RGM-96X Jesta

The RGM-96X Jesta was a high performance mobile suit developed by Anaheim Electronics as part of the Earth Federation Forces’ UC Project. Based on the RGM-89 Jegan series, the Jesta was designed to serve as an escort unit for the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam. The Unicorn Gundam’s operating time in Destroy mode was limited to several minutes, so the Jesta’s role was to confront regular enemies while the Unicorn Gundam engaged Newtype machines. The Jesta featured a new backpack design with improved thrust to keep up with the Unicorn Gundam. The Jesta’s main armament was a beam rifle with a longer barrel and acceleration devices that could switch between regular firing mode and beam machine gun mode. Other weapons included a vulcan pod system, beam saber, hand grenades and a shield with integrated missile launcher. In UC 0096, 12 Jesta units were assigned to the Londo Bell flagship Ra Cailum for evaluation tests. Only three units saw active use and were assigned to pilots known as the Black Tri-Stars, who were originally intended to serve as test pilots of the Unicorn Gundam.