RGC-80 GM Cannon

In the anime "Mobile Suit Gundam", the RGC-80 GM Cannon is a fictional weapon from the Mobile Suit Variation.

RGC-80 GM Cannon

Based upon the RGC-80-1 Prototype GM Cannon artillery-use mobile suit designed by the Earth Federation Forces, the RGC-80 GM Cannon was a completely reworked and refined version that corrected the errors of the Test Type, including its terrible recoil and balance issues that prevent the Test Type from being mass produced.

To solve the recoil issues, the GM Cannon mounted only a single 240 mm recoilless cannon as opposed to the twin cannons of its predecessor. Heavier armor was created for the GM Cannon and fitted onto the skirt armor and legs to further solve balance, recoil, and weight problems.

Initially only six RGC-80 GM Cannons would be produced and fielded. These six GM Cannons would serve as a part of the Earth Federation's campaign to retake the North American continent. By the time the Earth Federation had recaptured California Base from the Principality of Zeon forces on North America's Pacific Coast, the GM Cannons had proven themselves on the field of combat and the unit was approved for mass-production. Forty-four additional GM Cannons would be constructed and distributed to various Earth Federation battalions around the Earth to assist in driving the Zeon Military Force back out into space. Some units would be sent to Africa, and others were used by famous teams such as the White Dingos.

The RGC-80 GM Cannon would continue to see active service even after the One Year War and into the Gryps Conflict in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam series in Universal Century 0087.

RGC-80-1 Prototype GM Cannon

The RGC-80-1 Prototype GM Cannon is an experimental Earth Federation Forces artillery mobile suit. Although it was never actually seen in any animated series the Prototype GM Cannon is an official Mobile Suit Variation.

When the Earth Federation Forces finally began mass-producing their own RGM-79 GM model of mobile suits in the final months of the One Year War it was decided that there would need to be a mid-range fire support unit to properly supplement their close-range GM forces. Rather than wasting the time designing a new mobile suit, and then putting a strain on resources setting up the new production lines that would be necessary to build them, the Federation Forces decided to simply produce a design variant of the standard GM to fill the void in their ranks.

The first GM redesign created in the attempt to solve the Federation's problem was the RGC-80-1 Prototype GM Cannon. The Prototype GM Cannon was little more than a normal GM with a RX-77-2 Guncannon's head, backpack, and dual 240 mm shoulder-mounted cannons. However, there was a critical flaw in this first design. The dual shoulder cannons were far too heavy for the light frame of the GM, and when the cannons were fired the unit experienced severe recoil and balance problems. The GM Canon Test Type was deemed insufficient, and the Federation's researchers and engineers went back to rework the design, producing the RGC-80 GM Cannon as their final product.

RGC-83 GM Cannon II

The RGC-83 GM Cannon II is a mobile suit from the anime OVA .

The RGC-83 GM Cannon II is a heavy-duty support type mobile suit designed to provide covering fire for its teammates. While it is the second version of the UC 0079 RGC-80 GM Cannon, it more closely resembles the RX-77-2 Guncannon mobile suit made famous by fighting alongside the original RX-78-2 Gundam.

The GM Cannon II is also heavier armed than its predecessors. It is equipped with two shoulder-mounted beam cannons, unlike the Guncannon, and can carry a 90 mm machine gun as well as a beam saber for close combat. It also includes two 60 mm vulcan guns mounted in the head, but these are usually strictly last-resort weapons. To power these strong weapons the GM Cannon II has a stronger reactor. It is also very heavily armored, featuring Chobham armor based of the same design as the RX-78NT1 Gundam 'Alex'. However, it suffers for this durability, sacrificing speed and mobility. A GM Cannon II on its own has been shown to not be able to fend for itself due to opponents being able to outmaneuver it, unless its opponent also lacks speed, though this is usually due to pilot inexperience with the enhanced machine.

Although it isn't known how many GM Cannon II models were produced it is known that two units were stationed on the "Albion" and used during Operation Stardust in UC 0083.

The GM Cannon II was later deployed by the AEUG during the gryps conflict. Their units were painted forest green on gray with an orange visor.

Specifications

RGC-80 GM Cannon

* Manufacturer: Earth Federation Forces
* Operator: Earth Federation Forces
* Unit type: mass production artillery mobile suit
* Dimensions: overall height 18.4 meters; head height 18.0 meters
* Weight: empty 49.9 metric tons; max gross 65.3 metric tons
* Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 976 kW
* Armament: 240 mm cannon, 20 round magazine, fires 240 mm rockets, mounted on main body over right shoulder; 2 x 60 mm vulcan gun, fire-linked, mounted in head; beam rifle, powered by rechargeable energy cap
* Pilot(s): Lido Wolf, Master P. Rayer, Denis J. Angland, Leung Lee-Fai, Maximilian Berger

RGC-80-1 Prototype GM Cannon

* Manufacturer: Earth Federation Forces
* Operator: Earth Federation Forces
* Unit type: experimental artillery mobile suit
* Dimensions: unknown
* Weight: unknown
* Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rating unknown
* Armament: 2 x 60 mm vulcan gun, fire-linked, mounted in head; 2 x 240 mm cannon, variable independent-fire/fire-linked, 20 round magazine each, mounted over shoulders

RGC-83 GM Cannon II

* Manufacturer: Earth Federation Forces
* Operator: Earth Federation Forces
* Unit type: mass production general purpose mid-range support mobile suit
* Dimensions: overall height 20.0 meters; head height 18.0 meters
* Weight: empty 47.3 metric tons; max gross 66.9 metric tons
* Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 1420 kW
* Armament: 2 x 60 mm vulcan gun, fire-linked, mounted in head; beam saber, power rated at 0.38 MW, stored in recharge rack in left forearm, hand-carried in use; 2 x beam cannon, mounted in backpack over shoulders; shield, mounted on either forearm; 90 mm GM rifle, clip-fed, 30 rounds per clip, 2 spare clips stored in shield
* Pilot(s): Chuck Keith, Chap Adel

References

[http://www.gundamofficial.com/worlds/uc/0083/mechanics/ms_gmcannon.html Official profile]