Chibe class (final production type)

Class: Chibe (final production type)
Ships of the line: Graf Zeppelin, Tikal
Unit type: battleship
Manufacturer: Principality of Zeon
Operator: Principality of Zeon
First deployment: UC 0079
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
Propulsion: unknown
Equipment and design features:sensors, range unknown
Fixed armaments: 2 x 3-barrel mega particle gun, mounted on forward and midship sections
Mobile suits: minimum capacity 8, maximum capacity unknown

At the outbreak of the One Year War, the Chibe class heavy cruiser was one of the oldest ships in the Zeon arsenal, and its abilities were substandard compared to the new Musai and Gwazine class ships. Introduced late in the One Year War, the final production type was designed as a replacement for the aging Chibe. Although the Chibe mounted the same triple-mount mega particle gun turrets, the final production type was designed in accordance with One Year War Zeon doctrine centering around mobile suits. As a result, it featured improved mobile suit launching facilities, though like most other Zeon warships, lacked a catapult system. The final production type also featured improved speed over its predecessor, due a larger and more streamlined engine section. Very few of these improved vessels were built, with one ship, the Graf Zeppelin, being assigned to Von Helsing of the Zeon Special Forces unit at Granada. Von Helsing was under orders from Col. Killing to destroy Side 6’s Libot Colony with a nuclear missile as punishment for allowing them to develop the RX-78NT-1 Gundam NT-1 Alex. The attack failed, and Libot was ultimately spared from destruction.

Captain: Von Helsing (Graf Zeppelin)
First appearance: Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket
Original mechanical designer: Yutaka Izubuchi

Rear view