MS-06F Zaku II
Mass production general purpose mobile suit developed by Zeonic.
The MS-06F Zaku II was a mass-produced general purpose mobile suit developed by the Zeonic for the Principality of Zeon. It served as Zeon’s mainstay mobile suit during the One Year War.
The “MS” in the type code indicated that it was a mobile suit. The “06” model number denoted that it was the sixth design of this type, and the “F” variant code identified it as the sixth variant in the famous Zaku II line. It is often referred to as the F Type Zaku II.
History
Introduced early during the One Year War as a replacement for the MS-06C Zaku II Early Production Type, the Type F was the most heavily mass produced version of the Zaku II line and served as the mainstay of the Zeon military. Development began in September UC 0078, with the first units rolling out for combat deployment in March UC 0079.
The MS-06F entered service before the Battle of Loum and was used alongside the MS-06A Zaku II First Mass Production Type and MS-06C Zaku II Early Production Type. Following the Antarctic Treaty, the F Type became Zeon’s primary mobile suit due to its lighter weight achieved through the removal of radiation shielding.
It was the Type F that became the most well-known version of Zeon’s mobile suit forces, appearing in countless engagements throughout the war. Notable early actions included the assault on Side 7, where three MS-06F units under Char Aznable encountered the prototype RX-78-2 Gundam for the first time.
The F Type continued to serve as Zeon’s primary space combat mobile suit throughout the war, although it did see limited use in Earth-based ground combat. During Operation British in March UC 0079, over half of the mobile suits in Zeon’s 1st Terrestrial Mobile Division were F Types. Many of these units were later modified into the MS-06J Zaku II Ground Types for ground combat during overhaul.
The F Type remained in service throughout the war, though it was gradually replaced by the MS-09R Rick Dom and MS-14A Gelgoog as Zeon’s primary space-use mobile suit. After the war, surviving units continued to serve with Neo Zeon forces during the First Neo Zeon War.
Later in the war, the Zeonic rolled out an upgraded version, the MS-06F-2 Zaku II F2. Many Type F units survived the war and remained in service as part of Neo Zeon forces under Haman Karn’s during the First Neo Zeon War in UC 0088, upgraded with some of the latest technology including 360-degree panoramic monitors in the cockpit.
Design
The F Type Zaku II built upon the successful design of the MS-06C while implementing significant improvements to enhance performance and reduce production costs. The Type F removed the heavy anti-nuclear protections that characterised its predecessor, reducing armor weight and dramatically improving mobility.
It also featured a more powerful MYFG-M-ES series fusion reactor jointly developed by Zeonic and M&Y Company, providing an output of 976 kW. This represented a significant improvement in power generation compared to earlier models, enabling better performance of all systems.
Although fully capable of operating on Earth, the Type F was designed primarily for space combat. The propulsion system consisted of rocket thrusters providing a total output of 43,300 kg, with two main thrusters rated at 20,500 kg each and two smaller manoeuvring thrusters at 1,000 kg each. This configuration allowed for a 180-degree turn time of just 1.7 seconds and maximum ground running speeds of 160 km/h.
The mobile suit could lift approximately 80-90 metric tonnes with one hand. Its shoulder spikes delivered impact forces of up to 4,500 metric tonnes during shoulder tackles.
The cockpit featured a standard pilot-only configuration located in the torso, later upgraded in surviving units with panoramic monitor and linear seat systems. The mobile suit’s sensor range extended to 3,200 metres, providing adequate battlefield awareness for most combat situations.
Units operated by Neo Zeon in UC 0088 received significant upgrades, including panoramic monitors and linear seats in their cockpits, demonstrating the design’s longevity and adaptability to newer technologies.
Armaments
The MS-06F Zaku II’s standard armament consisted of a 120 mm machine gun for ranged combat and a heat hawk for melee engagements, with a shoulder-mounted shield for defence.
Shield
Mounted on the right shoulder, the shield was a simple defensive device used to block most physical projectiles. The shield provided effective protection against ballistic weapons and some explosive warheads, though it was less effective against beam weapons. Zeon remnant units operating in UC 0096 had their shoulder shields treated with anti-beam coating for better protection against beam weaponry.
120 mm machine gun
The ZMP-50D 120 mm machine gun was the F Type’s standard ranged weapon. It used a 100-round drum magazine, with spare drums stored on the waist armor racks. Though it required no power to fire, its effectiveness against heavy armor was limited.
280 mm Zaku bazooka
The H&L-SB25K/280 mm Zaku bazooka was another standard weapon for Zaku type mobile suits. The bazooka fired armor-piercing explosive rounds effective against mobile suits and battleships. The weapon used a four-round magazine and could be stored on the rear waist armor when not in use.
The bazooka provided the Zaku II with significant anti-armor capability, capable of destroying enemy mobile suits with a single well-placed shot. The explosive rounds were particularly effective against the lighter armor of early Federation mobile suits.
Heat Hawk Type 5
The Heat Hawk Type 5 was an axe-shaped melee weapon with a super-heated blade powered by the Zaku II’s reactor. The heated edge allowed it to melt through enemy armor effectively, making it one of the most feared close-combat weapons of the war. When not in use, the heat hawk was stored on the waist armor.
The weapon was battery-powered and could maintain its heated edge for extended periods, making it reliable for sustained melee combat. The heat hawk became an iconic weapon of the Zaku series and influenced the design of many subsequent melee weapons.
Cracker grenades
The MIP-B6 cracker grenades were timed explosives that split into multiple submunitions over a wide area. Up to four grenades could be stored on optional racks on the waist armor. These weapons were effective against grouped enemies and for area denial tactics.
The grenades could be thrown like conventional explosives and were set to detonate either on impact with the target or after a preset time delay. Multiple variants existed, allowing them to perform different tactical roles in battle.
Missile pods
Optional 3-tube missile pods could be mounted on the legs to provide additional firepower. These missile systems enhanced the Zaku II’s versatility and allowed engagement of targets at medium range. Two pods could be mounted simultaneously, providing a total of six missiles for sustained fire support.
Known pilots
- Slender
- Denim
- Gene
- Kohm
- J Q
- Crown
- Breniss Ox
- Shin Matsunaga
- Ian Graden
- Johnny Ridden
- Gerald Sakai
- Lou Roher
- Charlotte Hepner
- Nikki Roberto
- Giyal
- Cucuruz Doan
- Kurt Roswell
- Robin Bradshaw
- Font Bow
- Meyer
- Christo Doerr
Variants
- MS-06F Zaku Minelayer
- MS-06F Zaku II Dozle Zabi Custom
- MS-06FZ Zaku II Kai
- MS-06F-2 Zaku II F2 Type
- MS-06FS Zaku II
- MS-06J Zaku II Ground Type
- MS-06M Zaku Marine Type
- MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type
Behind the scenes
Okawara Kunio was the original mechanical designer for the Mobile Suit Gundam version. The design has been updated by various artists for different series, including Katoki Hajime for Cucuruz Doan’s Island, Yamane Kimitoshi for Requiem for Vengeance, and Akitaka Mika for Silver Phantom.
The MS-06F Zaku II became one of the most iconic mobile suits in the Gundam franchise, serving as the template for numerous “grunt” mobile suits in subsequent series. Its design influenced later mobile suits such as the RMS-106 Hi-Zack and AMS-119 Geara Doga.
The popularity of the design led to it having the most variants of any mobile suit, with nearly every new Universal Century side story adding new variants to the basic frame. March 9th has become known as “Zaku Day” among Gundam fans due to Japanese wordplay.
The design’s popularity led to numerous variants being created for the Mobile Suit Variations line, establishing the precedent for realistic military variants in the Universal Century timeline. The Zaku II became the mobile suit with the most variants.
The design influenced later mobile suits like the RMS-106 Hi-Zack and AMS-119 Geara Doga. Its impact extended beyond the Universal Century timeline, inspiring designs in other Gundam series.
Tomino Yoshiyuki and Yadate Hajime intentionally designed the Zaku II as a symbol of mass-produced military hardware, helping establish the real robot genre in anime.
Appearances
Anime
- Mobile Suit Gundam
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
- Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn
Movies
- Mobile Suit Gundam I
- Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow
- Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space
- Gundam the Ride: A Baoa Qu
Games
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs Zeon
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire
See also
External links
- MS-06F Zaku II on the Gundam Wiki
- MS-06F Zaku II on MAHQ