FA-78-2 Heavy Gundam

The FA-78-2 Heavy Gundam, like the FA-78-1 Gundam Full Armor Type, never appeared in any actual animated form, but it is an official MS-X mobile suit variation.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
Although the FA-78-1 Gundam Full Armor Type was deemed to be a design failure while it was still in the planning phases, the Earth Federation continued to design new upgrades to for the RX-78-2 Gundam under Full-Armor System and Weapon System (FSWS) program. The most successful concept to come out of the project was the design of the Heavy Gundam. Instead of adding supplemental external armor and weapons modules to a pre-existing mobile suit as the Gundam Full Armor Type did, the Heavy Gundam was an entirely new mobile suit built from the ground up. This reduced some of the weight issues the original design suffered, and allowed for the unit to have thicker and sturdier armor as well.

The Heavy Gundam also borrowed the shoulder-mounted rocket cannon from the Gundam Full Armor Type, but also added in a beam saber over the opposite shoulder for use in close combat situations. The concept of rocket launchers in the shoulders and knees was removed all together, and the Heavy Gundam was instead given a special gun that mounted over the right fore-arm called a "heavy launcher." The Heavy Gundam's heavy launcher incorporated both a large Gatling gun and a four-tube missile launcher, making it a useful long-range weapon.

Armaments

 * Cannon
 * Beam Saber
 * Heavy Launcher

History
Only one prototype Heavy Gundam would be built, as development of new Gundam upgrades was ended in November of Universal Century 0079. But the Heavy Gundam's design was still successful as it had overcome all of the weight and mobility problems that had plagued the Gundam Full Armor Type. The lone Heavy Gundam prototype would see action at least once, piloted by Colonel Den Berserk when the Earth Federation Forces captured the Zeon asteroid fortress of Pezun.