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MS-06R-1A Zaku II R-1A

Mass production high mobility space combat mobile suit developed by Zeonic.
Jenxi Seow Published 23 Jun 2025 Updated 23 Jun 2025
MS-06R-1A Zaku II R-1A

The MS-06R-1A Zaku II R-1A was a mass production high mobility space combat mobile suit developed by Zeonic for the Principality of Zeon.

The “MS” in the model code meant it was a mobile suit, the “06” indicated it was based on the MS-06 Zaku II, the “R” designated it as a high mobility type, the “1” indicated it was the first production variant, and the “A” suffix denoted the improved production version.

History

When the Principality of Zeon military deployed its new MS-06R-1 Zaku II R-1 for field testing during the One Year War, comments and feedback on the test unit began filtering back to the development team. These ideas were incorporated into another upgrade, the MS-06R-1A.

The R-1A type saw minor engine problems corrected, and its additional propellant tanks were replaced with removable fuel cartridges, making the R-1A faster to refuel during battle. The biggest difference from the R-1 was that the fuel tanks on the back and legs had been modified into cartridges to solve the problem of propellant consumption. In particular, those of the legs were changed into cylindrical cartridges. This not only simplified replenishment in the mother ship, but also allowed for replenishment in outer space, and a platoon equipped with this unit was to be accompanied by a Zaku equipped with refill cartridges.

As a result of these changes, the MS-06R-1A Zaku II High Mobility Type had a longer operation time. A total of 56 new R-1As were produced, with half of the original 22 R-1 units upgraded into R-1A-types. Despite the increased performance and its popular design, however, the R-1A unit was deemed too expensive to produce—and too difficult for green pilots to handle. Production on the R-1A-type was halted, with the produced units becoming desired status symbols among Zeon mobile suit pilots.

The R-1A-type was used by many famous Zeon aces, including the Black Tri-Stars team of Gaia, Mash and Ortega, as well as Eric Mansfield of the Home Defense Corps, and Masaya Nakagawa, stationed at the A Baoa Qu asteroid base. The Zaku II High Mobility Type became a highly sought after unit by ace pilots but despite its incredible popularity and high performance, the suit was considered too difficult for rookie pilots to handle, and too expensive for mass production.

One unit was piloted by Vincent Gleissner of Zeon’s regiment the Marchosias and participated in the battle of Solomon. In UC 0083, Char Aznable, Kamuji, and Fabian Frischknecht used the Tri-Stars’ R-1A Zakus to attack a Federation fleet.

Design

The MS-06R-1A Zaku II R-1A was an upgraded version of the MS-06R-1, incorporating feedback from field testing and pilot recommendations. The mobile suit featured improved propellant management through the use of removable fuel cartridges, which significantly enhanced its operational flexibility and reduced turnaround time between sorties.

The R-1A featured lightweight construction materials and extra propellant storage compared to standard Zaku II models. The mobile suit was powered by a Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor with an output of 1,012 kW, slightly higher than the standard Zaku II. Its rocket thrusters provided a total output of 52,000 kg, giving it superior mobility in space combat.

The R-1A had a standard cockpit configuration in the torso and utilised super hard steel alloy armour materials. Its sensor range of 3,200 metres provided adequate battlefield awareness for its high-speed combat role. The mobile suit’s thrust-to-weight ratio of 0.68 made it significantly more manoeuvrable than standard Zaku II variants.

The modular fuel cartridge system was a key innovation that distinguished the R-1A from its predecessor. These cartridges could be quickly swapped during combat operations, allowing for extended missions and rapid refuelling. The system was designed to work with support units that carried additional fuel cartridges, enabling platoon-level operations with extended range.

Armaments

The MS-06R-1A’s standard weapons were a shield for defence and various optional armaments depending on mission requirements and pilot preference.

Shield

The mobile suit was equipped with a standard shield mounted on the right shoulder. This defensive system provided protection against ballistic and explosive projectiles whilst allowing for rapid deployment during combat manoeuvres.

120 mm machine gun

The drum-fed 120 mm machine gun was a versatile weapon effective against both mobile suits and support aircraft. The weapon could be supplemented with spare ammunition drums stored on the mobile suit’s waist armour storage racks, providing sustained fire capability during extended engagements.

Zaku bazooka

The standard Zaku bazooka provided heavy anti-mobile suit firepower. This shoulder-fired weapon was effective against heavily armoured targets and could destroy enemy mobile suits with a single well-placed hit.

Heat hawk

The heat hawk was a standard melee weapon that used superheated cutting edges to slice through enemy armour. The weapon was powered by the mobile suit’s reactor and could be stored on waist armour storage racks when not in use.

Type A2 MS bazooka

The Type A2 MS bazooka was a specialized variant used by Gaia of the Black Tri-Stars. This weapon provided enhanced anti-mobile suit capability compared to the standard bazooka.

ASR-78 anti-ship rifle

The ASR-78 anti-ship rifle was used by Mash of the Black Tri-Stars for long-range engagements against capital ships and fortified positions. This high-powered weapon could penetrate heavy armour at extended ranges.

Giant heat hawk

Ortega of the Black Tri-Stars was equipped with a giant heat hawk, an oversized version of the standard heat weapon that provided enhanced melee combat capability at the cost of weight and manoeuvrability.

Known pilots

  • Gaia (Black Tri-Stars)
  • Mash (Black Tri-Stars)
  • Ortega (Black Tri-Stars)
  • Eric Mansfield
  • Masaya Nakagawa
  • Vincent Gleissner
  • Anavel Gato (UC 0083)
  • Uma Lightning
  • Shin Matsunaga

Variants

The MS-06R-1A served as the basis for several custom variants tailored to specific pilots and missions. Notable custom units included the Black Tri-Stars configuration used by Gaia, Mash, and Ortega, each with specialised armament packages.

Other variants included the Shin Matsunaga custom, the Anavel Gato custom from MSV-R, and the Uma Lightning custom, each featuring unique paint schemes and equipment configurations suited to their pilots’ combat styles.

Behind the scenes

The original mechanical designer was Okawara Kunio. The MS-06R-1A was first introduced in Mobile Suit Variation but did not receive official lineart until the release of MSV-R.

The mobile suit was designed to represent an intermediate step between the test-type MS-06R-1 and the more advanced MS-06R-2, showing the evolution of Zeon’s high mobility mobile suit technology during the One Year War.

Appearances

See also