MS Landing Ship – MechaBay | Mobile Suit Gundam

The MS Landing Ship was a mobile suit transport hovercraft used by the Principality of Zeon during the One Year War and by Zeon remnants afterwards. It served as a specialised water-based transport vessel for deploying mobile suits in amphibious or coastal operations.

The Principality of Zeon developed the MS Landing Ship to address specific operational requirements for mobile suit deployment over water surfaces. The hovercraft design enabled rapid transport of mobile suits across various aquatic environments whilst maintaining the capability to operate in shallow water and coastal areas where conventional ships could not venture.

History

The MS Landing Ship entered service during the One Year War as part of Zeon’s expanding fleet of specialised transport vehicles designed to support mobile suit operations in diverse environments. The hovercraft’s unique capabilities made it particularly valuable for amphibious assault operations and rapid mobile suit redeployment along coastlines.

Following the end of the One Year War, Zeon remnant forces continued to operate MS Landing Ships for various transport missions. The most notable post-war deployment occurred in October UC 0083 during the Delaz Fleet’s Operation Stardust.

After Anavel Gato successfully stole the RX-78GP02A Gundam GP02A Physalis from Torrington Base in Australia, he conducted a desert march to reach a predetermined extraction point. When the planned aerial extraction via Komusai II was thwarted by Kou Uraki in the RX-78GP01 Gundam GP01 Zephyranthes, Gato was forced to implement alternative escape plans.

An MS Landing Ship was positioned for emergency extraction, successfully transporting Gato and the stolen Gundam across water to rendezvous with a waiting Jukon-class submarine. This operation demonstrated the vessel’s effectiveness as a backup extraction system and its value in rapid redeployment scenarios.

Design

The MS Landing Ship utilised hovercraft technology to achieve versatility across multiple terrain types. The air-cushion propulsion system enabled the vessel to operate effectively over water, sand, swampland, and other surfaces that would challenge conventional vehicles. This capability made it particularly valuable for operations in diverse geographical environments.

The vessel featured a large, flat cargo deck capable of accommodating a single mobile suit during transport operations. The open design facilitated rapid loading and unloading procedures, essential for combat situations where speed was critical. The mobile suit could be secured to the deck using standard restraint systems whilst maintaining ready-for-combat status.

Two powerful jet engines provided both lift for the air cushion and forward propulsion. The engines were designed to operate in harsh environments and maintain performance despite potential battle damage or adverse weather conditions. The propulsion system’s redundancy improved operational reliability during critical missions.

The craft’s relatively simple design philosophy emphasised functionality and reliability over sophisticated features. This approach reduced maintenance requirements and improved availability rates, crucial factors for Zeon forces operating with limited resources during and after the One Year War.

Armaments

The MS Landing Ship carried minimal defensive armament, reflecting its primary role as a transport vessel rather than a combat craft.

Machine gun

A single machine gun was mounted on the vessel’s nose for defensive purposes. This weapon provided basic self-defence capability against aircraft, light vehicles, and personnel threats during transport operations.

The machine gun’s placement on the nose allowed for forward-firing capability during approach and extraction manoeuvres. Whilst not powerful enough to engage heavily armored targets, the weapon proved adequate for deterring light threats and providing suppressive fire during emergency situations.

The defensive armament’s limitations required MS Landing Ships to operate with escort protection or rely on stealth and speed to avoid heavily defended areas. The vessel’s primary defence remained its mobility and the combat capability of any mobile suit being transported.

Behind the scenes

The MS Landing Ship was designed by the mechanical design team for Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, including Kawamori Shoji, Katoki Hajime, and other designers working on the series.

The hovercraft concept reflected the series’ emphasis on realistic military technology and diverse operational requirements faced by mobile suit forces in various environments.

Appearances

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory

External links

MS Landing Ship on MAHQ