MS-09 Dom

The MS-09 Dom was a high performance ground combat mobile suit mass produced by the Principality of Zeon.

History

During the One Year War, Zeon produced the MS-07B Gouf to effectively combat Earth Federation forces on Earth. Although the Gouf performed better than its predecessor, the MS-06J Zaku II Ground Combat Type, its high production costs led to Zeon looking for an alternative design as the mainstay of its ground forces.

The Zimmad Company had designed the prototype MS-08TX Efreet for close combat. It also modified the MS-07B Gouf developed by the Zeonic Company to produce the MS-07C-5 Gouf Prototype, an experimental ground combat mobile suit.

MS-09 Dom from Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team

Drawing from its experience of developing these two suits, the Zimmad Company designed the revolutionary YMS-09 Prototype Dom. By coming up with the blueprints from scratch, the Zimmad Company was able to create a cheaper but better mobile suit. Two units were constructed at the Zimmad factory in Side 3 and these were dispatched to Zeon’s California Base on Earth for field testing.

The Prototype Dom was put through the paces and trial results proved that the design was a resounding success. The mobile suit was then modified into a mass production version, the MS-09 Dom. The Dom replaced the MS-07B Gouf as the mainstay of Zeon’s ground combat forces on Earth.

MS-09 Dom from MS IGLOO 2

The first three units of the Dom were given to the Zeon ace pilot team the Black Tri-Stars. These units were stationed at the Odessa mining base under the command of M’quve.

Due to the success of the Dom design, Zeon scientists used it as a design basis for units such as the space combat MS-09R Rick Dom, and the ground combat MS-09G Dwadge.

Design

The MS-09 Dom was the mass production version of the YMS-09 Prototype Dom. It similar to the Prototype Dom in terms of design. Like the prototype, the Dom had a series of high-powered thermonuclear jet engines were built into its legs and under the waist armour. This allowed the Prototype Dom to hover at speeds up to 240 kilometres per hour, a few times faster than the average running speed of a mobile suit. The maximum running speed of the MS-06J Zaku II Ground Combat Type was 80 kilometres per hour. This allowed the Dom to change directions quickly, making it highly manoeuvrable.

MS-09 Dom cockpit

Unlike the prototype, the Dom had a scattering beam gun mounted on its chest that was used to blind enemy pilots.

Armaments

The Dom was able to use many of the weapons designed for the Zaku II and Gouf lines. The standard weapons used by the Dom were a giant bazooka and a Heat Sabre for melee combat.

Scattering beam gun

The scatter beam gun was a beam weapon mounted on the left of the Dom’s chest. The gun had a cheap, small focusing coil that causes the beam particles to lose cohesion. Its lower power meant that it was incapable of damaging an enemy mobile weapon. The gun was often used to momentarily blind pilots or overload visual sensors.

Heat Sabre

The Heat Sabre Type 2 was a battery-powered melee weapon designed for the Dom. It was a refinement of the Heat Sabre used by the Prototype Dom. The blade of the Heat Sabre took the form of a simple rod, reminiscent of the beam sabre used by Earth Federation units. Instead of a beam, the Heat Sabre had a superheated blade to allow it to melt through the armour of an enemy machine.

Heat Sabre Type 2

It was stored in a recharging dock when not in use.

360 mm giant bazooka

The H&L-GB03K/360 mm giant bazooka was the main weapon of the Dom. It was magazine-fed from a ten-round clip. The heavy weapon allowed the Dom to make full use of its speed and deal maximum damage.

H&L-GB03K/360 mm giant bazooka

120 mm machine gun

The ZMP-50D/120 mm machine gun was developed specifically for the Zaku II line. It was drum-fed with 100 rounds per drum. It did not require power to be fired. However, that reduced its effectiveness against heavy armour.

ZMP-50D 120 mm machine gun (Mobile Suit Gundam version)

ZMP-50D 120 mm machine gun

Rocket bazooka

The VAL-RB-T27/880 mm Raketen bazooka was an artillery armament designed for rapid fire and heavy damage. It was clip-fed with five rounds per clip. Spare clips were stored in the waist armour of the mobile suit.

90 mm machine gun

The MMP-80/90 mm Ver.8 machine gun was developed for the Zaku II line. It was fed from a clip of 32 rounds and spare clips were stored in the mobile suit’s waist armour.

MMP-80 90 mm machine gun

Known pilots

Behind the scenes

Kunio Okawara was the original mechanical designer. Kimitoshi Yamane designed the version seen in Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team.