The Public-class is a space assault ship that appears in the Mobile Suit Gundam anime series.
Contents
Technology & Combat Characteristics
At the outbreak of the One Year War, the Earth Federation's Space Force suffered heavy losses at the hands of the Principality of Zeon's mobile suits, such as the MS-05 Zaku I and MS-06 Zaku II. To counter the fast and maneuverable mobile suits, the Earth Federation developed the Public-class as a simple gunboat which would support the main fleet of Salamis-class cruisers and Magellan-class battleships. The Public-class featured a simple design with its main armament being a pair of large capital ship-grade missiles to be used in hit-and-run attacks. These missiles could also be replaced with beam diffusion missiles. The ship was equipped with a large booster at the rear, which exerted high thrust in order for the vessel to retreat after it has fired its missiles. However, while extremely fast, these ships were possessed poor armor and maneuverability.
Armaments
- Large Missile
- The Public-class' main armament is a pair of large missiles for use against large targets such as enemy capital ships.
- Beam Diffusion Missile
- The Public-class could optionally be equipped with a pair of beam diffusion missiles in place of the standard ones. The missiles contain particles which when dispersed formed a curtain which diffused beam attacks. While intended to defend against enemy attacks, the curtain neutralized the beam weapons of enemy and ally alike. However, to effectively use the weapon the Public-class had to be in the enemy's line of fire, resulting in many of the vessels being shot down.
- Six-tube Missile Launcher
- A six-tube missile launcher is mounted on each side of the Public-class.
History
The Public-class was useful during the Battle of Solomon, when these ships deployed a beam diffusion curtain, allowing some of the Federation's dedicated fighting vessels to close in on the space fortress. The Public-class was also utilized during the Battle of A Baoa Qu, although they were far less successful in their ploy to create a beam diffusion curtain.
Gallery
Notes & Trivia
- The gunboat pilots are best known for saying the phrase, "Public Units Launching!" before firing their missiles.
- In the game Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space, the Public has 4 nose-mounted machine guns.
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