Metal Gear RAXA

Metal Gear RAXA (pronounced rah-sha) was a prototype of the Intercontinental Ballistic Metal Gear intended for performance evaluation. This model of Metal Gear was developed by Nikolai Stephanovich Sokolov, based on Aleksandr Leonovitch Granin's designs.

Description
RAXA was the first Metal Gear prototype ever built, having been developed by the U.S. Government in 1970. It was completed by Sokolov, who based it on the original blueprints created by Granin. Metal Gear RAXA has four legs, which was merely a step towards bipedalism. It acted as a test model for the ICBMG. Its nuclear function is to act as a mobile launching device for MIRVs. While therefore capable of making nuclear strikes against several targets at once, its range is limited, and unlike the Shagohod, is unable to compensate for it with speed. Thus, Metal Gear must be physically transported to a point within range of the target(s) first. This is accomplished by having the Metal Gear unit itself attached to the top of a rocket, launching it, detaching the unit at 3000 ft above the intended landing point, and having it parachute back down to the ground, launching its nuclear payload afterwards.

History
During the 1970 San Hieronymo Takeover, Gene anticipated that Naked Snake (Big Boss) would discover the existence of the ICBMG and attempt to destroy it before its launch. He therefore planned for the ICBMG to be relocated, before Snake and his resistance forces stormed the assembly plant in which it was housed, and replace it with the RAXA prototype. Gene also planned to have Ursula pilot RAXA against Snake in order to buy enough time for the ICBMG to be relocated.

Having been led to believe RAXA to be the complete (and only) model at the time, Snake intended to sabotage it before it could be activated and used to deploy nuclear strikes. Once he arrived however, it instantly became active, being piloted by exiled Colonel Skowronski, who had snuck himself in with the intention of using it against Gene. Very soon after its activation, its incompleteness became quite apparent, and it suddenly shut itself down while firing its machine gun.

Ursula (at Gene's command) awakened from Elisa's subconscious, and commandeered RAXA using her psychokinetic powers, not only to compensate for its malfunctions, but to enhance its performance beyond normal standards, causing it to move unlike a machine at all. Colonel Skowronski was thrown from the cockpit and fell to his death. Snake was then forced to fight RAXA. After disabling its four legs, Snake had to deal with a sophisticated hovering system, but still managed to destroy it by attacking its missile tubes when they opened up.

Afterwards, Ghost (revealing himself to be Sokolov) informed Snake that the Metal Gear that had been destroyed was actually the prototype. Snake, realizing he had fallen for Gene's duplicity, could only watch as the ICBMG itself was transported away from the facility.

Trivia

 * RAXA's head bears a strong resemblance to Dr. Granin's original Metal Gear design.
 * Although the ICBMG itself was capable of walking, the prototype RAXA did not do so while battling Snake, further exemplifying its incompleteness.