RX-79BD-1 Blue Destiny Unit 1

RX-79BD-1 GM Blue Destiny Unit 1 is a variant to the RX-79(G) Gundam Ground Type. It first appeared in Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: The Blue Destiny.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
Unit 1 featured a GM head instead of a standard Gundam head. Though in many ways similar to its RX-79(G) Gundam Ground Type, GM 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 sporting a smaller generator than the RGM-79 GM, the Unit 1 may have had the generator power to use a beam rifle, though it was often equipped with a standard 100mm machinegun.

Armaments

 * Vulcan Gun


 * Chest Missile


 * Machine Gun


 * Beam Saber


 * Machine Gun


 * Beam Rifle

System Features

 * EXAM Newtype Simulation Control System

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 Morses, 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 GM 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, an 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.