special tiger-stripped Orange pilot suit. While fellow
submarine commander Marco wore the regular green uniform. Andy was above the
command of most other commanders and generals at the time. Usually, the custom
uniforms also came with a custom mobile suit. Heine had an orange coloured ZAKU
Phantom and GOUF Ignited to match his pilot suit, Lunamaria remained with her
Red uniform and had her ZAKU repainted in the same color and hue. Miguel Aiman
wore a standard green suit, but had a custom painted and custom modified GINN of
his own. Andy had a special BuCUE armed with fangs and claws made to match his
"Tiger" outfit and an orange colored LaGOWE, complete with Beam "Fangs" and
claws. Nearly all FAITH members have their own custom colored suits (both Pilot
and Mobile Suit).
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