Dogosse Giar-class – MechaBay | Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

The Dogosse Giar-class was a massive battleship class developed by the Earth Federation Forces and later operated by the Titans. Based on the earlier Birmingham-class but heavily redesigned with mobile suit operations in mind, it was one of the largest warships ever fielded by any faction within the Universal Century.

Originally planned as a four-ship class, only two vessels were ultimately completed: the lead ship Dogosse Giar and the General Revil. The class represented the pinnacle of Federation battleship design, combining massive firepower with unprecedented mobile suit carrying capacity.

History

Development

The Dogosse Giar-class was developed by the Earth Federation Forces following the destruction of the Birmingham-class battleship Birmingham during Operation Stardust in UC 0083. The new design incorporated lessons learned from the Birmingham’s loss, particularly the need for mobile suit support in modern naval warfare.

Unlike its predecessor, which relied solely on its own firepower for defence, the Dogosse Giar-class was designed from the outset as a mobile suit carrier. The ships featured extensive hangar facilities and multiple launch catapults, allowing them to operate as both heavy battleships and mobile suit motherships.

The Federation originally planned to construct four ships of the class to serve as flagships for major fleet formations. However, political upheaval and the collapse of the Titans during the Gryps Conflict resulted in only the lead ship being completed by UC 0088.

Service History

The lead ship Dogosse Giar entered service in UC 0087 as the flagship of the Titans. The massive vessel served as the mobile headquarters for Titans operations throughout the Gryps Conflict, demonstrating the effectiveness of the class design in coordinating large-scale military operations.

Following the Gryps Conflict and the reconstruction of the Earth Federation Forces, construction resumed on the second ship of the class. The General Revil was completed in UC 0095 and became the flagship of the Earth Federation’s orbital fleet, serving during the Laplace Incident and subsequent conflicts.

Design

The Dogosse Giar-class represented a revolutionary approach to battleship design, prioritising mobile suit operations while maintaining devastating firepower. The ships featured a distinctive elongated hull with multiple hangar sections and an extensive array of weapon systems.

Mobile Suit Operations

The defining characteristic of the Dogosse Giar-class was its unprecedented mobile suit capacity. The ships could accommodate up to 48 mobile suits across multiple hangar bays, equivalent to four full battalions. This massive complement was supported by 14 launch catapults strategically positioned throughout the hull.

The class featured dedicated mobile suit maintenance facilities, ammunition storage, and pilot quarters. The ships could support sustained mobile suit operations far from friendly bases, making them ideal for independent fleet operations or extended campaigns.

Hull Configuration

The Dogosse Giar-class featured a unique multi-section hull design optimised for both combat effectiveness and mobile suit operations. The forward sections housed the primary command facilities and main armament, while the central and aft sections contained the extensive hangar bays and launch systems.

The ships’ considerable length—630 metres for the General Revil—made them among the largest vessels in the Federation fleet. This size was necessary to accommodate the extensive internal systems required for mobile suit operations while maintaining the structural integrity needed for a frontline combat vessel.

Armament

The Dogosse Giar-class was among the most heavily armed vessels ever constructed by the Earth Federation. The ships carried a comprehensive array of weapons designed to engage targets at all ranges, from long-range bombardment to close-in defence.

Primary Weapons

The main armament consisted of three long-range mega particle guns mounted on the ventral hull. These massive weapons provided the ships with firepower equivalent to dedicated battleships, capable of engaging enemy vessels at extreme range with devastating effect.

Two 2-barrel mega particle guns were mounted on the port and starboard sides of the middle section, providing broadside firepower for fleet engagements. These weapons could engage multiple targets simultaneously or concentrate fire on particularly resilient opponents.

Secondary Armament

The secondary battery included four single-barrel mega particle guns mounted on the top section and rear hangars, supplemented by four 2-barrel secondary guns positioned above and below the main hangars. Two 3-barrel secondary guns in the middle section provided additional firepower.

This extensive secondary armament allowed the ships to engage multiple targets simultaneously while maintaining defensive capability around their vulnerable hangar sections.

Defensive Systems

For close-range defence, the ships mounted 32 anti-air guns of various designs throughout the hull. These weapons could fire both beam and physical projectiles, providing comprehensive protection against mobile suits, missiles, and small craft.

The tertiary armament included 20 2-barrel and 10 3-barrel gun turrets distributed across the hull, ensuring complete defensive coverage. Six rail missile launchers provided additional firepower and could deploy various munition types depending on the tactical situation.

Notable Ships

Dogosse Giar

The lead ship of the class served as the flagship of the Titans during the Gryps Conflict. Initially commanded by Paptimus Scirocco, control later transferred to Bask Om due to political tensions within the Titans leadership. The ship was ultimately destroyed in early UC 0088 when Scirocco’s forces attacked it during his successful coup to seize control of the Titans.

General Revil

The second ship was completed in UC 0095 and named in honour of Johann Ibrahim Revil, the famous Federation commander during the One Year War. The General Revil served as the flagship of the Earth Federation’s orbital fleet and participated in several major engagements, including the Laplace Incident in UC 0096 and subsequent conflicts.

Legacy

The Dogosse Giar-class established the template for large-scale mobile suit carriers that would influence Federation ship design for decades. The class demonstrated that massive vessels could effectively combine traditional battleship firepower with modern mobile suit operations, creating a new category of warship.

Despite only two ships being completed, the class proved highly influential in Federation naval doctrine. The success of the design led to continued development of large carrier-battleships, establishing the Federation’s dominance in space naval warfare throughout the late Universal Century period.

Behind the Scenes

The Dogosse Giar-class was designed for Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam as the ultimate expression of Federation naval power. The massive size and extensive armament of the ships was intended to demonstrate the overwhelming resources available to the Titans and later the reformed Federation forces.

The class name has been rendered differently in various English translations, appearing as both “Dogosse Gier” and “Dogosse Giar” in official materials. The current standard romanisation is “Dogosse Giar” as established in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.

Appearances

External links

Dogosse Giar-class on the Gundam Wiki
Dogosse Giar class on MAHQ