MS-06F2 Zaku II F2 Type

The MS-06F2 Zaku II F2 Type (aka Zaku II Late production model) is a mass-produced general purpose multi-class mobile suit and a variant of the original MS-06F Zaku II.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The MS-06F2 Zaku II F2 Type was an upgraded and improved version of the original MS-06F Zaku II introduced in the middle of the One Year War. As the original F-Type Zaku II became outdated due to newer, more powerful Zaku variants and, later, the deployment of more efficient mobile suits like the MS-09B Dom and MS-14A Gelgoog lines, it became apparent that the Principality of Zeon would need to take steps to improve the combat ability of their large stock of Zakus.

In comparison to the original MS-06F, the new Zaku II F2 Type featured a Minovsky fusion reactor that was approximately 4% more powerful than standard Zaku's, a more heavily-armored torso that rendered projectile weapon attacks less effective at hitting the inner cockpit and reactor, and significantly lighter. The reduced weight made the mobile suit much more fuel efficient and granted it a greater operational time. The Zaku II F2 Type could also be outfitted with a pair of solid rocket boosters on its backpack that could give it a brief but tremendous increase in overall thruster output. The combination of a more powerful reactor and less weight made the F2 Type a more agile and maneuverable combatant. With these upgrades, the F2 Type was on a more equal ground when the Earth Federation began to field their first mass production mobile suit, the RGM-79 GM.

Armaments

 * Shoulder Shield
 * The shield is a simple defense used to block most incoming ballistic and explosive projectiles. Also used to great effect in close quarters battle with enemy mobile suits. The Zaku II mounts a shield on its right shoulder.


 * 3-tube Missile Pod
 * Mounted on the legs are two 3-tube missile pods. These missiles are quite effective against armored enemies. However, they were also slow and unsuited for combat against nimbler targets.


 * MMP-78 Machine Gun
 * A new model machine gun with enhanced firepower to combat Federation Forces MS. Early type and late type models exist, with differences in the location and mounting of the grip on the latter. In addition to the regular machine gun bullets fed from the drum magazine, the MMP-78 is also capable of firing anti-aircraft rounds being fed from a smaller, box-type magazine. The MMP-78 is also integrated with a grenade launcher under its barrel for additional firepower. "MMP" is an abbreviation for "Mobile Suit Machine Pistol".


 * Grenade Launcher
 * The MMP-78 is fitted with an underslung grenade launcher. The grenade wasn't very effective against large ships, but was an ideal mid-range anti-mobile suit weapon.


 * MMP-80/90mm Ver.8 Machine Gun
 * An alternative to the MMP-78, it is an upgrade of the above weapon. It used 90mm bullets instead of 120mm type, allowing for a greater speed of firing and a higher rate of penetration. The machine gun is magazine-fed with 32 rounds per mag.


 * H&L-SB25K/280mmA-P Zaku Bazooka
 * The 280mm Zaku Bazooka was another standard weapon that could be equipped to a Zaku type mobile suit. The bazooka fired explosive rounds that were quite effective against the armor of Earth Federation mobile suits and battleships. Can be stored on the rear waist armor when not in use.


 * 360mm Giant Bazooka II
 * The primary weapon of the MS-09R-2 Rick Dom II, which is a redesigned version of Dom series' 360mm Giant Bazooka, with improved shape charges and firepower. The Giant Bazooka II is magazine-fed with 5-round capacity. A single round is particularly effective in anti-ship warfare, and can blow the torso off of an enemy mobile suit. During Operation Stardust in U.C. 0083, some units of Delaz Fleet's Zaku F2 Types were equipped with Giant Bazooka II for ranged attacks.


 * 880mmRB-T27 Raketen Bazooka
 * A new heavy bazooka which features powerful rocket-propelled rounds, and improved targeting sensor with protective cover for aiming. The bazooka is magazine-fed and can hold 5 rounds per magazine.


 * MIP-X79-E0-type BSR (Beam Sniper Rifle)
 * A weapon borrowed from the MS-05L Zaku I Sniper Type, this was a Musai-class beam rifle with a built in Beam oscillation device and electronic targeting equipment. However the F2's accuracy with the weapon is poor as its sensors aren't designed for sniping. During the events in Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 Rebellion, Earth Federations' Zaku F2 Types were equipped with the Beam Sniper Rifle for rookie pilots' target practice.


 * Heat Hawk
 * An axe-shaped close combat weapon, it uses a super-heated blade to cut through the armor of enemy MS or vehicles. The thermal energy is generated by the power output of the Zaku II F2's thermonuclear reactor and relayed through the MS' hands.


 * Hand Grenade
 * Throwing weapon used an alternative to the Cracker Grenade. These waist mounted grenades can be thrown like regular grenades and set to detonate upon impact with the target or timed to explode after a preset time. They come in multiple variants, allowing them to perform different roles in battle.


 * Sturm Faust
 * An explosive weapon with a rocket propelled warhead, it was designed before the beginning of the One Year War as an anti-ship weapon. Useful both in space and under gravity, it was mainly deployed for anti-ship attacks during the early days of the war. The Sturm Faust likely made a good anti-mobile suit weapon during the latter days of the war, as Zeon mobile suits could be equipped with both a Sturm Faust and a more typical ranged weapon for greater versatility. As a non-guided weapon, it is difficult to hit targets with high mobility.


 * FADEGEL RGM-M-Sh-007 Shield
 * A basic optional defense armament obtained from a RGM-79C GM Type C. The shield is a thick sheet of armor designed to take severe punishment that would normally destroy a mobile suit. Since the introduction of beam weaponry, shields have been treated with an anti-beam coating allowing it to withstand several beam shots before the coating wears off. Typically physical shields can only take so much damage before they succumb to the pressure and break.

Special Equipment & Features

 * Solid Rocket Boosters
 * The Zaku F2 type can be equipped with a pair of solid rocket boosters on its backpack that could give the mobile suit a brief but tremendous increase in overall thruster output. The solid rocket boosters units are also compatible to other Zeon MS, such as MS-14D Desert Gelgoog.


 * External Auxiliary Reactor

History
Many of the older F-Types were retrofitted into the improved F2 Type because of the cost effectiveness in doing so. The MS-06F2 Zaku II F2 Type served until the war ended in U.C. 0080. Zaku II F2 Types were used extensively by the Delaz Fleet during Operation Stardust in U.C. 0083. A few of the units even fell into the Federation's hands and were used for pilot training squads. After Operation Stardust, many F2 Types were retired from service.

Variants

 * MS-06F2/B Zaku II "Gouf Imitate"
 * GPB-06F Super Zaku Custom F2000

Notes and Trivia

 * In the video game Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front, the Zaku II F2 team can optionally equip a beam rifle, which is an error as Zaku types are unable to use beam weaponry.