RGC-90 Jegan Heavy Equipment Type
(Jegan Heavy Armor) Prototype artillery mobile suit developed by Anaheim Electronics to provide ground-based fire support for the Earth Federation.
The RGC-90 Jegan Heavy Equipment Type (also known as the Jegan Heavy Armor or Jegan Cannon) was a prototype artillery mobile suit developed by Anaheim Electronics to provide mid-range fire support for the Earth Federation Forces. It was developed as part of the Char’s Counterattack Mobile Suit Variations design series.
The model number “RGC-90” indicates its lineage: “R” denotes it as a Federation (Renpou) model, “GC” signifies it as a Guncannon mass-production type, and “90” shows it was developed around UC 0090, building upon the design foundation of the RGM-89 Jegan.
History
The RGC-90 Jegan Heavy Equipment Type was a prototype mobile suit built by the Earth Federation Forces to provide mid-range fire support. A heavy equipment version of the RGM-89 Jegan with enhanced firepower and defensive capabilities that used the designs of the RGM-88X Jeda as a base.
The development of the Heavy Equipment Type addressed the Federation’s need for specialised ground combat units capable of delivering sustained artillery support. The body was a re-designed RGM-89 Jegan developed specifically for ground combat. This specialisation came during a period when the Federation was reassessing its mobile suit requirements following the Second Neo Zeon War.
The Heavy Equipment Type represented a shift from the general-purpose design philosophy of the standard Jegan towards more specialised battlefield roles. This development paralleled similar efforts with other Jegan variants, each tailored for specific combat scenarios.
Design
The generator output was enhanced and the legs were strengthened to provide extra support for battles fought under Earth’s gravity. It uses the Jegan’s movable frame, but has a different generator with higher output.
The Heavy Equipment Type retained the proven movable frame of the standard RGM-89 Jegan, ensuring mechanical reliability and ease of maintenance. However, significant modifications were made to support its artillery role. The enhanced power plant provided the additional energy requirements for the unit’s increased firepower, whilst the reinforced leg assemblies were specifically designed to handle the recoil forces generated by its heavy weapons.
The forehead is equipped with a sensor for long-range shooting. Since this machine is mainly designed for ground warfare, its legs have been replaced with ones specially designed for use under gravity, but it is also capable of space operations.
The redesigned cockpit featured a panoramic monitor and linear seat configuration, maintaining the pilot interface standards established across the Jegan family. The sensor suite was optimised for long-range target acquisition and fire control, essential for the unit’s artillery mission profile.
It is equipped with a customised backpack with higher thruster output than the Jegan’s, but has shorter vernier arms as less emphasis is placed on manoeuvrability. This design philosophy prioritised firepower and stability over the mobility that characterised the standard Jegan, reflecting its intended role as a fire support platform rather than a frontline combatant.
Armaments
The Heavy Armed Type was equipped with several new weapons, including a pair of beam cannons and missile pods. Overall, its firepower was superior to that of the standard Jegan.
Beam cannons
The Heavy Equipment Type mounted two beam cannons on its shoulders, providing the unit with substantial direct-fire capability. These weapons represented a significant upgrade over the standard armament of the base Jegan, allowing the unit to engage targets at extended ranges with devastating effect.
The shoulder-mounted configuration offered several advantages for an artillery platform. The elevated position provided excellent fields of fire over battlefield obstacles, whilst the fixed mounting ensured consistent accuracy during sustained bombardments. The beam cannons could engage both mobile suit targets and fortified positions with equal effectiveness.
Missile pods
Two missile pods mounted on the unit’s hips provided additional offensive capability and tactical flexibility. These pods could be loaded with various warhead types depending on mission requirements, ranging from anti-personnel cluster munitions to anti-fortification shaped charges.
The hip-mounted position offered protection for the missile systems whilst maintaining easy access for field reloading. The pods could engage multiple targets simultaneously or concentrate their firepower against high-value targets, making the Heavy Equipment Type particularly effective in combined-arms operations.
Behind the scenes
Original mechanical designer: Hitoshi Fukuchi
Hitoshi Fukuchi designed the RGC-90 Jegan Heavy Equipment Type as part of the Char’s Counterattack Mobile Suit Variations series. Fukuchi Mobile Suit Station is a 1989 original design series by mechanical designer Hitoshi Fukuchi featured in Bandai’s Model Journal magazine, most of the design are variants of One Year War mobile suits. Fukuchi’s design work extended beyond the Heavy Equipment Type to include numerous mobile suit variants throughout the Universal Century timeline.
The Heavy Equipment Type was developed as part of the broader CCA-MSV series, which expanded the mobile suit roster of Char’s Counterattack beyond what appeared in the original film. Char’s Counterattack Mobile Suit Variations (CCA-MSV) is a design series for the Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack movie.
Appearances
- Char’s Counterattack Mobile Suit Variations
External links
- RGM-90 Jegan Heavy Armed Type on MAHQ
- RGC-90 Jegan Heavy Equipment Type on the Gundam Wiki