The MSΖ-006 Zeta Gundam (MSΖ-006 Ζゼータ ガンダム?) is the titular mobile suit of the Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam television series and also featured in the Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ television series. It was piloted by one of its designers, Kamille Bidan, during the Gryps Conflict [3][4], and then Judau Ashta in the First Neo Zeon War.
The Zeta Gundam is a high-performance, next-generation MS constructed by Anaheim Electronics in partnership with the AEUG as part of the "Project Zeta". This project aimed to develop a transformable mobile suit capable of operating in space and on earth, but it stagnated due to problems with the strength of the movable frame. Progress was later made when Anaheim Electronics studied the movable frame of the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II units stolen by AEUG from the Titans.
The main feature of the Zeta Gundam is its ability to instantly transform into a streamlined Waverider mode, which can fly at high speed in space as well as in the atmosphere. The Zeta Gundam can also function as a sub-flight system in this mode, carrying another mobile suit on its top surface. Furthermore, this mode also allows the Zeta Gundam to ride the shockwaves of atmospheric re-entry, thus it can enter the atmosphere without the use of the Ballute System, a bowl-shaped balloon parachute that protects a mobile suit from the friction heat of atmospheric entry. This atmospheric re-entry capability is thanks to the incorporation of the Flying Armor into the mobile suit's back (bottom in waverider mode), which is developed using the data of the Gundam Mk-II's FXA-00 Flying Armor.
The Zeta Gundam is armored with the new lightweight Gundarium Gamma alloy, and has a variety of weaponry that includes two head-mounted vulcan guns, two beam sabers stored in the side armor that function as beam guns in Waverider mode, two forearm-mounted grenade launchers, a beam rifle with retractable barrel, and a shield. When higher firepower is required, it can use the powerful hyper mega launcher. The Zeta Gundam is also one of the first mobile suit to use the Bio-Sensor, a variant of the Psycommu system that allows a Newtype pilot to more easily interface with his mobile suit via mental commands.
The Zeta Gundam is said to have received various upgrades from its initial model, such as the Initial Model + Wave Shooter, mid-model (major upgrade done in December UC 0087, most notable change being the rear skirt thrusters and addition of forearm grenade hatches) and the late model (final upgrade made in March UC 0088 consisting of Zeta Plus parts).
