MS-06D Zaku Desert Type

The MS-06D Zaku Desert Type is a mass produced desert combat mobile suit, and is one of many variants of the standard MS-06 Zaku II created and used by the Principality of Zeon during the One Year War.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
During the One Year War, the battlefield shifted from space to Earth after the signing of the Antarctic Treaty. Because of Earth's many different terrains and environments, the Principality of Zeon had to adjust their mass production MS-06J Zaku II Ground Type model to be more suitable in the varying climates.

Developed in the captured Earth Federation California Base, the MS-06D Zaku Desert Type, also known as the D-Type, was designed for Earth's desert and tropical regions. Early test units used a double antennae, but when Zeon finalized the mobile suit for mass production, they dropped it down to a single antenna. They also repainted the Zakus to a more sand-like color. The Zaku Desert Type featured several new features for its adaptation to the new climates. The biggest change was the replacement of the Zaku II's standard thruster jetpack with a heat-dissipating radiator backpack. The D-Type was thus fitted with jet thrusters in the legs and skirt armor so that it had a small boost in mobility.

Armaments

 * 40mm Vulcan Gun


 * Shoulder Shield


 * SA-712 Cracker Grenade
 * Identical to those used by infantry, the cracker grenade is an explosive weapons designed to be thrown or launched by the MS and detonate after a set amount of time.


 * M-120AS 120mm Machine Gun
 * A machine gun developed for the Zaku Desert Type. Changes from the M-120A1 model include shortened barrel and stock, and omission of the scope. Its handling properties are improved through the reduction in weight.


 * 3-tube Missile Pod


 * G92 Prefabricated Emplacement


 * P-3 2-tube Rocket Launcher

History
The D-Type was a great success. Overall, 114 MS-06D Zaku Desert Types were produced, with 43 two-antennae types and 71 single-antenna types. The Zaku Desert Type was well suited for its environment and operated very effectively. The Zaku D-Type would dominate Zeon's Earth forces in North Africa and the Middle East for many months until it was replaced by the more mobile and powerful MS-09F/trop Dom Tropen.

Variants

 * MS-06D Desert Zaku
 * Eight years later, surviving units were still known to be in operation, however now in the hands of the Neo Zeon forces operating in Africa. These units were further upgraded to advancements in technology since the One Year War, and now bear a resemblance to that of the AMX-011 Zaku III.