The RGM-96X Jesta is a specialized escort and special operations mobile suit featured in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. The RGM-96X is based on the RGM-89 Jegan and is used by the Earth Federation.
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Technology & Combat Characteristics
The Jesta is a high performance special operations mobile suit of the Jegan series developed by Anaheim Electronics to escort the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam, as the Unicorn Gundam's operating time in its Destroy Mode is limited. Furthermore, aside from escorting the Unicorn Gundam, the Jesta's intended mission is to dispatch ordinary enemy forces. By eliminating ordinary non-Newtype enemy forces, the Jesta attempts to produce "situations" in which the Unicorn Gundam can directly confront and destroy enemy Newtype weapons.
The Jesta is fitted with a redesigned backpack capable of tremendous thrust for the sake of keeping up with the Unicorn Gundam. Although the Jesta's weapon loadout is similar to the Jegan's, the Jesta features improved and more advanced weapons. Examples of the Jesta's superior armaments include the Jesta's more advanced beam rifle and backpack-mounted movable shield, which like the Jegan's arm-mounted shield, contains four missiles. In addition to having more advanced weaponry over the Jegan, the Jesta also has three spare magazines for the beam rifle mounted on the unit's right forearm, and a beam saber on its left forearm for easier access.
Despite the fact that the Jesta is intended to be an escort unit, its performance surpasses most Federation mobile suits of its time, overwhelmingly exceeding the Jegan type of the same period, and the performance reaches 90% of the ν Gundam. The Jesta is essentially a product of the UC Project, however this fact has been kept hidden even within the Earth Federation military organization.
Armaments
- Vulcan Pod System
- Mounted on the head, it contains a 60mm vulcan gun and is similar to the one used by the RGM-89 Jegan. The mounted vulcan gun has low firepower but a high rate of fire, it is extremely effective at restraining enemy machines, and can destroy the camera, sensors and joints of enemy machine at very close range.
- Hand Grenade
- Three hand grenades are carried in each of the grenade racks mounted on the side of the waist. These throwing weapons are similar to the ones used by the Jegan, and can be launched directly from the rack, functioning as self-propelled projectiles.
- Beam Saber
- The standard close range armament for most Federation mobile suits. The beam saber is a small cylindrical device held in the mobile suit's hands when operated and is powered by a rechargeable energy capacitor. It emits a blade of plasma contained by an I-Field and is capable of cutting through almost any metal not treated with anti-beam coating. The Jesta has a beam saber stored on the mobile suit's left forearm.
- Beam Rifle
- A custom beam rifle with excellent rate of fire, it is longer than the usual beam rifle due to the installation of the acceleration/deflection device. Besides the normal firing mode, it also has a beam machine gun-like rapid fire mode. Accuracy can be improved by holding the rifle in a two-handed manner via the main and fore grip, and expansion parts can be fitted to grant additional capabilities. Like other beam weapons, the beam rifle's shots can penetrate any armor not treated with specific counter-measures. The Jesta's beam rifle uses the same magazine connector as the Jegan and ReZEL's rifles, and three spare magazine are stored on the right forearm. If required, Jesta can still use the standard beam rifle used by the Jegan.
- Shield
- A basic defense armament for many Federation mobile suits. The shield is a thick sheet of armor designed to take severe punishment that would normally destroy a mobile suit, and is also treated with an anti-beam coating to withstand several beam shots before the coating wears off. Typically, physical shields can only take so much damage before they succumb to the pressure and break. The Jesta's shield is mounted on a moveable arm attached to the backpack, and is positioned over the back while the mobile suit was on a sub-flight unit.
- 2-tube Missile Launcher
- Similar to the Jegan's shield, the Jesta's shield also possesses minor offensive capabilities as it is built with two 2-tube missile launchers. These missiles are not very effective against large ships, but are ideal mid-range anti-mobile suit weapons.
History
In UC 0096, 12 RGM-96X Jesta units are assigned to the Ra Cailum mobile suit team for testing and evaluation, including the Londo Bell and its elite MS team, the Tri-Stars. The same year, three Jesta units, piloted by the Londo Bell "Tri-Star" team were deployed on Base Jabbers during the Zeon assault on Torrington Base. The three Jesta units along with other Federation forces pushed back and eventually destroyed the Zeon attackers.
Variants
Picture Gallery
Gunpla
Gashapon
Notes and Trivia
References
External links
