The Izumo-class is a class of ship appearing in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny series.
Contents
Technology & Combat Characteristics
The Izumo-class was a class of battleship produced by Morgenroete Inc. and used by the Orb Union. The Izumo's design later served as the basis for the Earth Alliance's new Archangel-class assault ship, and thus both classes have similar bridge layout and weaponry. However, the Izumo-class has fewer weapons, featuring only four "Lohengrin" Positron Blaster Cannons, two Dual High-energy "Gottfried" Beam Cannons, twelve CIWS. On the other hand, the Izumo-class has a greater mobile suit carrying capacity, capable of carrying at least 10 mobile suits. Additionally, the Izumo-class can split into five modules that form three different parts: A, B and C.
Armaments
- "Lohengrin" Positron Blaster Cannon
- The strongest weapon of the Izumo-class is its four "Lohengrin" positron blaster cannons, which are retractable and mounted in the rear side sections. The cannons' beams can punch through enemy warships like the Nazca-class easily. Each cannon can fire individual blasts, or the two cannons on each side can fire a combined blast.
- "Gottfried" Mk 71 225cm Dual High-energy Beam Cannon
- Two "Gottfried" Mk 71 225cm Dual High-energy Beam Cannons are installed on rotating mount, allowing them to cover a wide firing angle. Mounted on the top and bottom of the battleship, the Izumo-class' Gottfrieds are retractable like the the Archangel-class'.
- "Igelstellung" 75mm Automatic Multi-barrel CIWS
- A number of "Igelstellung" 75mm Automatic Multi-barrel CIWS guns are spread over the hull of the ship so as to cover a maximum number of approaches. These shell-firing weapons are used to shoot down incoming missiles or enemy units.
Special Equipment & Features
- Modular Design
- The Izumo-class has the ability to split into three parts: Part A (the combination of the two flat front modules), Part B (the central module), and Part C (the combination of the two rear side modules). Only Part B is used for atmospheric entry and launches back into space, and once in orbit, it docks with the other parts to form the whole ship. During atmospheric exit, Part B is fitted with a special cover. Due to its lower mass compared to the whole ship, Part B can easily be sent up into space using a Mass Driver, making transport between planet and space much more cost-efficient.
- Plasma Booster
- A reusable external booster designed to help the Izumo-class launch into space without the use of a Mass Driver. Once the vessel has reached the desired velocity, the plasma boosters detach and return independently to Earth. These boosters were used by the Archangel in CE 71 when it launches into space from the Orb Union.
History
The Izumo-class battleships are powerful warships of the Orb Union created some time before CE 71. When the Earth Alliance started their G Project, they also planned to create a mobile suit carrier ship, for which the Izumo-class became the basis. The result was the Archangel-class. At least four Izumo-class ships were built.
Izumo
The original ship of the Izumo-class and namesake of the class belongs to Orb's Sahaku family. It is first used by Rondo Gina Sahaku as his base of operations. Gina planned to strengthen Orb's position by playing the Earth Alliance and ZAFT against each other. He was however later killed by Gai Murakumo. Afterward, Gina's twin sister - Rondo Mina Sahaku took control of the Izumo.
Kusanagi
This ship belongs to the Athha family and was used in CE 71 by Cagalli Yula Athha and Ledonir Kisaka to escape the invasion of Orb by the Earth Alliance. The ship, together with the Archangel and FFMH-Y101 Eternal, formed the Three Ships Alliance to end the First Alliance-PLANT War. The Kusanagi took part in the battles at the Mendel colony as well as destroying the Vesalius, and the final battle of the war, in which it attempted to destroy the GENESIS super weapon.
During the Second Alliance-PLANT War, the Kusanagi and two other Izumo-class ships depart from Copernicus city on the moon to join up with the other ships of the former Three Ships Alliance as well as renegade units of the Earth Alliance and ZAFT to stop ZAFT forces, who had just fired the Requiem at the Earth Alliance's Arzachel lunar base. The Kusanagi fired its Lohengrins at the Requiem only to have it blocked by multiple Positron Reflector shields deployed over the mouth of the moon-based superweapon. The Kusanagi survived the final battle around the Mobile Space Fortress Messiah despite being targeted twice by the Neo-GENESIS laser system aboard the fortress.
Other Ships
Two more ships of the Izumo-class are seen during the Second Alliance-PLANT War, and they are known as the Susanoo and Tsukyomi. The two ships, together with the Kusanagi, were used to attack the Requiem cannon. However, their Lohengrin cannons proved ineffective against the positron reflectors around the Requiem. All Izumo-class, along with the Archangel and the Eternal were able to avoid the blast from Neo-GENESIS.
Gallery
Trivia
- The name "Izumo" comes from a region of Japan which is believed to be the place where the Storm god Susanowo descended to Earth when banished from heaven. Coincidentally, Izumo is a name used several times in the Japanese Navy, with a 1896 cruiser and a modern helicopter carrier bearing this name.
- Kusanagi is the second name of the sword, the Ame-no-Murakumo, which Susanoo pulled from the tail of the slain Yamato no Orochi and presented to his sister, the Sun goddess Amaterasu, as a reconciliation gift. Kusanagi is the sword of the Japanese Imperial regalia.
- Susanoo is the Shinto god of the sea and storms.
- Tsukyomi, also spelled Tsukuyomi, is the god of the moon in Shinto mythology.
- Kusanagi never appeared in any Super Robot Wars series. It is usually replaced by another ship from other series (such as the Nadesico from Martian Successor Nadesico series in Super Robot Wars J and Super Robot Wars W) as the part of the Three Ships Alliance.
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