DON ESCARGOT
ドン・エスカルゴ
DON ESCARGOT
During the One Year War, the Federation Forces operated specialized anti-submarine attack aircraft. Powered by the thrust generated by three large jet engines, it could take off from short runways with ease. As such, it was adopted not only for use at land bases but also as a carrier-based aircraft, and has been reported to be carried on the Himalaya-class aircraft carrier. The aircraft is equipped with a radar in its nose, and its shape brings to mind a snail, hence the nickname “Escargot.” The Federation’s electronic warfare capabilities were highly advanced, and although officially classified as an anti-submarine attack aircraft, some also classified it as an anti-submarine patrol aircraft due to its patrol abilities. However, this radar was rendered useless by the new tactic of dispersing Minovsky particles, preventing it from exercising its capabilities as a patrol aircraft.
Equipped with four machine guns on the front, rear, left, and right sides of the fuselage, it also carried anti-submarine missiles and depth charges (multi-warhead shells). The Federation Forces suffered devastating damage to its naval forces from the debris of a colony dropped during Operation British. In the subsequent Earth Invasion Operation, they lost control of the California Base, and the Principality Forces seized their next-generation submarines (these were refurbished and commissioned as the Mad Angler-class and Jukon-class). The Federation was at a disadvantage in the face of the Principality’s naval forces. The Don Escargot was tasked with clearing the Principality’s submarine fleet beneath the surface. In particular, the MSM-03 Gogg, as an amphibious mobile suit with limited completion, became a prime target for this aircraft. However, it might be a bit of an overstatement to say that the Principality equipped the MSM-07 Z’Gok with highly accurate long-range mega particle cannons and missiles with the sole purpose of countering this aircraft.
