RX-79BD-3 Gundam Blue Destiny Unit 3

Model number(s): RX-79BD-3; RX-80EXAM-3
Code name: Gundam Blue Destiny Unit 3
Unit type: prototype EXAM mobile suit
Manufacturer: Earth Federation Forces
Operator: Earth Federation Forces
Rollout: UC 0079
First deployment: December UC 0079
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso
Dimensions: head height 18.0 meters
Weight: empty 52.8 metric tons; max gross 73.0 metric tons
Armor materials: Luna Titanium alloy
Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, power output rating unknown
Propulsion: rocket thrusters: total output unknown
Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown; EXAM System
Fixed armaments: 2 x vulcan gun, mounted on head; 2 x wired missile launcher, mounted in chest; 2 x machine gun, mounted in chest; 2 x beam saber, stored in recharge racks in legs, hand-carried in use
Optional fixed armaments: see RX-79BD-3FA Gundam Blue Destiny Unit 3 (Full Armed)
Optional hand armaments: beam rifle, powered by rechargeable energy cap; 100mm machine gun, clip-fed, 2 spare clips stored on hip armor; twin beam cannon; shield, mounted on either forearm

During the One Year War, the Principality of Zeon’s Flanagan Institute conducted research on Newtypes, particularly to find ways to use them in combat. One of the institute’s researchers, Professor Chlust Moses, feared that Newtypes would eventually dominate Oldtypes, so he created the EXAM System, which offered Newtype-level performance by containing the soul of Newtype test subject Marion Welch. Eventually, Moses defected from Zeon and gave his EXAM research to the Earth Federation Forces, where he continued development with the test unit RGM-79BD-0 Blue Destiny Unit 0 and the RX-79BD-1 Blue Destiny Unit 1 and RX-79BD-2 Gundam Blue Destiny Unit 2. The RX-79BD-3 Gundam Blue Destiny Unit 3 was originally intended to serve as a source of spare parts for Unit 1 and Unit 2, but it was mobilized in December UC 0079 following the theft of Unit 2 by Zeon special forces. Like Unit 2, the backpack of Unit 3 could be swapped out to operate on both the ground and in space. Unit 3’s armaments were the same as Unit 2, but it could also use the twin beam cannon from the RGM-79DO GM Dominance. Unit 3 was assigned to former Unit 1 pilot Yuu Kajima, who chased Nimbus Schterzen and the stolen Unit 2 to an abandoned colony in Side 5. The resulting duel ended with the destruction of both units and the death of Nimbus.

Pilot: Yuu Kajima
First appearance: Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: The Blue Destiny
Original mechanical designer(s): Kunio Okawara (original design), NAOKI (updated design)

100mm machine gun

Beam rifle

Beam saber

Short shield