MSA-005X-1 Methuss X-1

The MSA-005X-1 Methuss X-1 was a prototype unit developed for the Methuss Project to test the transformation mechanism for the mobile suits in the AEUG’s Project Zeta. The X-1 was designed for air superiority in a 1G environment, and the design team included members from the former Hervic Company, which designed the FF-X7 Core Fighter during the One Year War. The X-1’s mobile armor mode resembled an air combat fighter and was intended to exceed the performance of the EFF’s NRX-044 Asshimar. Stealth properties built into the design of the X-1 made it more difficult to detect by radar. The X-1’s tail stabilizers, which mounted electronic equipment, were later used by the Zeta Plus series and other mobile suits. The design team conducted trials at the California Base to test the X-1. The X-1’s clipped delta wing design allowed for stable, high-speed flight. The team conducted transformation tests at subsonic speeds to examine the X-1’s adaptability in changing combat situations. However, the X-1 was unable to withstand the shock of transformation at subsonic speed and was destroyed. Following tests with two additional prototype units, the design was refined and produced as the MSA-005 Methuss.