Mobile weapon sensors
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- This page is about the sensors used on Mobile weapons of the Gundam Universe of the Universal Century timeline. If you are looking for real life military sensors, try sensor, Radar and Sonar
Due to the Minovsky Particles, radar waves are no longer useful for tracking enemy units. This shortens the range of encounter by a great distance and optical sensors of visible light have to be designed for close-range encounters.
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[edit] Main Sensor systems
Two major optical designs were used throughout the Universal Century timeline. One is the Mono-eye system and the other is not named but widely known as Gundam head. Since the sensing range will increase in ground combat if the sensors are located in a higher position, mobile suits normally have them installed on the head. Additional sensors other than optical sensors were used and called multi-sensor and radar gun in some special operation units. These have impacted the use of similar sensors in other Gundam universes.
[edit] Mono-eye system
The Mono-eye system was first introduced by Zeon manufacturers used on working machines. The system consist of a main optical sensor (main camera) mounted on a rail system so that the sensor could freely slide on the rail to increase the sensing angle. The Mono-eye system usually comes with many smaller sensors all over the body of the installed unit as secondary optical sensors in case of damage on the main sensor. In order to capture the distance of the objects, two pictures taken by the Mono-eye have to be processed and compared.
[edit] History
The history of the Mono-eye system could be traced back before the One Year War. The system was used briefly on the working units manufactured by the Zeonic company of Zeon and (after enough testing and verification was done) then widely used on military models. The first military model known to have the system installed is MS-04. It is known that MS-01 does not have it installed but MS-02 and MS-03 was never released so that no body can tell if they have the system or not. On MS-07C-5 (Prototype of MS-09 Dom) Zimmad company slightly modified the system so that it slides on a dual rail system to be able to increase the angle in the vertical direction as well as the horizontal direction.
Later models mobile weapons sometimes will have two or more Mono-eye system in order to have an even wider sensing angle. An example would be AMX-004 Qubeley which mounter two Mono-eye systems in the head, resembling glowing pupils when viewed from a distance.
[edit] Gundam head
The Gundam head system was first integrated in RRf-06 Zanny which is model by Earth Federation Space Forces on Lunar 2 after the capturing of the Zeon mobile Suit MS-06C Zaku II by adding a lot of Earth Federation parts on it. The system consist of a fixed main optical sensor (main camera) mounted on the forehead and two secondary optical sensors for tracking the distance of the object. The system usually also comes with many smaller sensors all over the body of the installed unit as sub-sensors in case of damage on the main sensors. The main, forehead-mounted sensor is usually a square piece with the optical, as well as the doppler radar, integrated into it. The two secondary sensors are visible on the Gundam type mobile suits, with shield in front on the GM type mobile suits. There is also a camera located in the back of the head used to obtain images from the back of the Mobile Suit.
[edit] History
The history of the Gundam head system evolved from RRf-06 Zanny to RX-77 Guncannon then to the RX-78-2 Gundam where it is widely known (since it is the first time with the two secondary sensors clearly seen). The system is used on many future models including, but not limited to, Gundams of similar design and Mass-production type models like GMs, Nemos, and Jegans.
[edit] Trivia
- Not all Gundams are equipped with such system. There is a Mono-eye Gundam series manufactured in the Wonder Swan game Mono Eye Gundam.
- In the animated series, even though they have the same system, the RGM-79's actually installed the RX-77 head instead of the RX-78 head due to its price. This gives the RGM-79 a longer sensing range but slower motion capturing ability since the RX-77 is a middle range support unit unlike the short range combat RX-78.
- In the novelization of the series, the GM's full visor outperformed the Gundam's sensor. Since the visor is merely protecting the secondary sensors, however, the difference in performance must be in the sensor itself.
[edit] Radar Gun
The radar gun is an armament of EWAC (Early Warning And Control, generally called AWACS Airborne/Advanced Warning And Control System nowadays) and Reconnaissance units. They featured overwelmingly high power output radar waves in order to overcome the ECM effects of the Minosky particles. Units equipped with the radar gun have limited radar tracking functions but due to its radar signal emission, it could easily be found by the enemies. Therefore, similar units in the UC timeline are equipped with certain level of armament in order to force their way through enemy defences before they can gather information.
[edit] Camera Gun
Similar to the Radar gun a Camera gun is used in EWAC units. A Camera gun is used for long range reconnaissance missions. It provides more stealth than its radar counterpart.
[edit] Multi-sensor
A multi-sensor system is normally installed on special operation units like GP03, MSA-0011(Bst) Plan 303E Deep Striker and EWAC Nero. These sensors integrated different types of sensor systems (mainly sensing different wave length Electromagnetic waves and Doppler radar) in order to increase the enemy detection rate and range. In this case, the multi-sensor will become the main sensor of the unit and the Mono-eye or Gundam head will become a secondary system. Although opposite to the plot sequence, this sensor was first designed on EWAC Nero by Katoki Hajime as an unofficial system according to Gundam Sentinel.
[edit] Sub sensor systems
The Sub sensor systems are used for assisting the main sensors for more viewing angles and/or faster capture of images. There are 3 major purposes and therefore 3 major types of Sub sensor systems in the Gundam Universe.
[edit] Back up sensors
The back up sensors are built into the body of the mobile weapons in case of damage of the main systems. They are installed all over the body to prevent them being a clear target for the enemy to destroy. Even low cost mass-production units have them installed. In the first episode of Mobile Suit Gundam, an MS-06 Zaku II had its head damage and the pilot was still able to say It doesn't matter, it is just the main camera. shows the importance of a subsystem other than the clear target like the head of a mobile suit. This have become a norm in a lot of other Real Robot series that was made after Mobile Suit Gundam, according to Dengeki Hobby magazine model reviews.
[edit] 270/360-degree sensors
After the One Year War, 270/360-degree panoramic monitors have started to make its appearance into mobile weapons. This type of monitor have screens built around the pilot and showing views from all sides. Therefore, a system is needed to capture visual data from outside the mobile weapons. The 270/360-degree sensors was used for this purpose. The captured data is then rendered along with the data collected by the main sensor and displayed onto the 270/360-degree monitor. The panoramic systems can also display simulated beam not generated by the beam sabres and beam rifles as well as the supposedly damaged parts in a combat simulation. Originally designed by Nagano Mamoru in the Zeta Gundam series, it is later used in his own story Five Star Story and stated 270-degree monitors are as effective as it can get, 360-degree monitors are not any more effective.
[edit] Aiming sensors
Due to the nature of mobile suits, it is necessary for the hand weapons to use targeting systems as well. Almost all Hand-carried weapons require its own sensors built in for keeping track of targets. This is where the aiming sensors come into play. The aiming sensors are mounted like a scope (or simply built in like the back up sensors to make them a less obvious target) and the data received by the sensor is transferred to the mobile suit via a feed back system which instantly corrects the aiming. Therefore mobile suits do not need to line up their guns with they head's main sensors. However, there are units like the GM sniper Custom and GM sniper Custom II that will occasionally line them up in order to aim faster by detecting the straight line extended by the long sniper rifle.
[edit] Motion assisting sensors
The motion assisting sensors are installed for accurate and/or delicate motion of the mobile suits. For example, they are installed to detect the range between a weapon and the hand of the mobile suit in order to be able to correctly hold onto the weapon. These sensors are not used for enemy detection.
[edit] References
- Gundam Century, Minori, 22nd Sep, 1981.
- Gundam Century Renewal Version, ISBN / 4-87777-028-3, Kisousha, 15th Mar, 2000.
- (1981-09-22) Gekkan Out Bessatsu "Sora Kakeru Senshi-tachi Gundam Century". Minori Shobō. ISBN 4-87777-028-3. (ja)
- (1988-02-10) B-Club Special "Kidō Senshi Gundam MS Daizenshū". Bandai. ISBN 4-89189-336-2.
- (1988-10-01) B-Club Special "Kidō Senshi Gundam Shin MS Daizenshū". Bandai. ISBN 4-89189-050-9.
- (1991-06-30) B-Club Special "Kidō Senshi Gundam Shin MS Daizenshū Ver. 3.0". Bandai. ISBN 4-89189-225-0.
- (1998-05-15) MS Encyclopedia "Kidō Senshi Gundam MS Daizenshū 98". Mediaworks. ISBN 4-07-308519-0.
- (2003-04-10) Mobile Suit Illustrated 2003 "Kidō Senshi Gundam MS Daizenshū 2003". Mediaworks. ISBN 4-84-022339-4.
- (2006-05-15) Mobile Suit Illustrated 2006 "Kidō Senshi Gundam MS Daizenshū 2006". Mediaworks. ISBN 4-8402-3411-6.
- (1991-04-12) Tv Magazine Tokubetu Henshū "Kidō Senshi Gundam Daizenshū". Kōdansha. ISBN 4-06-178412-9.
- (2001-03-21) Kidō Senshi Gundam Kōshiki Hyakka Jiten "Gundam Officials". Kōdansha. ISBN 4-06-330110-9. (ja)
- Perfect Grade, Master Grade, High Grade Model Instruction Manual. Bandai.
- Dengeki Hobby Model magazine
- Five Star Story
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