RX-78GP02A Gundam "Physalis"

As described in the MG model manual and MS encyclopedia, during the postwar years the Federation received information that the Zeon remnants could have been developing mobile suits with nuclear capabilities. As a countermeasure, the Federation decided to develop a nuclear capable mobile suit of their own, and the result was the RX-78GP02A Gundam Physalis.

Contrary to what is commonely belived the RX-78GP02A was not a violation of the Antarctic Treaty: it was designed to deliver the MK-82 warhead based nuclear missile (after the One Year War was over and the Federation was victorious, the Antarctic Treaty was defunct and replaced with the Granada peace accords. However it is unknown what was banned by the Granada peace accords. It is very likely that nuclear weapons were not banned as they are used during 0083, Zeta and CCA. It should also be noted that the Principality of Zeon that made the treaty with the federation didn't exist anymore, as the republic of Zeon took its place, and legally that made it a separate government from the Principality of Zeon. It carried extensive heat and radiation shielding to protect it from nuclear blasts, as well as the standard Federation mobile suit armaments. Mounted on the shoulders of the Physalis were a set of high power thrusters, which contributed to the exceptional maneuverability of the MS.

In the story of Mobile Suit Gundam 0083, which happened in the year UC 0083, the Albion collected both the RX-78GP01 and the RX-78GP02A, shipping them to Torrington Base in Australia for terrestrial testing. Later, Former Zeon Ace pilot Anavel Gato stole the RX-78GP02A after a nuclear missile from the Federation's Torrington Base stockpile had been loaded into it, and later used it to destroy or disable two-thirds of the Earth Federation space fleet at the Naval Review at Konpei Island. Shortly after, the RX-78GP02A and the RX-78GP01Fb engaged in a battle, resulting in the destruction of both units. Full record of the story can also be referenced from Gundam Officials.

Its data is later used to produce AMX-017 Gigantic, another tactical mobile suit.