M72 Lakota

The M72 Lakota was a general-purpose jeep used by the Earth Federation Forces during the One Year War in UC 0079. Its design and purpose remained essentially unchanged from military jeeps used during the old Anno Domini era, representing the continuity of conventional military vehicles alongside the revolutionary mobile suit technology.

History

The M72 Lakota was first deployed by the Earth Federation Forces in UC 0072, predating the outbreak of the One Year War by several years. The vehicle’s long service life reflected its reliability and utility in various military roles.

During the One Year War, the M72 Lakota saw widespread deployment across Earth’s various theatres of operation. The jeep proved particularly valuable in European operations, where it served extensively before the Battle of Odessa. Its mobility and versatility made it an essential component of Federation ground operations.

Notable service included operations with Papa Sidney Lewis as driver, demonstrating the vehicle’s role in both combat and support missions. The M72’s ability to transport specialised weapons systems, such as the M101A3 Regina anti-mobile suit guided missile launcher, made it a valuable platform for mobile anti-armor operations.

Design

The M72 Lakota’s design philosophy emphasised simplicity, reliability, and versatility over technological sophistication. The vehicle’s conventional layout and proven mechanical systems made it easy to maintain and operate in field conditions, crucial advantages during extended combat operations.

The jeep’s lightweight construction, with an empty weight of just 0.5 metric tons, provided excellent mobility across various terrain types. This low weight allowed the vehicle to traverse areas that would challenge heavier military vehicles, whilst still providing adequate payload capacity for its intended roles.

The vehicle’s crew arrangement consisted of a driver, one passenger, and a gunner, providing sufficient personnel for both transportation and combat missions. The open design allowed for easy entry and exit, important for rapid deployment and extraction operations.

Armaments

The M72 Lakota carried minimal armament, reflecting its primary role as a transport and utility vehicle rather than a fighting platform.

M-299 machine gun

The vehicle’s sole standard armament was an M-299 machine gun mounted behind the driver and passenger seats. This weapon provided defensive capability against infantry and light vehicles, whilst remaining suitable for the jeep’s weight and size constraints.

The M-299 machine gun could be operated by the designated gunner, providing covering fire during transport operations or limited offensive capability when required. The weapon’s positioning allowed for reasonable fields of fire whilst maintaining the vehicle’s mobility and agility.

Weapons transport capability

Although not armed with heavy weapons as standard, the M72 could transport various weapons systems as mission requirements dictated. The vehicle proved capable of carrying the M101A3 Regina anti-mobile suit guided missile launcher, transforming it into a mobile anti-armor platform.

This adaptability allowed the M72 to serve in roles beyond simple transportation, providing Federation forces with a flexible platform for deploying specialised weapons where needed. The ability to quickly reconfigure the vehicle for different missions made it particularly valuable during the fluid combat situations of the One Year War.

Operational use

The M72 Lakota’s operational use reflected its versatility and reliability in various military roles. The vehicle served as a general-purpose transport for personnel and light equipment, reconnaissance platform for forward operations, and mobile weapons carrier for specialised anti-armor missions.

The jeep’s small size and agility made it well-suited for operations in urban environments and restricted terrain where larger vehicles could not operate effectively. Its conventional design and simple maintenance requirements allowed it to remain operational even when sophisticated support facilities were unavailable.

During mobile suit encounters, the M72’s speed and manoeuvrability often provided its crew’s best chance of survival, as the vehicle could quickly relocate to avoid detection or engage targets of opportunity before withdrawing to safety.

Known operators

Papa Sidney Lewis

Behind the scenes

The M72 Lakota’s design reflected the reality that conventional military vehicles would continue to serve alongside revolutionary mobile suit technology. The vehicle’s name followed the Earth Federation’s practice of using Native American names for various military equipment.

The Lakota’s appearance in multiple Gundam series demonstrated its role as a standard Federation military vehicle, representing the continuity of conventional forces within the mobile suit-dominated battlefield.

Appearances

Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO 2: The Gravity Front
Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story 0079: Rise From the Ashes

External links

M72 Lakota on the Gundam Wiki
M72 Lakota on MAHQ