Juneau-class submarine – MechaBay

The Juneau-class was an attack submarine class developed by the Earth Federation Navy prior to the One Year War. Considered state-of-the-art during its era, the class served as the backbone of Federation underwater operations and was later captured and converted by Zeon forces into the Jukon-class submarine.

History

Pre-War Development

The Juneau-class entered service with the Earth Federation Forces prior to the start of the One Year War in UC 0079. These submarines represented the cutting edge of underwater military technology, incorporating advanced fusion propulsion systems and sophisticated monitoring capabilities.

The submarines were designed primarily for blue-water operations, serving as attack platforms capable of engaging both surface vessels and other submarines whilst maintaining extended patrol capabilities.

One Year War

When the Principality of Zeon launched their invasion of Earth, they quickly recognised the value of the Federation’s submarine fleet. During the early stages of the Earth invasion operations, Zeon forces captured many Federation naval assets, including numerous Juneau-class and Lockwood-class submarines.

The captured Juneau-class vessels were converted by Zeon into the Jukon-class submarines, whilst the Lockwood-class boats became the Mad Angler-class. These conversions primarily focused on adapting the submarines to carry and deploy Zeon’s amphibious mobile suits.

Post-War Service

Despite the heavy losses during the One Year War, the original Juneau-class design remained in Federation service. The surviving submarines continued to patrol Earth’s oceans, serving in various capacities including coastal defence, intelligence gathering, and anti-submarine warfare operations.

The class proved remarkably durable, with vessels remaining in active service as late as UC 0112, demonstrating the soundness of the original design and the Federation’s continuing need for underwater capabilities.

Modernisation Programme

By UC 0096, surviving Juneau-class submarines had undergone significant modernisation to adapt them for mobile suit operations. The vessels were refitted with three docks specifically designed for amphibious mobile suits: two positioned in the forward section and one in the rear.

This modification reflected the changing nature of naval warfare, where mobile suit support had become essential for effective underwater operations.

Design

The Juneau-class represented advanced submarine design for its era, incorporating several cutting-edge technologies that gave it significant advantages over conventional submarines.

Propulsion system

The submarines were driven by fusion water-jet engines, providing both high underwater speed and extended operational range. This propulsion system offered several advantages over conventional nuclear or diesel-electric systems, including reduced acoustic signature and improved manoeuvrability.

The fusion power plant also provided abundant electrical power for the submarine’s advanced sensor systems and weaponry.

Sensor systems

One of the Juneau-class’s most advanced features was its monitoring system capable of reconstructing the underwater environment into computer graphics. This three-dimensional mapping capability provided commanders with unprecedented situational awareness, allowing for more effective navigation and tactical decision-making in complex underwater environments.

The system could track multiple contacts simultaneously whilst providing detailed terrain mapping, making it invaluable for both offensive and defensive operations.

Mobile suit operations

The modernised Juneau-class submarines incorporated comprehensive facilities for amphibious mobile suit operations. Three dedicated docks were installed: two forward docks for primary deployment and one aft dock for recovery or emergency deployment.

This configuration allowed the submarines to serve as mobile platforms for amphibious assault operations whilst maintaining their traditional submarine warfare capabilities.

Armaments

The Juneau-class mounted a comprehensive weapons suite designed for multiple threat environments.

Torpedo launchers

Six forward-facing torpedo tubes provided the primary anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare capability. These weapons were mounted in the bow section with three tubes on each side, allowing for rapid salvo firing against multiple targets.

The torpedoes could be configured for various mission profiles, including anti-ship strikes, submarine hunting, and coastal bombardment support.

Missile systems

Eight vertical launch tubes housed intercontinental ballistic missiles, providing the submarine with strategic strike capability against both land and sea targets. This missile system gave the Juneau-class a tactical first-strike capability that extended its operational role beyond traditional submarine warfare.

The vertical launch configuration allowed the missiles to be fired whilst submerged, maintaining the submarine’s stealth advantages whilst delivering powerful long-range strikes.

Ships and captains

Known vessels of the Juneau-class included:

Bonefish, captain unknown
Anantha, captain unknown
Fregat, captain unknown
Rumble Fish, captain unknown

The specific service records and fates of individual vessels remain largely classified, though it is known that multiple ships were captured and converted by Zeon forces during the One Year War.

Behind the scenes

The Juneau-class was featured in the Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn novels before appearing in the anime adaptation. The design reflects real-world submarine development trends, incorporating advanced propulsion and sensor systems that parallel contemporary naval technology development.

Interestingly, in the original novel version, the Juneau-class did not carry mobile suits, reflecting their design as pure attack submarines. The mobile suit capability was added for the anime adaptation to align with the Universal Century’s mobile suit-centric warfare.

Appearances

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (anime)
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (novel)
Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front

Juneau-class