RGC-83 GM Cannon II

Technical Data and General Information

Model number: RGC-83 Code name: GM Cannon II Unit type: mass production general purpose mid-range support mobile suit Manufacturer: Earth Federal Forces Operator: Earth Federal Forces First deployment: UC 0083 Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in main body Dimensions: overall height 20.0 meters; head height 18.0 meters Weight: empty 47.3 metric tons; max gross 66.9 metric tons Construction: titanium/ceramic composite on semi-monocoque frame Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 1420 kW Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 4 x 13000 kg, 4 x 1870 kg Performance: maximum thruster acceleration 0.89 G; 180-degree turn time 1.6 seconds Equipment and design features: sensors, range 6300 meters Fixed armaments: 2 x 60 mm vulcan gun, fire-linked, mounted in head; beam saber, power rated at 0.38 MW, stored in recharge rack in left forearm, hand-carried in use; 2 x beam cannon, mounted in backpack over shoulders Optional fixed armaments: shield, mounted on either forearm Optional hand armaments: 90 mm GM rifle, clip-fed, 30 rounds per clip, 2 spare clips stored in shield

Technical and Historical Notes

In the last weeks of the One Year War, the Earth Federal Forces developed a much-needed medium-range fire support variant of its standard RGM-79 GM mobile suit. The result was the RGC-80 GM Cannon, but its late introduction into the war resulted in a rather limited production run. Following the war's end, the Earth Federal Forces began a massive reconstruction of its military, and one of their latest GM models, the RGM-79N GM Custom, served as the basis for the new RGC-83 GM Cannon II. The GM Cannon II, with its pair of shoulder-mounted beam cannons, more closely resembled the RX-77-2 Guncannon prototype from the war than it did the original RGC-80 GM Cannon. It carried the same standard GM rifle and shield as the GM Custom, and incorporated a more powerful generator to charge its beam cannons. The GM Cannon II was also armored with a thick layer of chobham armor, the same experimental armor tested on the RX-78NT-1 Gundam "Alex" near the end of the One Year War. However, this massive armor application greatly reduced the GM Cannon II's speed and mobility. The GM Cannon II did see limited production and deployment in UC 0083, with two units stationed aboard the assault carrier Albion during the Delaz Fleet's "Operation Stardust