YMS-09D Dom Tropical Test Type

The YMS-09 Dom Tropical Test Type is a prototype Dom redesigned for more efficient performance in tropical environments.

Technologies and Combat Characteristics
Following the successful testing of the YMS-09 Prototype Dom at California Base, the Zeon began to mass-produce the MS-09 Dom. The design however had a flaw: it was especially difficult to maintain in certain environments, specifically in Earth's high temperature tropical zones. To attempt to come up with a solution, the Zimmad Company converted one of the two Prototype Doms into the YMS-09D Dom Tropical Test Type. The newly rebuilt and modified Dom Tropical Test Type mounted a coolant storage tank on its backpack to better regulate the mobile suit's temperature in the desert heat. This required the mount latch of the heat sword to be moved to a vertical position behind the left shoulder, as opposed to the original horizontal or diagonal positioning in other Dom models. The new Dom Tropical Test Type also featured a short-range communications antenna on its head.

These additional features helped the Dom Tropical Test Type maintain better combat efficiency in tropical climates.

Heat Saber
Like previous Zeon mobile suits the Dom is designed with a close range weapon based on heat rod technology. Its completely new heat saber bears a passing resemblance to a physical version of the beam saber of the Earth Federation's Gundam. It is a battery operated weapon stored on a back recharging rack.

360mm Giant Bazooka
For the Dom's 'hit hard and hit fast' attack philosophy it was given as its main weapon a magazine-fed bazooka with a ten round mag.

History
The desert warfare unit Caracal Corps, which was stationed in North Africa, would convert twelve of their Doms in such a manner, including the personal unit of Zeon ace pilot Major Roy Greenwood, whose Dom Tropical Test Type would be nicknamed "Thunder Cat" because of the lightning bolt designs on its frame. Advancements from the Dom Tropical Test Type would also later serve as the basis for the upgrades of the MS-09F/trop Dom Tropen.

The Dom Tropical Test Type was later adapted to create the MS-09KM Dom Cannon artillery support mobile suit, which equipped a pair of shell-firing cannons similar to those of the Federation's RX-77 Guncannon series.