Technology & Combat Characteristics
After the completion of the MSA-005 Methuss, Anaheim Electronics started to explore further development potential of the mobile suit. The design team for the MSA-005X-1 Methuss X-1 included former members of the Hervic Company, which developed the FF-X7 Core Fighter during the One Year War. The X-1 was designed for air superiority in a 1G environment, resulting in its mobile armor mode resembling an air combat fighter. Stealth properties built into the design of the X-1 made it difficult to detect by radar. The X-1’s clipped delta wing design allowed for stable, high-speed flight. Its tail stabilizers, which mounted electronic equipment, were later used by the Zeta Plus series and other mobile suits. The X-1's design team conducted trials at the California Base, including transformation tests at subsonic speeds to observe the X-1’s adaptability in changing combat situations. However, the X-1 was unable to withstand the shock of transformation at subsonic speed and was destroyed. However, the data gathered contributed to improving the atmospheric flight performance of the MSZ-006A1 Zeta Plus A1.