the Air Assault Glider

The Air Assault glider is the single most advanced glider in the GI Joe arsenal. It is a lightweight flying wing that can be transformed between its standard 'gliding' mode and its advanced, Cobra-mimicking jet pack mode.

When in the latter, the Air Assault shows Cobra colors and appears to be a piece of that organization's hardware. The 'jet' aspect is fully functional, and the Air Assault lives up to its name with multiple weapon systems. It has an m.s. of 7, and these vehicular characteristics:

Air-to-Air Missiles (i): the Air Assault has two lightweight, air-to-air missiles attached, with which it can duel with Cobra gliders or other small aircraft. These missiles can inflict intensity 9 damage, +1 if both hit a single target at the same time.

Air-to-Ground Missiles (i): the Air Assault also has four much smaller air-to-ground missiles attached, mostly to attack enemy vehicles or even fortifications in a pinch. These missiles can inflict intensity 7 damage, +1 if both hit a single target at the same time.

Flight / Gliding (a): in its 'GI Joe' mode, the Air Assault can glide per a regular glider, maintaining altitude with average difficulty, gaining height with challenging difficulty. In its 'Cobra' mode the Air Assault can fly at intensity 4 thanks to its built in jet (120 MPH).

Gatling Cannon (a): either mode of the Air Assault has access to a top-mounted Gatling cannon. This rotary-barreled weapon can fire a short burst of lead to inflict the pilot's Agility +6 in damage, raised to the pilot's Agility +7 in damage when fired continuously.

2004 Variations

Cobra's Air Assault Glider

Since GI Joe fielded an imitation version of Cobra's prototype Air Assault before they could, they turned the tables on their freedom-loving foes by copying the Joes' Air Assault modifications in turn, incorporating them into their own vehicle, which is functionally identical.

GI Joe's Air Assault Glider

Having proven its effectiveness after over a year of use in the field, GI Joe gave their Air Assaults a new paint job. Featuring a desert camouflage theme, instead of the usual steel coloration, these vehicles can easily hide from aircraft above them during desert missions.

2005 Variations

Cobra's second iteration of the Air Assault leaves no doubt which organization it belongs to. Colored in an intense blue hue, and featuring red rockets to match its massive faction emblem, Cobra's Air Assault is otherwise the same as the original, 2003 model.

2016 Variations

Replacing their old Air Commandos Gliders, Cloudburst and Skymate adopted the Air Assault Gliders as their own. Still functionally the same, Cloudburst's can be identified by its inexplicable, blue and purple camouflage scheme, and Skymate's features green camouflage, instead.

Extra Goodies:

GI Joe directories featuring a version of the Air Assault Glider:

2003

2004

2016

Cobra directories featuring a version of the Air Assault Glider:

2004

2005

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