GU-11 55mm TRI-BARREL GUN POD: The standard issue armament for VF-1 Valkykrie and VF-4 Lightning.
GU-11-X 55mm TRI-BARREL GUN POD: The standard issue armament for the VF-1 was upgraded slightly to take advantage of new technology. The new GU-11-X gun pod is actually the prototype design for the gun pod used by the VF-11 Thunderbolt. Unlike the original GU-11, the GU-11-X uses clips of ammo.
GU-12 55mm MULTIPURPOSE GUN POD: For additional close-range combat capability, the VF-9 carries a GU-12 Gun pod, an upgraded version of the GU-11 Gun Pod. Unlike the GU-11 Gun pod, the GU-12 utilizes clips of ammunition rather than pre-loaded ammo. This gives it a lower ammo count that the older GU-11 but as the Cutlass is capable of carrying spare clips, the VF-9's GU-12 Gun pod essentially gives more ammunition. One spare GU-12 clip is stored in each leg of the VF-9.
GU-13 MULTIPURPOSE GUN POD: The GU-13 hand-held gun pod unit is a smaller version of the GU-11. The GU-13 fires armor piercing 55mm shells and is the direct predecessor of the GU-15.
HOWARD GU-15 EXTERNAL GUN POD: The main weapon of the VF-19 is the GU-15 Gun Pod produced by Howard Industries. The gun pod is mounted on a special hardpoint below the Excalibur in fighter mode, and is hand-held in gerwalk and soldier modes. Unlike the gun pods used by the original VF-1 Valkyrie, the GU-15 uses clips of ammo instead of a self-contained supply in the barrel of the gun. Two spare clips for the GU-15 are mounted on the back of the VF-19's bulletproof shield; replacing a clip takes two melee actions and can only be done in Gerwalk or Soldier mode.
HOWARD/GENERAL DYNAMICS GV-17L GUN PODS: For a main external weapon, the VF-22 contains TWO new stealth gatling gun pods produced by Howard Industries and General Dynamics. These gun pods are exclusively designed for the VF-22 and are mounted in specially designed storage bays located on the underside of the craft in fighter mode, similar to the gatling gun used by the VF-17 Nightmare. In Gerwalk or Soldier modes the gun pods can be ejected from their bays and used by one or both of the VF-22's hands. The gun pods can fire in any mode; they fire out of a special concealed port when stored in Fighter mode.
Like the original GU-11 gun pod used by the VF-1 Valkyrie, the GV-17L gun pods do NOT use clips of ammo, but instead have a large internal supply of ammo stored in the barrel of the pod. This allows the GV-17L to contain a larger supply of ammo and bypasses the need to reload while in the field. Once exhausted, the gun pods can only be reloaded by trained technicians at a supply base.
MULTI-PURPOSE 30mm SIX-BARRELED GUN POD W/ANTI-ARMOR BAYONET: A gun pod similar to the old GU-11 used by the VF-1 Valkyries, this is the primary weapon of the VF-11. The new gun pod also features a mecha-sized bayonet mounted on the front of the weapon, for use in close combat with mechanized opponents.
SEVEN-BARREL STEALTH GATLING GUN POD: The main weapon of the VF-17 is a concealed handheld gun pod that can be used in fighter or soldier mode. The gun pod is stored in a collapsed form in a concealed port on the right leg of the mecha when in fighter and gerwalk mode, and fires out of a special port near the top of the leg. When the VF goes to soldier mode, the gun can be ejected into the Nightmare's right hand, where it automatically unfolds and is ready for action. The gun can be re-collapsed and replaced in the port when the VF-17 returns to fighter or gerwalk mode. Due to the mecha's configuration, the gun pod CANNOT be used in gerwalk mode; the exit barrel aims up at the main body, which would cause the VF-17 to shoot itself in this mode.
Like the gun pod used by the VF-11 Thunderbolt, the Nightmare's gun pod uses clips of ammo. One spare ammo clip is kept in a port on the left leg of the VF-17, directly across from the gun pod port. However, in order to switch clips the Nightmare must first convert to soldier mode, so it can manually remove and replace the gun pod's clip with its hands. Other gun pods can NOT be used by the VF-17, as they will not fit in the Nightmare's gun pod port in fighter/gerwalk modes.
QUAD-BARREL GATLING GUN POD: The only close-range weapon carried by the VA-3 Invader a large multi-barrel gun pod somewhat similar to the classic GU-11 used by the VF-1 Valkyrie. The gun pod is hand-held when the VA-3 is in soldier mode, and is mounted on a special hardpoint along the centerline of the fighter. The gun pod can fire in either mode, but is limited to the forward arc of the bomber in fighter mode.
XS-06 HEAVY GUN POD: Designed and built by Three Star Heavy Industries, this immense weapon is designed specifically for use with the full armor variant of the VF-11 Thunderbolt. The gun can also be used by standard VF-11 Thunderbolts but must be held in soldier or gerwalk mode; the weapon is FAR too large to be carried on the underside of a VF in fighter mode. In addition, no spare clips are carried for the XS-06, as additional clips are too large to store anywhere on the mecha. One XS-06 is issued for each VF-11 Full Armor Thunderbolt.
HEAVY LASER MODULE: This weapon is an alternative to the VF-17's standard gun pod developed by researchers aboard the Macross 7. It consists of a long tube which contains a heavy laser and a high-density capacitor that fits on the gun pod in place of an ammo clip. This one-shot weapon fires a beam which is powerful enough cut through the main body of most mecha on a single hit. (!) However, there are several disadvantages to the weapon. First off, the weapon is good only for one shot, after which the internal capacitor is completely drained. Second, in order to carry this module it must be stored in the VF-17's left leg, a spot that normally stores a spare clip for the Nightmare's gun pod. This effectively halves the ammo capacity of the VF-17, and greatly reduces its combat endurance. Still, many pilots feel that the tradeoff is worth it since the heavy laser gives them the ability to take out command mecha or even spaceships in a single shot.