The IHE didn't start constructing mecha until well after the Pioneer mission left for Tirol. They simply didn't have any need. It was only after the Idea to populate the Andromeda Galaxy was formed and work had begun on Mordecai that Dr. Vaudell decided that mecha were needed. And, like the RRG(Robotech Research Group) before him, he started with a non transformable model. The Crash Hound was the result, and followed the mecha designs in vouge with the EDF(Earth Defence force, the short lived amalgamation of RDS and Armies of the Southern Cross) at the time, being lightly ared and armoured, but fast and manouvreable. the Crash hound had one big advantage over ASC(Armies of the Southern Cross) Battloids, however. It could also fly.

Research into Zentraedi powered armour technology also spawned the Shock Diver Power armour, and the heavy combat Punishment class armour. These suits, while they look similar to ASC armour suits, they resemble cyclones in use and destructive power.

Following the poor record of ASC non transformable mecha in the second robotech war, Dr. Vaudell decided to create new mecha, and decreed for two seperate designs to be constructed and the winner would become the IHE's newest mecha design. The designs were the Jackal Class Vautomer non transformable mecha and the SRF-71 Iconoclast Veritech. The Iconoclast won the contest and became the line mecha for the IHE. A few Jackals were constructed as test beds and possible use as a Crash Hound replacement in the future.

IHE mecha first saw real action ten years after the end of the Third Robotech War, when Demont Vaudell stole a Jackal and fought against a Spleen Clone of her in a Crash Hound. The Jackal was destroyed by Yellow Lancer using a cyclone powered by a fusion engine, but Demont destroyed the Crash Hound by shooting the cockpit of the mecha with her Shock Diver's particle accelerator. A small number of mecha battles took place during the next few days(See the 'Threadbare Heart' section of the comic guide for more information), but the IHE's baptism of fire would be months later and in the Andromeda.

Mordecai discovered an ailen group in the first system she entered in Andromeda, and a fierce battle, the first field operation of the Iconoclasts. The IHE won that day, thanks to one Iconoclast's fold system.

As the years progressed, Iconoclasts were endowed with Artificial Intelligence, and replaced all non transformable mecha.

Mecha: