In the fictional Gundam universe, the Zanzibar class is a carrier utilized by the Principality of Zeon. These ships are functionally equivalent to the Federation's Pegasus class mobile suit carriers, and fill a similar role in the battlefield.

The Zanzibar class is designed for mobile suit transportation, and as such the ship relies on its mobile suits for most of its offensive and defensive power. This is also the only Zeon ship that can undergo atmopheric re-entry and return to space. Unlike the Federation's Pegasus class ships, the Zanzibar class does not have an integrated Minovsky Craft system, so it must depend on sustained thrust to operate. These ships have appeared several times, usually in support of major operations. Some were even used as flagships by high ranking Zeon members (like Kycilia Zabi) when a battleship was unavaible or ill-suited for the role. Perhaps the most creative use of a Zanzibar class ship was in MS Gundam: the 08th MS Team, when Ginias Sahalin used one as a powerplant for his Southeast Asia base. But Zeon space commanders were not as eager to use the class because the Zeon space navy had been built around mobile suit transporation and combat, so the Zanzibar class ships took a back seat to the Musai.

Zanzibar II class

At least one Zanzibar class ship, the Lili Marleen, was refit for used as a flagship for the Cima Fleet during Aiguille Delaz's Operation: Stardust. The Lili Marleen gained an addition four two-barrel beam turrets which made the ship as powerful as a Federation's Magellan battleship. The Lili Marleen was destroyed during the final phase of Operation: Stardust by the Federation's experimental Mobile Armor, the RX-78GP03 Gundam Dendrobium Orchis.

Zanzibar class ships are seen in Mobile Suit Gundam, MS Gundam- The 8th MS Team, and Gundam 0083.

See also

• Mobile Suit
• List of Mobile Suits

External links

• Gundam Naval Museum (http://www.geocities.com/gundamships/Mainpage.html)
• The World-Wide Gundam Informational Network (http://www.geocities.com/gundam_uc0079/index.html)
• Mecha Anime Headquarters (MAHQ) (http://www.mahq.net/)
• Library of Londonion (ship names & fates) (http://side7.gundam.com/rgz/info/uc_ship.html)