Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)

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This article is about the Armada-series jet Mini-Con trio who become the Star Saber. For the Cybertron-series military vehicle Mini-Con trio, see Air Defense Team (Cybertron).

This article is about the corrupted-by-evil version of the Air Defense Team characters. For the new-character Unicron minions Air Assault Team, see Aerial Extermination Mini-Con Team.

You BET we are. Affirmative. Oh yeah.

The Air Defense Mini-Con Team is easily one of the most important Mini-Con Teams, as together they form the Star Saber, quite possibly the mightiest weapon known to all Transformer-kind. When held by Decepticons, they become the dark, twisted Air Assault Mini-Con Team, forming the Dark Saber.

Even without their sword-form, the trio are skilled and extremely valuable warriors, with a wealth of technical skill, military planning, and good old-fashioned luck.

The Air Defense/Air Assault Mini-Con Team is composed of

• Jetstorm the Concorde SST

• Runway the Boeing Sonic Cruiser

• Sonar the VentureStar shuttle

Toys

Armada

• Air Defense Team (Mini-Con Team, 2002/2003)
• Japanese ID number: MM-02

A trio of high-tech jets, Runway, Jetstorm and Sonar can combine to form the Star Saber sword, which can be held by any other Transformer that has 5mm fist-holes. The Team's main body is cast in transparent plastic in order to utilize the light-up-fist gimmicks in Super Mode Optimus Prime and the Takara releases of Hot Shot.

This mold-set was used the make the Takara Air Assault Mini-Con Team, and remolded to make the Energon Saber, Blizzard Saber, and the Sky Terror Mini-Con Team.

• Hot Rod w/ Jolt & Air Defense Micron
• Japanese ID number: MS-01

In Japan, the Air Defense Team were available both in an individual release and in a multi-pack with Hot Shot and Jolt. All of the toys were identical to their individual releases.

• Air Defense Micron X-Dimension (Mini-Con Team, 2003)
• Japanese ID number: MM-07

A redeco of the Air Defense Team was available in a shorter run in Japan. The X-Dimension Air Defense Team changed the opaque plastics to orange and red, and the paint trim to match. Though fans have dubbed the combined form the "Fire Saber", this name does not appear to be official.

• Air Defense Micron (Candy toy, 2003)

Available only in individual boxes each with a small bag of sugar-pellet candy, the Kabaya candy toy version of the Team replaced the clear plastics with opaque white. This version is actually a completely new mold-set, with various small differences from the Hasbro/Takara releases.

• Air Defense Micron (Micron Booster, 2003)

Part of the first Micron Booster set sold only in individual blind-packed boxes, this version of the Team is almost wholly identical to the normal retail release. The only difference is that this version is cast in slightly-sparkly plastic and uses slightly-sparkly paint. The difference is almost unnoticable unless you look at the two versions side-by-side.

• Air Assault Team (Mini-Con Team, 2003)

A "tainted by evil" redeco of the Team released by Hasbro, this version of the trio replaces the transparent plastic with opque off-white, the other colors turning predominantly black and purple.

This coloration was altered for the Takara Air Assault Mini-Con Team, who are separate characters from the Air Defense Team.

• Air Defense Micron Anime Color (Mini-Con Team, 2003)

Cast entirely in blue and clear-blue plastics, this incarnation of the Team is supposed to represent the Star Saber as it appears in the cartoon, with a glowing blue "energy blade". It was only available as a pack-in with the CD single of the Micron Legend cartoon ending theme, "Never Ending Road".

Trivia

• The Air Defense Team is the only one of the three Armada "legendary weapon" Mini-Con Teams to not see release in either of the Armada sequels.