Dish
Patrol aircraft produced by the Earth Federation.
The Dish was a patrol aircraft produced by the Earth Federation Forces for airborne early warning and control, electronic warfare, and transport missions.
History
The Earth Federation Forces operated various aircraft types for battlefield operations on Earth even before the One Year War. The Dish served multiple roles including airborne early warning and control, electronic warfare, and transport duties.
Following the success of Operation Odessa, General Revil travelled in a Dish to the Federation’s naval base in Belfast to inspect the Newtype crew of the Pegasus-class assault carrier White Base.
The aircraft remained in service well after the war, with modernised units transferred to postwar Federation forces. In UC 0096, a Dish was seen aboard the Ra Cailum, demonstrating its longevity in Federation service.
Design
The Dish featured a distinctive disk-shaped fuselage dominated by a large radome housing its powerful long-range radar system. This radar system was initially developed for airborne early warning and control missions, allowing the aircraft to conduct long-range target detection and identification.
However, the widespread use of Minovsky particle dispersion systems severely limited the radar’s effectiveness, as these particles disrupted electromagnetic radiation. This limitation led to the Dish being frequently repurposed as a high-speed transport aircraft for military officials, leveraging its long-range capabilities.
Armaments
The Dish was primarily designed for reconnaissance rather than combat. Its only armament was a defensive machine gun.
Behind the scenes
Okawara Kunio was the original mechanical designer.
Appearances
- Mobile Suit Gundam
- Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn