Gafran

Overview

The ovv-f Gafran is a primary mass-production Mobile Suit featured in Mobile Suit Gundam AGE. Deployed by the mysterious faction originally designated as the UE before being identified as Vagan, this machine is capable of transforming between a humanoid mode and a flight-oriented dragon form.

Appearance

The unit features an alien, dragon-like silhouette with helmet and shoulder armor elements reminiscent of the Zaku. Standard machines are painted blue, while commander variants known as the Gafran L bear a purple color scheme. It incorporates a chest beam port, beam emitters in both palms, and a tail module that serves as a rifle. The post-war unmanned variant is coated in a specialized protective white finish and equipped with a flight unit carrying a magnetic field generator.

Abilities

It can transform into a dragon mode to perform long-range autonomous flight. Its armaments include palm-mounted beam vulcans capable of generating beam sabers, a diffuse beam cannon in the chest, and a tail-mounted beam rifle that can be held or shoulder-mounted in humanoid mode. It can also equip an optional strategic missile called the Colony Destroyer to target space structures. In its post-war configuration, it utilizes the Ivars System to generate magnetic fields that neutralize deadly Mars Ray emissions.

Background

In A.G. 101, Gafran units staged a surprise attack on the space colony Angel, annihilating it and initiating the conflict known as The Day the Angel Fell. Due to military technology restrictions on Earth, it initially rendered Earth Federation Forces weapons like the Genoace ineffective. Although its technological edge waned following the deployment of the Gundam AGE-1 and the AGE System, severe resource constraints forced Vagan to maintain the unit in active combat for nearly seven decades. Following the war, under the direction of Flit Asuno, surplus units were converted into the unmanned Gafran Mars Feather to shield Mars residents from environmental hazards.

Relationships

Operating as Vagan's primary combat unit, the Gafran engaged in decades of conflict against the Earth Federation Forces and their Genoace mobile suits. After the war, former enemy commander Flit Asuno directed a project that repurposed the surplus units into automated planetary defense machines.

Trivia

The unit was designed by mechanical designer Junya Ishigaki, who intentionally incorporated signature Zaku motifs into its outer armor so viewers would instantly identify it as an antagonist Mobile Suit. Its distinct dragon-like silhouette stems from heavy industrial machinery originally used during the Mars Birthday terraforming project.