Mobile Suit Model Numbers

Two decades ago, the original Mobile Suit Gundam television series identified the title robot by the goofy codename "Gundar X." Over the years, the assignment of mobile suit model numbers has become considerably more sophisticated. For your amusement and edification, here's an overview of what these cryptic code numbers really mean.

Anatomy of a Mobile Suit Designation

For this analysis, we'll borrow the vocabulary of U.S. military aircraft, the apparent inspiration for the Gundam saga's alphanumeric labels. In this terminology, the complete string of letters and numbers is referred to as the mobile suit's designation. The designation can be broken down into the following parts...

Type Code   Model Number Variant Code   Block Number MS - 06 R - 1

In the above example, we consider the Principality of Zeon's Zaku II High Mobility Type. Its type code and model number indicate that it's a general-purpose mobile suit, the sixth in its series - in short, the MS-06 Zaku II. The variant code and block number further identify this as the first version of the R type Zaku II. Such variant codes are often used to identify variations and customizations - such as "D" for desert, "K" for cannon, "M" for marine and so forth - but they're not always used consistently.

While most of the Gundam saga's organizations use designations similar to the above example, each uses its own characteristic type codes and numbering system. We'll discuss each in turn, below.

Earth Federal Forces

Federal Forces designations consist of a type code, model number, variant code, and block number. For mobile weapons, the type code begins with the letter "R," and the model number is the UC year in which development began. Fighter craft type codes begin with the letter "F," and the model number is simply a sequential number. Here are the known type codes, their apparent meanings, and examples.

Type Code Apparent Meaning Example RX Experimental mobile suit RX-78 Gundam RB Mobile pod RB-79 Ball RGC Mass-produced Guncannon RGC-80 GM Cannon RGM Mass-produced Gundam RGM-79 GM RGZ Mass-produced Zeta Gundam RGZ-91 Re-GZ RMS Mass-produced mobile suit RMS-106 Hizack RMV Mass-produced Guntank RMV-1 Guntank II FA Full armor type FA-78 Gundam Full Armor Type FF Fighter FF-X7 Core Fighter

In Zeta Gundam and ZZ Gundam - circa UC 0087 to UC 0089 - the Federal Forces briefly adopt a different model number scheme. In this system, the first two digits of the model number indicate where the mobile suit was developed, while the third digit indicates the sequential order. Thus, the RMS-106 Hizack is the sixth mobile suit type developed at Granada. Here are the available development codes...

Model Number Development Location Example 10* Granada RMS-106 Hizack 11* Luna II RMS-117 Galbaldy Beta 12* Konpei Island   13* Gate of Zedan RX-139 Hambrabi 14* Pezun RMS-142 Xeku Eins 15* New Guinea RMS-154 Barzam 16* Kilimanjaro RX-160 Byarlant 17* Gryps RX-178 Gundam Mark II 18* 19* Jaburo RMS-188MD Zaku Diver RMS-192M Zaku Mariner

Anaheim Electronics

Anaheim Electronics, though a contractor for many Federal Forces mobile suits, uses its own designation system for the mobile suits it constructs for the AEUG resistance group. The type codes of its mobile suits begin with "MS," followed by either the default "A" for "Anaheim," or the initial of a project or project supervisor. The model numbers indicate the order in which they were developed.

Type Code Apparent Meaning Example MSA Anaheim design MSA-003 Nemo MSF Kazumi Fujita design MSF-007 Gundam Mark III MSK Karaba design MSK-008 Dijeh MSN Mamoru Nagano design MSN-00100 Hyaku Shiki MSZ Project Zeta design MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam FXA Auxiliary vehicle FXA-05D G-Defenser

Newtype Labs

Mobile suits and mobile armors developed by the Earth Federation's newtype labs use a modified form of the RX type code, followed by a model number. It's implied that the artificial newtypes produced by these organizations are also catalogued in this fashion - at one point, artificial newtype Four Murasame is referred to by the designation MRX-004.

Type Code Manufacturer Example MRX Murasame Labs MRX-009 Psyco Gundam NRX Unidentified newtype labs NRX-044 Asshimar ORX Augusta Labs ORX-005 Gaplant

Paptimus Scirocco

The handmade mobile suits created by doublecrossing genius Paptimus Scirocco - a major character in Zeta Gundam - use the type code PMX, followed by a sequential model number. Curiously, the model numbers begin with zero, as Scirocco's first creation is the PMX-000 Messala.

Principality of Zeon

Zeon mobile weapons are identified by a type code, model number, variant code, and block number. As in the modern-day U.S. air force, prototype versions are designated with the status prefix "Y"; for example, the prototype version of the MS-14 Gelgoog is the YMS-14. Here are the observed type codes...

Type Code Apparent Meaning Example MS General-purpose mobile suit MS-06F Zaku II MSM Amphibious mobile suit MSM-03 Gogg MSN Newtype mobile suit MSN-02 Zeong MA General-purpose mobile armor MA-05 Bigro MAM Amphibious mobile armor MAM-07 Grabro MAN Newtype mobile armor MAN-08 Elmeth

Neo Zeon

The Axis (later known as Neo Zeon) forces in Zeta Gundam and Gundam ZZ use type codes beginning with "AM," followed by a sequential model number and optional variant code. Many of these model numbers are three-digit numbers that begin with a "1," which apparently indicates that they were created by a second design team. Thus, the AMX-003 Gaza C and AMX-103 Hamma Hamma are each the third product of their respective design teams. The second Neo Zeon movement featured in Char's Counterattack uses the same system, with the exception of the MSN-03 Jagd Doga and MSN-04 Sazabi, which continue the tradition of the Principality of Zeon's MSN-02 Zeong. Here are the known type codes...

Type Code Apparent Meaning Example AMX Axis mobile weapon AMX-003 Gaza C AMX-101 Galluss J AMS Axis mobile suit AMS-119 Geara Doga AMA Axis mobile armor AMA-01X Jamru Fin NZ Unknown NZ-000 Quin Mantha NZ-333 Alpha Azieru

Crossbone Vanguard

Gundam F91's Crossbone Vanguard use the type codes "XM" for mobile suits and "XMA" for mobile armors, followed by a sequential model number. For examples, see the XM-01 Den'an Zon and XMA-01 Rafflesia.

SNRI

The Earth Fderation's Strategic Naval Research Institute, or SNRI, uses a unique scheme for its Formula Project. Here, the first digit indicates the function of the mobile suit, and the second digit indicates the order of development.

Prefix Function Example F7* Long-range support type F71 G-Cannon F8* General-purpose type   F9* Advanced fighter type F91 Gundam

Jupiter Empire

The Jupiter Empire of Crossbone Gundam uses the prefixes "EMS" for mobile suits and "EMA" for mobile armors, where the "E" stands for Empire. Thus, the Jupiter Empire's standard mobile suit is the EMS-06 Batara, and among their mobile armor lineup is the EMA-04 Elefante.

League Militaire

Victory Gundam's League Militaire uses an unusual, and rather complex, designation system. A series of digits tally the number of parts the mobile suit separates into, how many generators it has, and the number of main thruster systems. After this comes a letter-and-digit combination that represents the mobile suit type, and finally a variant number. Here's the LM312V06 Victory Gundam Hexa, as an example...

Component Count Generator Count Thruster Count Type Code Variant Number LM 3 1 2 V0 6

A separate system is used for support devices, of which the only example is the Victory-Dash Gundam's overhang pack. Its designation is SD-VB03A, which indicates that it's a support device, specifically the third booster developed for the Victory type, and that its function is Attack.

Zanscare Empire

Victory Gundam's Zanscare Empire uses a slightly less complex scheme for its own mobile weapons. In addition to a type code and model number, the designation includes an optional status code ("T" for prototype "Test" versions) and ends with a one-letter code indicating the environment for which the mobile weapon was designed - "S" for "Space," "M" for "Marine," or "G" for "Ground." As an example, here's the ZMT-S12G Shokew.

Status Code   Type Code Model Number Environment Code ZM T - S 12 G

And here are the type codes used by the Zanscare Empire...

Type Code Apparent Meaning Example S Mobile suit ZM-S09G Tomliatt A Mobile armor ZM-A05G Recarl D "Dual" or transformable type ZMT-D11S Abigor

G Gundam

In the alternate universe of G Gundam, the model numbers of the Gundam mobile fighters indicate the number of the current Gundam Fight, the country the Gundam in question represents, and how that country ranked in the last Gundam Fight. As an example, here's Neo Japan's GF13-017NJ Shining Gundam..

Gundam Fight Number   Previous Ranking Nationality GF13 - 017 NJ

Other designations are used for regular mobile weapons, but these schemes vary from nation to nation. Neo Japan uses the type codes JMF, JMF, and JMA for mobile fighters, mobile suits, and mobile armors respectively; for example, the Neo Japanese military's standard mobile suit is the JMS60 Busshi.

Gundam Wing

In the alternate universe of Gundam Wing, the majority of the mobile suits used by the Earth Alliance and the various factions which conspire to overthrow it are developed by OZ, a subsidiary of the powerful Romefeller Syndicate. All the mobile suits used by the Alliance and its treacherous allies bear the name OZ in their designations, followed by a sequential model number and a type code. As an example, consider the space mobile suit OZ-12SMS Taurus...

Model Number Type Code OZ - 12 SMS

And here are the type codes used by OZ.

Type Code Apparent Meaning Example MS Mobile suit OZ-06MS Leo AMS Aerial mobile suit OZ-07AMS Aries MMS Marine mobile suit OZ-09MMS Pisces SMS Space mobile suit OZ-12SMS Taurus MD Mobile doll OZ-02MD Virgo

The Gundams used by the protagonists all use the designation "XXXG-01", with a one- or two-letter variant code tacked on the end. For example, the Wing Gundam's model number is XXXG-01W. The ancestor of all the Gundams is the XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero.

There are a few mobile suits that aren't designed by either OZ or the Gundam-creating mad scientists. Among these holdouts are the WMS-03 Maganac, and the MMS-01 Serpent used by the Mariemaia Army in the Endless Waltz video series.

Gundam X

In the alternate universe of Gundam X, the mobile suits used by the now-defunct Earth Federation during the Seventh Space War have a two- or three-letter prefix followed by a four-digit model number. Prefixes for the Gundam series of mobile suits begin with "G", i.e. the GX-9900 Gundam X. The Federation's mass-produced mobile suits have prefixes beginning with "D" - for example, the Ball-like DT-6600 Dautap, the GM-like DT-6800 Daughtress, and the amphibious DTM-7000 Daughseat.

The reborn New Federation uses type codes that begin with "NR", followed by a sequential model number...

Type Code Apparent Meaning Example NRX Experimental mobile suit NRX-0013 Gundam Vasargo NR Mass-produced mobile suit NR-001 Valient NRMA Mass-produced mobile armor NRMA-006 Gadeel

The Space Revolutionary Army uses a similar sort of naming scheme to the One Year War-era Principality of Zeon...

Type Code Apparent Meaning Example RMS General-purpose mobile suit RMS-006 Jenice RMSN Newtype mobile suit RMSN-008 Bertigo MA General-purpose mobile armor MA-06 Grandine MAN Newtype mobile armor MAN-003 Patulia

Turn A Gundam

The antagonists of Turn A Gundam, the lunar Moonrace, use a variety of seemingly inconsistent designations. In general, mobile suits like the MRC-F20 Sumo and FLAT-L06D Flat seem to follow a pattern of type code, function code, model number, and variant code, but for the time being we lack concrete information about the meaning of these designations.