[@Aristo] I am indeed a fan of the wildcard idea. However being too recently a new contender would give some pause- no one would allow her to fly with them on such sensitive missions- such as kidnapping a member of the Royal Family. 

Of course, she could be the one that presented them with the information a several weeks prior, and they begrudgingly allow her to go with them.

As far as obtaining a Gladiator... It could be a unit that the Coalition black ops captured- and finished analyzing, and therefore no longer need.