Class: Lesseps
Code name: Lesseps
Ships of the line: Lesseps, Desmond
Unit type: land battleship
Manufacturer: ZAFT (Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty)
Operator(s): ZAFT; Junk Guild
First deployment: unknown
Dimensions: overall length 250 meters; overall height unknown
Weight: unknown
Propulsion: scale system
Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown
Fixed armaments: 3 x 40cm dual cannon; 32 x vertical missile launcher; 10 x torpedo launcher; 34 x smoke/chaff/flare dispenser; optional side turret
Mobile weapons: many x TMF/A-802 BuCUE; TMF/A-803 LaGOWE; 2 x TFA-2 ZuOOT; GAT-X102 Duel Gundam; GAT-X103 Buster Gundam; MBF-P02 Gundam Astray Red Frame; many x TMF/S-3 GINN OCHER Type; many x TFA-4DE GAZuOOT

Technical and Historical Notes

For the occupation of Earth, ZAFT develops two classes of land battleships: the Lesseps class and the Petrie class. The Lesseps employs a scale propulsion system that liquefies sand and allows it to sail across the desert. This scale system also allows the Lesseps to travel across the open sea. The Lesseps' heavy armament includes three 40cm dual cannons, as well as 32 missile launchers and 10 torpedo launchers. The internal storage hangar also provides space for several mobile suits.

The land battleship Lesseps serves as the flagship of Andrew Waltfeld's North African occupation forces in C.E. 71. When not in the battlefield, the Lesseps is stationed at Andy's center of operations, the occupied city of Banadiya. After several encounters with the Earth Alliance ship Archangel and Desert Dawn guerillas, Andy orders his second officer Martin DaCosta to abandon the heavily damaged Lesseps. Afterwards, the Lesseps is salvaged and repaired by the Junk Guild. The Junk Guild replaces the dual cannons with three manipulator arms to handle cargo and other salvaged items. The refit Lesseps is used by Lowe Guele and the crew of the late HOME to travel across the Earth to the Orb Union and several other locations. In late C.E. 73, the battleship Desmond assists the Minerva in attacking the Alliance's Middle Eastern base in the Gulnahan ravine.

Miscellaneous Information

Captain(s): Andrew 'Andy' Waltfeld, Martin DaCosta, Professor (Lesseps), Joachim Ruddle (Desmond)
Appearances: Mobile Suit Gundam SEED; Mobile Suit Gundam SEED ASTRAY; Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY; Mobile Suit Gundam SEED ASTRAY R; Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Never-Ending Tomorrow; Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY: Alliance VS ZAFT II
Original mechanical designer: Kimitoshi Yamane

Lineart

Bridge
Machine gun
Missile launcher
Torpedo launcher