RX-79BD-1 Blue Destiny Unit 1

The RX-79BD-1 Blue Destiny Unit 1 is a variant of the RX-79(G) Gundam Ground Type. It first appeared in Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: The Blue Destiny. It was piloted by Yuu Kajima.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The Blue Destiny Unit 1 featured a GM head instead of a standard Gundam head. This head contains the EXAM system and was transferred from the first EXAM System test machine, which was based on a RGM-79(G) GM Ground Type. Though in many ways similar to its base machine, the RX-79(G) Gundam Ground Type, Blue Destiny Unit 1 was quite a bit different in other ways, particularly in its armament. Similar to the RX-79[G], the Unit 1 featured its beam sabers in the legs and carried the same spiked shield. However, the single "multi-launcher" on the chest Gundam Ground Type had been upgraded into twin chest missiles and machine guns. Although the suit was often equipped with a standard 100mm machine gun, it likely has no problem using a beam rifle like the Gundam Ground Type.

Armaments

 * Head Vulcan Gun
 * Blue Destiny Unit 1 was armed with Vulcan Guns mounted on the head. These vulcan guns are used to intercept incoming missiles and enemy units at close range.


 * 60mm Chest Vulcan Gun
 * One of two upgraded weapons of Blue Destiny. This weapon was mounted on each side of its cockpit. These shell firing weapons have a high-rate of fire but have little power and can't damage the thick armor of a mobile suit, though it can damage lightly armored areas such as the sensors. The weapons are ideal for shooting down small, fast moving, lightly armored targets such as missiles, small land vehicles, and attack helicopters.


 * Chest Wired-Control Missile
 * One of two upgraded weapons of Blue Destiny. They were mounted on the sides of the abdomen and can function under Minovsky particle interference.


 * NF·GMG-Type.37/100mm Machine Gun
 * The standard armament for Federation mobile suit ground forces, the Type 37 is an open-bolt, gas-operated, magazine-fed, mobile suit handheld machine gun. It fires a 100x450 millimeter round at a rate of 500 rounds per minute and is loaded with a 20-round box magazine. Features include a folding stock and swivel forward hand grip. Accuracy is limited due to the aiming from regular iron sights and not a targeting sensor. Maximum effective range of 1.5 kilometers. The Type 37 cannot be used in space.


 * X.B.Sa-G-03 Beam Saber
 * The standard close range armament for most Federation mobile suits. The beam saber is a small cylindrical device held in the mobile suit's hands when operated and is powered by an energy capacitor that is recharged from special racks. The beam saber emits a blade of plasma contained by an I-Field and is capable of cutting through almost any metal that has not been treated with anti-beam coating. The RX-79BD-1 carries two beam sabers, that when not in use are stored in each lower leg in an internal recharging rack.


 * P.B.R-0079/A12 S-000011 Beam Rifle
 * A beam rifle that is unique in that it has an underbarrel rocket launcher with a loaded box magazine that can carry up to 3 rockets. The beam rifle itself is powered by an internal energy capacitor with an average charge of 15 rounds. Bore diameter of 150 millimeters. Mega particle range is limited in Earth's atmosphere. Maximum effective range of 2.0 kilometers. 60 RPM. Features include a forward swivel hand grip and 180 degree swivel narrow sensor.


 * NFHI·GMCa-type.09/180mm Cannon
 * The Type 09 artillery cannon fires a 180x800 millimeter HE round and is loaded with an eight (8) round box magazine. Maximum effective range 3.0 kilometers. Features include a swivel-out forward hand grip and top carrying handle.


 * RGM·S-Sh-WF/S-00116·Ap-A Shield
 * The Blue Destiny's defensive armament. Its shield is notably smaller though thicker, it is the same as the RX-79(G) Gundam Ground Type's, which allows for greater arm movement. Two notable features is the grip bar at the top of the shield and a pair of thick prong-like protrusions that can be used as a smashing weapon against enemy mobile suits.

Special Equipment & Features

 * EXAM Newtype Simulation Control System
 * A system that gave normal pilots the ability to mimic the power of Newtypes. While little is known about the mechanics of the system, the primary component is known to have been the captive soul of Newtype Marion Welch. The conflict of her soul with the bonds of the system made it extremely unstable and hard to control, to the point that the system - and the mobile suit - would sometimes go berserk. While under the influence of the EXAM System, the mobile suit's optical sensors would glow red.

History
While Zeon recognized the effectiveness of Newtypes in battle, they also realized that natural Newtypes were very rare. Zeon thus experimented with increasing the number of Newtype-class pilots in two ways:


 * Development of artificial Newtypes, which did not produce results until too late in the One Year War.
 * Development of control systems that would allow regular pilots to operate at Newtype skill levels.

Zeon researcher Professor Chlust Moses, as part of the latter program, developed the EXAM System and then defected to the Federation, bringing the EXAM technology with him. The Federation immediately began their own EXAM program, code named Blue Destiny, to take advantage of this technology. RX-79BD-1 Blue Destiny Unit 1, RX-79BD-2 Blue Destiny Unit 2, and RX-79BD-3 Blue Destiny Unit 3 were built from RX-79[G] units, though the RX-79BD-1 used a GM head, rather than a standard Gundam head.

The stress that EXAM exerts on the pilot, however, limited any widespread adoption. EXAM lead researcher Alf Chamara went through several test pilots until he found the perfect candidate in Federation test pilot Yuu Kajima. Kajima spearheaded the California Base assault in the RX-79BD-1, where he confronted the Zeon MS-08TX(EXAM) Efreet Custom, another EXAM mobile suit piloted by Zeon ace Major Nimbus Schterzen in combat, resulting in the destruction of both the RX-79BD-1 and the MS-08TX(EXAM). Development of the EXAM System continued with the Gundam Blue Destiny Units 2 and 3.