RGM-96X Jesta – MechaBay | Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

The RGM-96X Jesta was a prototype general purpose escort mobile suit developed by Anaheim Electronics for Londo Bell.

The “R” in the model code meant it was a Federation model¹ and the “GM” that it was a Gundam mass production mobile suit. The “96X” in the model code denoted that it was the 96th design in the RGM series with an “X” experimental designation.

History

The RGM-96X Jesta was a high performance mobile suit developed by Anaheim Electronics as part of the Earth Federation Forces’ UC Project. Based on the RGM-89 Jegan series, the Jesta was designed to serve as an escort unit for the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam. The Unicorn Gundam’s operating time in Destroy mode was limited to several minutes, so the Jesta’s role was to confront regular enemies while the Unicorn Gundam engaged Newtype machines.

Although intended to be an escort unit, the Jesta’s performance surpassed most Federation mobile suits of its time, overwhelmingly exceeding the Jegan type of the same period, with its performance reaching 90% of the RX-93 ν Gundam’s. The Jesta is essentially a product of the UC Project, however this fact has been kept hidden even within the Earth Federation Forces.

In UC 0096, 12 Jesta units were assigned to the Londo Bell flagship Ra Cailum for evaluation tests. Only three units saw active use and were assigned to pilots known as the “Black Tri-Stars”, who were originally intended to serve as test pilots of the Unicorn Gundam. These pilots included Watts Stepney, Daryl McGuinness, and team leader Nigel Garrett.

During the Sleeves’ assault on Torrington Base that year, three Jestas piloted by the Ra Cailum’s Tri-Stars Team were deployed on Base Jabbers to assist the base’s defenders in pushing back the attackers. Later, when the commander of Londo Bell, Bright Noa, launched an investigation of Cheyenne Base, multiple Jestas were launched from the Ra Cailum to disable the local mobile suit garrison.

Design

The Jesta was designed as a high performance special operations mobile suit of the Jegan series. Aside from escorting the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam, the Jesta’s intended mission also consisted of dispatching ordinary enemy forces, creating “situations” in which the Unicorn Gundam could directly confront and destroy enemy Newtype weapons.

The Jesta featured a new backpack design with improved thrust to keep up with the Unicorn Gundam. The backpack was capable of tremendous thrust, enabling the mobile suit to match the performance requirements of operating alongside such an advanced unit. This represented a significant improvement over the standard Jegan series propulsion systems.

The mobile suit utilised both titanium alloy ceramic composite and Gundarium alloy armor materials, providing enhanced protection while maintaining reasonable weight. The Jesta’s design philosophy emphasised reliability and effectiveness rather than cutting-edge experimental features, making it a practical escort unit for the more temperamental Unicorn Gundam.

The Jesta’s design made it difficult to incorporate into standard mobile suit teams due to its enhanced performance characteristics and specialised role. Its advanced systems and higher performance meant it operated at a different level from conventional Federation mobile suits of the period.

Armaments

The Jesta’s standard weapons were a beam rifle for ranged attacks, a beam saber for melee combat, and hand grenades for close-quarters situations.

Vulcan pod system

Mounted on the head, the vulcan pod system contained a 60 mm vulcan gun and was similar to the one used by the RGM-89 Jegan. The mounted vulcan gun had low firepower but a high rate of fire, it was extremely effective at restraining enemy machines, and could destroy the camera, sensors and joints of enemy machines at very close range. The system also served effectively as missile defence, intercepting incoming projectiles.

Beam rifle

The Jesta’s main armament was a customised beam rifle with excellent rate of fire. It was longer than the usual beam rifle due to the installation of acceleration and deflection devices. Besides the normal firing mode, it also had a beam machine gun-like rapid fire mode. Accuracy could be improved by holding the rifle in a two-handed manner via the main and fore grip, and expansion parts could be fitted to grant additional capabilities.

Like other beam weapons, the beam rifle’s shots could penetrate any armor not treated with specific counter-measures. The Jesta’s beam rifle used the same magazine connector as the Jegan and ReZEL’s rifles, and three spare magazines were stored on the right forearm.

Beam saber

The standard close range armament for most Federation mobile suits. The beam saber was a small device held in the mobile suit’s hands when operated and was powered by a rechargeable energy capacitor. It emitted a blade of plasma contained by an I-Field and was capable of cutting through almost any metal not treated with anti-beam coating. The Jesta had a beam saber stored on the mobile suit’s left forearm in a recharge rack.

Hand grenades

Three hand grenades were carried in each of the grenade racks mounted on the side of the waist. These throwing weapons were similar to the ones used by the Jegan, and could be launched directly from the rack, functioning as self-propelled projectiles. The grenades provided the Jesta with additional close-range firepower options.

Shield

Similar to the Jegan’s shield, the Jesta’s shield also possessed minor offensive capabilities as it was built with two 2-tube missile launchers. These missiles were not very effective against large ships, but were ideal mid-range anti-mobile suit weapons. The shield provided essential defensive capability while adding tactical flexibility through its integrated weapon systems.

Known pilots

Watts Stepney
Daryl McGuinness
Nigel Garrett

Variants

RGM-96X Jesta Cannon

The Jesta Cannon was a heavy armed variant with enhanced firepower via the addition of a beam cannon, a quadruple multi-launcher, more hand grenades and an enhanced beam rifle. It also had added body armor, including an arm-mounted shield.

RGM-96Xs Jesta (Shezarr Type)

The Shezarr Type was a special operations variant developed for capturing the runaway RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex. Six units were produced in three different configurations for the Phoenix Hunt mission.

RGM-96X EWAC Jesta

The EWAC Jesta was an Early Warning and Control variant optimised for reconnaissance and battlefield coordination rather than direct combat.

Behind the scenes

Hajime Katoki was the original mechanical designer for the RGM-96X Jesta, based on the design from the Gundam Unicorn novels.

The Jesta represented Anaheim Electronics’ attempt to create a practical, high-performance escort unit that could operate effectively alongside the experimental RX-0 Unicorn Gundam without the complexity and cost of a full Gundam-type mobile suit.

Appearances

External links

RGM-96X Jesta on the Gundam Wiki
RGM-96X Jesta on MAHQ

Federation in Japanese is renpou, hence the use of “R”. ↩