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Sodon

Space tugboat mass produced by the Principality of Zeon.
Jenxi Seow Published 15 Sept 2016 Updated 11 Feb 2025
Sodon

The Sodon was a space tugboat mass produced by the Principality of Zeon for transporting supplies and mobile suits.

History

The Principality of Zeon developed the Sodon as a space tug to transport goods between colonies and between geostationary orbit and low Earth orbit. At the start of the One Year War, it was requisitioned for military use in armed patrols and supply delivery missions.

During the Battle of Luna II, Char Aznable lost his subordinates Matthew and Fix, leaving him with only his own operational MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type. A Sodon was deployed to provide supplies and reinforcements, bringing Crown, Kohm, and J.Q. along with three MS-06F Zaku II mobile suits.

After the Battle of Solomon, a Sodon transported Shin Matsunaga to rendezvous with the Gwazine carrying Mineva Lao Zabi and Zenna Zabi to Granada.

Design

The Sodon was roughly the same size as a mobile suit and featured six large propellant tanks mounted at the rear of its hull for extended range operations. It was capable of towing up to three MS-06F Zaku II mobile suits using wire towing systems.

The tugboat was often used as a booster to extend mobile suits’ operating range, pioneering the concept that led to later sub-flight systems like the FXA-00 Flying Armor and Base Jabber during the Gryps Conflict in UC 0087.

However, advances in mobile suit technology and the introduction of external fuel tanks eventually made the Sodon obsolete.

Armaments

The Sodon’s armament consisted of three twin machine gun turrets for defensive purposes.

Twin machine guns

Three twin machine gun turrets were mounted on the tugboat for defence against enemy fighters and small craft. One turret was positioned below the cockpit, with the other two mounted on the landing legs on either side of the vessel.

Behind the scenes

Okawara Kunio was the original mechanical designer.

Appearances

  • Mobile Suit Gundam
  • Mobile Suit Gundam: Outer Gundam
  • Mobile Suit Gundam MSV-R Legend of the Universal Century Heroes: The Fabulous Shin Matsunaga