Zanzibar-class

In the Universal Century Gundam universe, the Zanzibar-class mobile cruiser is a carrier utilized by the Principality of Zeon. These ships are functionally equivalent to the Earth Federal Space Force's Pegasus class assault carriers, and fill a similar role in the battlefield.

The Zanzibar class is designed for mobile suit transportation, and as such the ship relies on its mobile suits for most of its offensive and defensive power. This is also the only Zeon ship that can undergo atmopheric re-entry and return to space. Unlike the Federation's Pegasus-class ships, the Zanzibar class does not have an integrated Minovsky Craft system, so it must depend on sustained thrust to operate. These ships have appeared several times, usually in support of major operations. Some were even used as flagships by high ranking Zeon members (like Rear Admiral Kycilia Zabi) when a battleship was unavaible or ill-suited for the role. Perhaps the most creative use of a Zanzibar class ship was in MS Gundam: The 08th MS Team, when Ginias Sahalin used one as a powerplant for his Southeast Asia base. Also some of the Zanzibar ' s had been modified to replace the hangar space of four of their mobile suits by a mobile armor. It was more balanced in terms of weapons, since it was equipped with machinegun turrets for point defense. But Zeon space commanders were not as eager to use the class since the Zeon space navy had been built around mobile suit transporation and combat; additionally, the Zanzibar ' s were more expensive so the Zanzibar-class ships took a back seat to the Musai.

One detail that is easily overlooked are the Zanzibar's two Giant Missile Tubes which are probably used for Anti-Ship work. They are removed in the Zanzibar II refit to allow for more Armor Plating and additional mountings of two-barrel beam turrets.

In the strategy game series Gihren's Greed, the Zanzibar is one of the most expensive vessels the Zeon forces can build, but on the other hand it is arguably the most useful as well. As it can enter the Earth's atmosphere independently, it can be used to spearhead land-drop operations and function as a supplier for the mobile suit forces (as opposed to relying solely on HLVs which, in addition to being defenseless, do not resupply units.

Zanzibar II class
At least one Zanzibar class ship, the Lili Marleen, was refit for use as a flagship for the Cima Fleet during Aiguille Delaz's Operation Stardust. The Lili Marleen gained an addition four two-barrel beam turrets which made the ship as powerful as a Federation's Magellan battleship. It was capable of carrying eight mobile suits, and as the original, it could replace four mobile suits by a mobile armor on its hangar. It was also capable of better atmospheric flight due to a more aerodynamic design and the increase of its engines power.

The Lili Marleen was destroyed during the final phase of Operation: Stardust by the Federation's experimental Mobile Armor, the RX-78GP03 Gundam Dendrobium Orchis.

Zanzibar class ships are seen in Mobile Suit Gundam, The 08th MS, and Gundam 0083.