Why would I join the army if I can’t drive a Gundam!

Chapter 292 Acceptance of the GP Project

"Just as expected!"

"Captain Cuvatoro is quite capable!"

"Yes, to be able to bring out the full potential of NT1 at this level, this is no ordinary pilot, right?"

"Could it be that?"

Looking at the NT1 Gundam standing tall on the ground on the big screen, Jung and the people around him exchanged glances and then gave a wry smile.

"I knew it! I had no recollection of this guy before, and he just suddenly appeared. He really is a Neo-human pilot!"

"Are Neohuman pilots like cabbages? How come they keep popping up all the time?!"

The reason why the aces were discussing this was naturally the result of the second combat exercise. Although no one thought the trainees could win, the process of the competition still exceeded their expectations, especially since the trainees changed their tactical configuration and cooperated with multiple aircraft and close coordination between the squads.

Captain Kuvatolo decisively chose to engage in direct combat. After scattering rice grains to disrupt communication between the trainees, he piloted the NT1 Gundam of Macarius, supported by two Gilai, two Special GMs, and one Zamel, and swiftly overwhelmed the trainees' frontal defenses.

After mercilessly crushing those unfortunate students with his beam rifle, Char finally vented his anger, proving himself invincible above the Red and White!

Of course, the trainees were also equipped with beam rifles, and even a few sniper GMs, but they still struggled against Char. After all, while the trainees were learning and improving, Char was also undergoing intense rehabilitation and being repeatedly trained by Macarius and Amuro. Naturally, his skills were also improving.

These two combat exercises completely shattered the trainee pilots' lazy and leisurely attitude.

After all, when these guys were at the base, they would train during the day and then go to the base's club at night to drink and pick up girls. Even now, after coming to the combat skills center, some of them still have the same expectations. But after being repeatedly beaten, even though they have two hours of free rest time from 7 pm to 9 pm, the trainees no longer dare to shamelessly go to the club.

After all, once they go in, the other federal soldiers from other departments will ask, "Did you win the battle today?"
After that, these two hours became the students' self-study period. After the theoretical classes during the day, they would gather in the hangar or somewhere else in the evening and review the theoretical knowledge they had learned during the day with their mobile suit models.

Upon learning this, Markarius extended the simulator's opening hours so that they could practice more in the evenings.

Training equipment is for training, after all. As for what to do if it gets damaged during high-intensity training, we'll just report it to Gabro. The Federation military is a large and wealthy organization; they can't be short of money.
As a result, the trainees' combat skills improved continuously. With the instructors' generous sharing of their knowledge, they were able to overcome the odds in later combat against veteran pilots like Baninger, even after suffering a 1:1 ratio of casualties. After all, the veterans had more combat experience and could react faster than the trainees in critical moments.

It's worth mentioning that the students' favorite course wasn't Makarius's class, because he himself had many extreme maneuvers in combat. Those combat techniques even required pilots to react in milliseconds, which was a bit too advanced for ordinary pilots.

Their favorite class was Norris's mobile suit melee combat. Compared to shooting skills, which require a lot of talent, melee combat was more comfortable because it only required hard work and practice. After all, even with the assistance of fire control, the former still required the pilot to make fine adjustments at any time. Otherwise, a few tenths of a centimeter error when firing would become several meters or even more than ten meters at a distance.

But hand-to-hand combat is different. How to draw the beam saber more skillfully at a shorter distance, how to parry, how to fight—these are things they can master after being stabbed through the cockpit hundreds or thousands of times. Not to mention, after communicating with Norris, they also learned about the true nature of this Zeon soldier. Soldiers are very pure; once they open their hearts to each other, they can immediately become old comrades and old partners. Moreover, Norris didn't hold back at all, pulling Shirou Amada in as his assistant instructor and using him as a target for various demonstrations.

Among the trainees, the one who improved the fastest was naturally Hiroshi Uraki. In fact, his piloting skills were quite good. Markarius looked at his military academy grades and found that he received the highest grade A in the mobile suit piloting subject. What he lacked to become an ace pilot was only a good mindset and experience.

Under Makarius's deliberate care, the former had been trained to be incredibly strong through the instructors' brutal beatings. The high-intensity training even helped him overcome his picky eating habits. After all, when you're starving, you can swallow a handful of raw rice, let alone carrots.

而在战技中心的培训进度过半的时候，阿纳海姆的gp计划，也就是RX-78GP01高达试作1号机（玉帘）以及RX-78GP02A高达试作2号机（酸浆果）终于完成了全部的开发和测试，走下了生产线。

This progress is naturally slower than the Mk2 at the Naval Strategic Research Institute, but there's nothing that can be done about it. The remnants' attack bears the main responsibility for the delay in the plan's progress. And now, even though they know that GP01 may no longer be favored by the Federation Forces, Anaheim still sent the mobile suit and the Sour Plum to Earth. After all, the Federation has already paid for it, so one more Gundam won't make a difference.

Not to mention, in terms of performance, there is no significant generational difference between the Jade Curtain and the MK2.

So, it's fine to equip them to the troops, since the Jade Curtain is better than the Gundam modified after the One Year War.

The acceptance process for the new Gundam was expensive, so Gao Yun also delegated it to Macarius.

"Do you think Anaheim might give us a bribe?"

???

"Amuro, I have to criticize you. As a Federation Army officer, how could you become corrupt and degenerate so quickly?"

"So, will you let Anaheim pass the inspection?"

"That depends on the machine itself. Besides, I've always been a person who upholds the law impartially. Even if I were to take it, I wouldn't let you see it!"

"But seriously, are we really not going to hold them back?"

Amro said this entirely out of personal motives, not out of his own stance, given the nature of his father's relationship with Anaheim.

"How about you drive your Zaku over tonight, pretend it's a remnant attack, and blow up the Gundam in Anaheim?"

"I think it's fine, and then we'll tell everyone it was Char who did it!"

Amuro nodded solemnly, which made Kuvatolo, who was standing to the side, feel a toothache.

"No, you guys didn't actually do that, did you?"

"If you had stayed in Axis, we might have done just that!"

At this moment, the three of them stood at the top of the observation tower of the Torrington base. Below them, an entire observation team was guiding the Anaheim handover team entering the Earth Sphere. The latter brought not only two Gundams, but also the brand-new Pegasus-class amphibious assault ship Albion, codenamed LMSD-78 (Federal Army designation MSC-07).

"Two more new Gundams! I don't even know how we're going to fight Axis when it comes!"

"Then you can make them put down their weapons, and I can guarantee I won't use Gundams on them!"

"How is that possible? The entire Axis has now turned into paranoid lunatics!"

Char sighed.

"Well, I can't help it. I can't understand human language, so I'll have to speak in Gundam. Oh, right, I'll take you to see something good later!"

Seeing Makarius's mysterious demeanor, Xia couldn't help but feel a pang of anxiety.

While everyone was chatting, the Albion had already entered the atmosphere and come into the telescope's field of view.

"Wow, it's huge! Much bigger than the White Base!"

Amro was the first to offer his assessment of the landing ship.

"After all, it's meant to surpass the White Base. If it's not as big as the White Base, then I'll have to give Anaheim Electronics a good beating!"

Markarius looked at the massive warship that had deployed two pairs of four large variable stabilizers and couldn't help but nod. After all, performance aside, the Albion-class was much more aesthetically pleasing than the white base.

"How many of these warships does the Federation want to order in total?" "Five. If more are needed later, we'll place more orders, but I think that's enough for now. Instead of building these things, we should build more Birminghams!"

"I didn't realize, boss, that you were from the warship faction!"

"Bullshit! I'm a carrier supporter. I chose the Birmingham-class only because that thing can carry thirty mobile suits!"

"Thirty units, Char? Does Axis have any plans for such large warships?"

"I don't know, but when I left, they had developed a completely new Chibe-class!"

Xia shook his head.

Makarius, without even putting down his binoculars, opened his mouth and spoke.

"In my judgment, Axis will develop several types, including the Gwaban-class and the Gwadan-class, with a capacity ranging from twenty to one hundred aircraft! However, the number is not large, so there is no need to worry too much!"

Char glanced at Macarius, then exchanged a look with Amuro.

“I’m not worried about that. I’m worried about Axis. Can you even guess what color underwear Harman is wearing?”

"I really can't guess that, but I reckon Mark Bay is still clinging to his Northern Song Dynasty pot!"

"I can guess that too!"

"Then do you know that the teapot is fake?"

"Ah? Really fake?"

Char suddenly felt a surge of laughter well up inside him. If he had a phone that connected directly to Axis, he would definitely call and give them a good laugh!

"of course it's true!"

Makarius put down his telescope and then walked to the ladder beside him.

When have I ever lied to you?

At this moment, Albion was already at a distance where it could be spotted without binoculars. The huge warship glided down from the sky like a bird, and finally hovered lightly at the harbor corner of the Torrington base.

"White Base, Spartan!"

Outside the Albion, two smaller warships were quietly moored in their berths, as if two older brothers were welcoming their new younger brothers. When the Albion landed in the harbor, the other two ships launched a volley of beautiful fireworks to welcome it.

"finally reached!"

Looking at the base outside, Nina, a member of the Anaheim technical team, immediately wanted to go to the porthole next to her to take a closer look at the scenery outside, but then she heard hurried footsteps coming from the surrounding corridors.

Then she saw the Federation soldiers who had received the warship on the moon running at breakneck speed, some of them not even having time to zip up their jackets.

"How is this going?"

Nina looked at her best friend, puzzled.

The burly Mora looked around for a long time before speaking.

"I don't know, but these guys seem really nervous. Has something happened?"

Soon, they learned what had happened, as the voice of Captain Apashinapus, the captain of the Albion-class destroyer, rang out over the ship's intercom.

"Hurry up, Brigadier General, you're about to board the ship!"

"brigadier?"

"Boarding the ship?"

Before the two could react, a federal sergeant appeared in front of them.

"Excuse me, gentlemen, please wait in the hangar with the Anaheim technicians. Brigadier General Makarius is coming to inspect the ship!"

"Marcarius, that name sounds familiar!"

"Let's go take a look!"

When the two met up with their companions, two rows of Federation officers and soldiers were already standing neatly along the passageway on one side of the hangar. Everyone had changed into their formal attire, and their hats were neatly arranged. Captain Epsteinapus was conducting a final inspection in the crowd.

The colonel breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that nothing had gone wrong with his men.

Then, accompanied by a naval whistle, the previously buzzing hangar immediately fell silent, leaving only the sound of the hatch opening.

Immediately afterwards, a cacophony of footsteps sounded. Nina cautiously glanced towards the end of the passage and then saw a very young Federal Army officer leading the way into the hangar.

"stand at attention!"

"salute!"

Upon seeing the other party enter, Colonel Apashinapus let out a loud shout.

The next second, the crew of the Albion raised their right arms in unison.

The employees in Anaheim were also seeing this scene for the first time. They couldn't even see any impatience or disgust on the faces of the federal soldiers. All they saw was excitement and reverence, as if their eyes were shining.

The young officer stood still and returned a military salute to all the officers and men on the ship.

Only after he raised his arm did Nina realize that he was wearing the rank of brigadier general on his shoulder!

"I remember now, that's the Federation Army's top ace!"

Nina's friend only remembered Macarius's identity after seeing the Mobile Suit emblem on his chest.

(End of this chapter)