Intended to be a replacement for the aging MS-06J Zaku II, the ground combat MS-07B Gouf proved effective in close combat, but was limited by its lack of long-range weapons. Production of the Gouf was soon halted when the Zimmad Company produced the popular ground-skimming MS-09 Dom. However, some pilots preferred the Gouf, and limited development of that model continued at Side 3. A flight-capable Gouf was finally perfected in the form of the MS-07H8, and parts from that model were used to produce a high-performance upgrade of the standard ground model. This high-performance upgrade was called the MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom, which had the same capabilities as its MS-07B predecessor but enabled it to be more effective in long-range combat. The original 5-fingered machinegun left hand was replaced by a normal manipulator hand, and instead a 3-barrel 35 mm machinegun could be mounted on the left forearm. The original thick tentacle heat rod, somewhat limited in length, was replaced with a magnetic grappler mounted on a thin cable, allowing the right forearm to store a much greater length of heat rod and giving the weapon a much greater reach. Another major improvement was the option of a 75 mm Gatling gun on its shield, which could be ejected at a moment's notice when the heavy weapon ran out of ammo or became a burden in close combat. The Gouf Custom proved to be an excellent unit, with one of these rare mobile suits operated by Colonel Norris Packard out of Zeon's Southeast Asian research base.