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>>23530729
>Aren't the Strike Daggers based off the Strike's data anyway?
Apart from the baseline GAT-X design, not really. Or, at least, nothing that would specifically require Kira's Strike or its data for its development.

>Also, I'm more or less sure that hardware and engineering-wise, the 5 Gundams were already more or less perfected. The EA has no trouble building out the better "105" Dagger and additional Strike Gundams later.
Incorrect on the basis that the EA didn't build more "baseline" Strikes apart from Kira's unit, since Mwu's and Cagalli's were Morgenröte's. Afterwards, they did iterate on the design with the E model, and what effectively was an MP variant with the Windam.

>Halberton thought the EA's leadership was shit but either didn't know just how much
Hence his obliviousness in hindsight. And even "hindsight" is being generous; the EA had already fired a nuke at a civilian habitat, so it's not a case of merely an outmoded high-command, but rather him fighting an entirely different war (defeat ZAFT) than the one his superiors were waging (exterminate Coordinators whatever the cost to their side).