Gundam Archives

The Himalaya-Class: A Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier

Unit Type: Aircraft Carrier

Profile:

The Himalaya-class is a class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers used by the Earth Federation Forces. First appearing in Mobile Suit Gundam, these carriers played a crucial role in the One Year War and continued to serve until the Third Neo Zeon War.

Ships of the Line:

• Westmoreland

First Seen: 0079 U.C.

Last Seen: 0096 U.C.

Manufacturer: Earth Federation

Technology & Combat Characteristics:

The Himalaya-class is equipped with a twin gun turret near the front, several missile launchers, a single gun behind the bridge, and six anti-aircraft turrets. It can carry around 30 Don Escargot anti-submarine aircraft and has four landing spots for VTOL aircraft. To operate in Minovsky particle interference, it features a powerful guidance system.

Armament:

• 2-barrel Main Gun Turret
• Single-barreled Secondary Gun Turret
• Missile Launcher
• Anti-Aircraft Turret

History:

One Year War

The Himalaya-class entered service before the One Year War and became the flagships of anti-submarine groups. Several dozen new ships were constructed during the war. In late May 0079, a Himalaya-class carrier, the Westmoreland, served as the flagship of a Federation fleet tasked with retaking the Port Moresby base. However, it was sunk by Zeon’s new MSM-03 Gogg mobile suits.

Third Neo Zeon War

By U.C. 0096, the Himalaya-class had been modernized, with its anti-aircraft guns replaced with rotary CIWS and different equipment on its deck. A ship of this class, along with a team of RAG-79 Aqua GMs, were destroyed by the AMA-X7 Shamblo off the shore of the Torrington Base in an attempt to counter an attack by Zeon Remnants.

Appearances:

• Television: Mobile Suit Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn
• OVA: MSG-UC
• Game: Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: Missing Link

Notes & Trivia:

• The bridge layout of the Himalaya-class was based on the Hyūga-class helicopter destroyer.
• The Himalaya-class was the only water-based aircraft carrier appearing in the Universal Century until the introduction of Gopp’s aircraft carrier in Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island.

References:

1. MS Encyclopedia NO.15 – Strategy Encyclopedia, p.92
2. Mobile Suit Variation 3 – Federation Edition (1983), p.165
3. Mobile Suit Gundam – Ship & Aerospace Plane Encyclopedia – Revised Edition (2015), p.91
4. Roman Album Extra 42 – Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow (1981), p.72
5. Gundam Legacy
6. Across the Atlantic Ocean
7. MS Encyclopedia NO.15 – Strategy Encyclopedia, p.93
8. At the Bottom of the Gravity Well