Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team

The RGM-79[G] GM Ground Type is a ground based predecessor to the RGM-79 GM. It first appeared in Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team. An early prototype of the Earth Federation Forces' mobile suit mass production project, the GM Ground Type was developed before the RX-78-2 Gundam's operational data was recovered. Even though it was only able to operate on Earth, its internal parts were all tuned for ground combat, and it was equipped with Luna Titanium armor, causing its mobility, maneuverability, and general performance to surpass the later RGM-79 GM.It is said that its performance under gravity even rivals that of the RX-78.The GM Ground Type was a simplified version of the RX-79[G] Gundam Ground Type, and produced using the same production line.Compared to the Gundam Ground Type, the GM Ground Type omitted the chest-mounted Vulcan gun and multi-launcher, the weapon container mount on the backpack, and was equipped with a less powerful generator.It also did not incorporate parts from the RX-78 series, though its head unit was similar in specs to that of the RX-78's.Since it was produced after the production format was established, its ease of production, ease of maintenance and availability of parts were all greater than its predecessor.Due to its use of Luna Titanium alloy, it was unsuited for mass production and produced in limited numbers. However, the GM Ground Type was important in establishing the EFF's mobile suit production framework. The operational data it collected contributed to the development of later mobile suits.Finally, the basic structure of its head was later inherited by the RGM-79 GM, becoming the iconic face of Federation mass production mobile suits.

The RGM-79 GM (aka GM, pronounced Jim) was the first mass-produced mobile suit of the Earth Federation. It first appears in Mobile Suit Gundam. The RGM-79 GM is a mass-produced mobile suit based on the RX-78-2 Gundam. Its basic frame is easily adaptable to modifications into mission specific GM models, and has a fairly high level of mobility, for the time, both on Earth and in space. It has a maximum acceleration of 0.94 Gs in space, which is better than the Gundam's and roughly twice of the Zaku's. On Earth's surface, the GM is also faster than the Zaku II. The armor of the GM uses Titanium Alloy, a sturdy metal that could be refined more quickly and easily than the Gundam's Luna Titanium Alloy. Although titanium alloy is less durable than Luna Titanium, it is also slightly lighter which reduces the GM's overall mass compared to the Gundam's and is still superior to the Zaku II's super-high tensile steel armor. The GM was primarily armed with a beam spray gun, a less powerful version of the Gundam's beam rifle but could still destroy MS in one shot. Early in production, the beam spray gun had yet to be mass-produced so most GMs were equipped with various machine guns. These machine guns continued to be used by the GMs later, and the machine could also use the Gundam's beam rifle when required. It could also use a mass production version of the Gundam's Hyper Bazooka for heavier firepower. For close combat, the GM has a beam saber, and a shield similar to the one used by the Gundam. Commander units sometimes featured a second beam saber. Lastly, the GM has a pair of head-mounted 60mm vulcan guns for intercepting missiles, small vehicles or to stop enemy MS from closing in. From the GM started the RGM series that remained the mainstay of the Federation's mass production mobile suits until the end of the Federation itself.