*Minerva* – Vessel – Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny

The Minerva (ミネルバ, Mineruba) was a custom ZAFT transatmospheric battleship and the primary setting of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny. The first new-generation battleship commissioned by ZAFT after the First Alliance-PLANT War, it was commanded by Captain Talia Gladys and served as the base for Shinn Asuka’s Impulse Gundam, Rey Za Burrel, Lunamaria Hawke, and the rest of the Minerva’s mobile suit complement. The ship featured Variable Phase Shift Armor, a variable-geometry hull that allowed atmospheric re-entry with folded wings, and the Tannhäuser positron blaster cannon as its main armament. It could supply energy to the Impulse via a deuterion beam system and participated in major battles of the Second Alliance-PLANT War.

History

Commissioning and early operations

The Minerva was deployed in CE 73 and became the flagship for Gilbert Durandal’s military and political operations. It was present at the Battle at Armory One, where Shinn sortied in the Impulse Gundam, and went on to operate in space and on Earth.

Second Alliance-PLANT War

The Minerva took part in the war against the Earth Alliance and later in the conflict between Durandal’s ZAFT and the Three Ships Alliance. Talia Gladys remained loyal to Durandal until the end; the ship was heavily engaged in the final battles.

Design

The Minerva was approximately 350 metres long and had three mobile suit catapults. Its wings could fold for re-entry and it could return to space using a dedicated booster. The Tannhäuser cannon provided heavy long-range firepower; secondary armament included Gottfried beam cannons, Valient linear cannons, and multiple CIWS.

Known crew and pilots

Talia Gladys – Captain
Shinn Asuka – Impulse Gundam pilot
Rey Za Burrel – Mobile suit pilot
Lunamaria Hawke – Mobile suit pilot

Appearances

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny

External links

LHM-BB01 Minerva on the Gundam Wiki
LHM-BB01 Minerva on MAHQ

Minerva