ZAFT

Biodata

History

Formation and militarization

ZAFT was established in C.E. 68 after the Mandelbrot incident, with Patrick Zala forming it in the name of self-defense. By C.E. 70, its adoption of Mobile Suits had transformed it into a force capable of confronting the Earth Alliance on equal terms in military operations 3.

Although it serves as PLANT's defense force, ZAFT formally lacks a rank system and is not considered a regular army. It is instead legally treated as a militia and, in practice, as the private army of National Defense Committee Chairman Patrick Zala 3.

Early war

ZAFT's strategic staff pursued Operation Ouroboros, also called the Equatorial Blockade Operation. Its objectives were to secure Earth-based strongholds, suppress spaceports and mass drivers, and deploy Neutron Jammers to disable nuclear weapons and nuclear-fission energy supplies, establishing a basis for space superiority 4.

In January C.E. 71, Rau Le Creuset's elite team investigated intelligence that Orb was developing Mobile Suits for the Earth Alliance at Heliopolis. The operation led to ZAFT's seizure and deployment of Earth Alliance GAT-X mobile suits 23 33.

Earth campaigns

ZAFT later captured Victoria Spaceport in a rapid assault. Ino Kamal's actions inside Victoria Air Force Base helped secure air superiority and delay enemy reinforcements; PLANT forces took the spaceport and mass driver within half a day 104.

During Operation Spit Break, ZAFT used Panama as a feint while launching its main attack on Alaska. Ino's warning about the Cyclops System enabled frontline units to begin withdrawing before its detonation, though the blast still devastated the battlefield 169 175 176. ZAFT then attacked Panama Spaceport, destroyed its mass driver, and withdrew to Carpentaria after securing both Alaska and Panama 176.

Final defensive battles

Following the fall of Boaz to an Earth Forces nuclear attack, ZAFT prepared PLANT's defenses as its soldiers reacted with rage and fear 221. Its Mobile Suit forces later formed the defensive line before Jachin Due against the approaching Earth Forces fleet 224.

Organization and Personnel

• Supreme Council — PLANT's political leadership debated the war, Earth Alliance Mobile Suit development, and the direction of the conflict. Patrick Zala used the council to consolidate authority, while the Clyne and Zala factions came into open conflict 70 176.
• National Defense Committee — Chaired by Patrick Zala; ZAFT was established under his authority and is effectively tied to his political leadership 3.
• Military Staff — Directed strategic planning. Chief of Staff Natarle Badgiruel was a principal staff leader, directly reporting to Patrick Zala and having led the First Victoria Battle's planning 4.
• Military Academy — ZAFT's elite academy stands beside headquarters in December City, December colony. Its large MS-training base operated hundreds of training machines during wartime 3 8.
• Le Creuset Team — Rau Le Creuset's elite unit conducted the Heliopolis operation and later included Ino Kamal 23 15.
• Carpentaria Base — A major Earth-based staging point for Operation Spit Break, where Mobile Suits and warships were assembled from across Earth and space 168.
• Gibraltar Base — A strategically important ZAFT ground base commanded during its final defense by Natarle Badgiruel; it withstood simultaneous Atlantic and Eurasian Federation attacks for seven days before falling 185.
• Boaz and Jachin Due — Major space fortresses used in PLANT's final defensive posture against the Earth Forces 220 224.

Recruitment and service

ZAFT does not impose compulsory military service; its soldiers volunteer to join. Personnel who withdraw before being entrusted with secret-related missions are generally allowed to return to civilian life, making genuine desertion highly unusual within the organization 120.

Military Assets

Mobile Suits

• ZGMF-1017 Ginn — ZAFT's first-generation mass-produced general-purpose Mobile Suit, derived from the YMF-01B Prototype Ginn 8.
• ZGMT-01 Ginn Trainer — Training model used extensively at ZAFT's military academy 8.
• ZGMF-600 GuAIZ — Next-generation mass-production successor to the Ginn, developed after the seized GAT-X data demonstrated the superiority of compact high-output beam weapons and Phase Shift Armor 100.
  • Equipped with an MA-M21G beam rifle, integrated shield-mounted twin beam claw, wired Extensional Arrestors, close-range beam cannons, and head Vulcans 100.
  • Only ten prototype units existed at the time of Ino Kamal's deployment 100.
• YFX-600R Weapons Application Test Type GuAIZ — An upgraded GuAIZ developed to test weapon systems intended for the Freedom and Justice Gundams. It mounted a large six-thruster sub-flight system, high-energy beam cannons, machine cannons, beam rifle, electromagnetic cannons, beam sabers, and became the first ZAFT-line Mobile Suit to use Phase Shift Armor 177.
• Nuclear-powered Gundams — ZAFT's Mobile Suit Integrated Development Department designed five nuclear-powered Gundams: Providence, Testament, Justice, Freedom, and Regenerate 174.

Warships

• Nazca-class high-speed space warship — A special-operations Mobile Suit carrier whose cruising speed slightly exceeds that of the Archangel. It carries up to six Mobile Suits and uses linear catapults for electromagnetic launches 46.
• Laurasia-class space frigate — A ZAFT space-warship class deployed alongside Nazca-class vessels 46.
• Dosel-class deployment ship — Used to transport pilots and Mobile Suits for operations such as the assault on Victoria 100.

Major Operations

Trivia

• ZAFT's elite military academy is located in December City on the December colony, beside its headquarters 3.
• The organization possessed no formal rank system despite operating as PLANT's military force 3.
• The white-painted GuAIZ piloted by Ino Kamal became sufficiently feared among Eurasian Federation forces that its appearance triggered mass missile fire and panic 102.