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Gunship Heli

Attack helicopter used by the Principality of Zeon during the One Year War.
Jenxi Seow Published 23 Jun 2025 Updated 23 Jun 2025
Gunship Heli

Gunship Heli was an attack helicopter used by the Principality of Zeon on Earth during the One Year War.

The Gunship Heli was one of many aircraft designed and deployed by the Principality of Zeon for ground support operations. It featured a distinctive design with contra-rotating rotors that provided exceptional manoeuvrability for an aircraft of its size, whilst also achieving an impressive top speed for aerial operations.

History

The Gunship Heli was developed by the Principality of Zeon as part of their comprehensive military expansion programme during the One Year War. The aircraft was designed to provide close air support for ground forces and proved effective in various combat theatres across Earth.

During UC 0079, Gunship Helis were deployed across multiple battlefronts, particularly in Southeast Asia where Zeon forces maintained significant ground operations. The helicopters achieved considerable success in ground attacks and close air support missions against Earth Federation forces and armored vehicles.

In UC 0079, a Gunship Heli operating out of Southeast Asia engaged the 08th M.S. Team of the Earth Federation Forces’ Kojima Battalion. Despite the helicopter’s formidable armament and the skill of its crew, the aircraft was ultimately destroyed in battle by the Federation mobile suit team. Notable pilots who operated the Gunship Heli included Norris Packard and Masado.

Design

The Gunship Heli utilised an advanced coaxial rotor system that eliminated the need for a traditional tail rotor. This design provided several tactical advantages, including improved manoeuvrability and reduced vulnerability to ground fire. The contra-rotating rotors allowed the aircraft to perform complex aerial manoeuvres whilst maintaining stable firing platforms for its weapon systems.

The helicopter featured a streamlined fuselage optimised for combat operations, with a standard canopy-style cockpit accommodating two pilots and a passenger. The aircraft’s design incorporated lessons learned from earlier helicopter development programmes, resulting in a robust platform capable of operating in diverse environmental conditions.

The Gunship Heli was equipped with a pair of large hover pads rather than traditional landing wheels or skids. This innovative landing system assisted in absorbing impact during potentially hard landings and provided greater stability when operating from unprepared landing zones commonly encountered in combat environments.

Armaments

The Gunship Heli’s armament was specifically configured for ground attack missions and close air support operations.

Vulcan gun

Mounted beneath the cockpit, the Gunship Heli carried a long-barrelled vulcan gun of light calibre. This rapid-fire weapon was designed primarily for engaging light armored vehicles and tanks, though its calibre was insufficient to be truly effective against heavier armored targets such as mobile suits or main battle tanks.

The vulcan gun’s position beneath the cockpit provided excellent fields of fire whilst allowing the pilots to maintain visual contact with targets during strafing runs. The weapon’s high rate of fire made it particularly effective against personnel and soft-skinned vehicles.

Wire-guided missile launchers

The Gunship Heli was equipped with two 4-tube missile launchers mounted on wing pylons, providing a total capacity of eight wire-guided missiles. These missiles were capable of engaging both ground and air targets with high-explosive warheads.

To overcome the interference caused by Minovsky particles in the Universal Century battlefield environment, the missiles employed wire guidance systems that allowed manual control by the helicopter’s gunner. This system ensured reliable target engagement even in environments with high concentrations of Minovsky particles that would normally disrupt electronic guidance systems.

The wire-guided system required considerable skill from the operator but provided excellent accuracy and the ability to engage targets beyond visual range whilst maintaining positive control throughout the missile’s flight.

Known pilots

Behind the scenes

Yamane Kimitoshi was the original mechanical designer for the Gunship Heli.

Appearances