User:Jtrainor/F90 series

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The F90 Gundam Formula 90 is a fictional mobile suit from the series of Mobile Suit Gundam F90 model kits, later adapted into manga.

Although it had been over fifteen years since the last notable spacenoid uprising, the Earth Federation Forces, being mindful to maintain its military strength while keeping operating costs down due to the lack of a real "threat", initiated a new mobile suit development program to meet this low-cost need. Rather than going to an outside civilian contractor (such as Anaheim Electronics, which had had a virtual monopoly on mobile suit production at one point), the EFF instead established their own in-house development thinktank, called the Strategic Naval Research Institute (or "SNRI", for short), which was administered by the military but staffed by civilian scientists and engineers.

SNRI's first task was to develop a smaller, lighter, and more efficient mobile suit which could be adopted to various mission roles. Under the flag of the "Formula Project", SNRI designed and rolled out the F90 Gundam "Formula 90". The Gundam F90 certainly filled the EFF's bill, weighing in at a mere 17.8 tons fully-loaded, packing enough rocket thrusters to achieve a maximum acceleration of 4.2g (41 m/s²), and equipped with 11 hardpoints all over its body, which would allow the Gundam to be equipped with a wide variety of external weapons, armor, or other equipment. Despite its slightly smaller size and lighter weight, the F90 still carryied a standard armament of vulcan guns, beam sabers, a beam rifle, and a shield in its "basic" configuration. However, the hardpoints - and the vast array of new weapons and equipment designed to be mounted on them - allowed for as many as 26 different variations on the basic F90 frame, making this Gundam a true multi-role unit. Initially, two F90 units would be constructed for test flights and evaluations by the Earth Federation Forces' 13th Autonomous Fleet.

However, the timing of the Gundam F90's rollout could not have been a mere coincidence when a remnant Zeon force, calling themselves the "Oldsmobile Army", made its appearance. During a test flight near Side 4 on 28 October UC 0120, Gundam F90 Unit 2 was stolen by the Oldsmobile Army. This unit would be overhauled and deployed by the Oldsmobile Army, reconfigured into the OMS-90R Gundam F90. Although the EFF would soon put down this rebellion, it would cost them both F90 units in the end. However, development of the Gundam F90 would continue for at least two more years, until the development and deployment of the much more advanced Gundam F91.

[edit] Specifications

Model number: F90
Code name: Gundam F90
Unit type: prototype test mobile suit
Manufacturer: Strategic Naval Research Institute
Operator: Earth Federation Forces
Rollout: September UC 0111
Accommodation: pilot only, in panoramic monitor/linear seat cockpit in torso
Dimensions: head height 14.8 meters
Weight: empty 7.5 metric tons; max gross 17.8 metric tons
Construction: gundarium alloy/ceramic composite on movable frame
Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 3160 kW
Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 2 x 27,510 kgf (269.8 kN), 2 x 9,870 kgf (96.8 kN); vernier thrusters/apogee motors: 51
Performance: maximum thruster acceleration 4.20 g (41.2 m/s²)
Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown; 1hardpoint, used for mounting external weapons, armor, and equipment, 1 located on each leg, 1 located on each hip armor plate, 1 located on each front skirt armor plate, 1 located on each forearm, 1 located on each shoulder, 1 located on backpack; weapon mount, used to carry beam rifle or mega beam bazooka, located on rear skirt armor plate; A.R. (Amuro Ray) AI system
Fixed armaments: 2 x 60 mm vulcan cannon, fire-linked, mounted in head; 2 x beam saber, stored in recharge racks in backpack, hand-carried in use
Optional fixed armaments: shield, can be mounted on either forearm hardpoint or stored on backpack hardpoint
Optional hand armaments: beam rifle, powered by replaceable e-pac, can be stored on weapon mount; mega beam bazooka, powered by replaceable e-pac, can be stored on weapon mount