Since the ship's complement was made up of trainees - and a skeleton crew, at that - a pilot was needed for the F91 when it was completed. The F91's parts were stowed aboard the EFF training ship Space Ark, and during an escape to the Frontier I Colony, the Space Ark crew rescued a group of civilian students who were also fleeing. Its final assembly, which incorporated the bio-computer system, was cut short when the Crossbone Vanguard force began conquering the Frontier Side area in March UC 0123. The F91 prototype, originally manufactured by SNRI in UC 0116, was slowly upgraded and modified over the next several years. Thus, the bio-computer allowed the pilot to react more quickly and decisively to any battle situation, and it also made a novice pilot's job easier in terms of adapting to the new mobile suit. The bio-computer, however, could be used by normal pilots, and it gave the pilot many advantages by directly providing them with tactical and sensor data, piloting suggestions, and so on. This system acted as a sort of 'reversed' psycommu system, relaying information directly to the pilot's mind rather than vice versa. Another new technology incorporated in the Gundam F91 was the bio-computer system developed by Dr. Thus, the F91's pilot could choose to deliver beam damage on a wider area or focused, high speed shots to penetrate thick armor or even beam shields. Slower speed particles produced a wider beam that delivered more raw damage, and higher speed particles created a more tightly focused, penetrating beam. The pilot could adjust the speed at which the mega particles used in the beam fire were accelerated. Rather than being a hand-carried weapon powered by an energy cap or e-pac, the VSBR was mounted on the mobile suit itself and powered directly by its reactor.

One of these technologies was the Variable Speed Beam Rifle, or VSBR for short, which had already been successfully tested on the F90V Gundam F90 V-Type. Its compact size mounted enough weaponry to put it on par with other general purpose units at the time, and the F91 incorporated many advanced new technologies developed under the Formula Project.

The F91 represented the final goal of SNRI to develop a smaller, lightweight, high performance mobile suit. The culmination of development conducted by the Earth Federation Forces' Strategic Naval Research Institute under their Formula Project flag, the Gundam F91 was truly a revolutionary design for the next generation of mobile suits. Optional hand armaments: beam rifle, powered by replaceable e-pac, can be stored on weapon mount beam launcher, powered by replaceable e-pac, can be stored on weapon mount Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 88,450 kg total (4 x 15,530 kg, 6 x 4,380 kg) vernier thrusters/apogee motors: bare mobile suit 51, equipped with VSBRs 59Įquipment and design features: sensors, range unknown bio-computer system weapon mount, used to carry beam rifle or beam launcher, located on rear skirt armor plate heat radiation fins, mounted in shouldersįixed armaments: 2 x vulcan gun, mounted in head 2 x mega machine cannon, mounted in torso 2 x beam saber, stored in recharge racks in left hip armor, hand-carried in use 2 x VSBR (Variable Speed Beam Rifle), selectable mega particle acceleration speed for damage or penetration application, mounted on backpack, hand-operated in use beam shield, mounted on left forearm spare beam shield, stored on right hip armor Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 4,250 kW Weight: empty 7.8 metric tons max gross 19.9 metric tonsĪrmor materials: Gundarium alloy ceramic composite Manufacturer: Strategic Naval Research InstituteĪccommodation: pilot only, in panoramic monitor/linear seat cockpit in torso Unit type: prototype general purpose mobile suit

Gundam cockpit