Mobile Defense Bay

The Mobile Defense Bay is a weapons platform from the Generation 1 continuity family.

As opposed to the Michael Bay Defense, which is only good for arguing on the internet.

The Mobile Defense Bay is formed from Rodimus Prime's trailer. It features twin missile launchers and blast shields. Rodimus Prime can operate the missile launchers by standing on the bay's platform.

Games

The Transformers: Battle to Save the Earth

Rodimus Prime's robot mode included the Mobile Defense Bay. The Transformers: Battle to Save the Earth

Toys

The Transformers

Also, the Mobile Bay Defense, which is sitting off the coast of Alabama.

• Rodimus Prime (Autobot Hero, 1986/2004)
  • Takara ID number: C-77
  • Accessories: 2 x gun shields (left & right)

Rodimus Prime's Mobile Defense Bay transforms into the large rear portion of his futuristic truck mode. The bay itself toy comes with two blast shields to attach to either side of his battle platform's cannon. Like Hot Rod, there are materials variations; initial releases have rubber tires, while later shipments replaced the wheels with black plastic.

The rubber-tires version of the toy saw re-release in both Japan and the US in 2004.

This mold was later redecoed as a lucky draw prize Primus, where the Mobile Defense Bay became the Golden Noah.

• More information on the Mobile Defense Bay (with Rodimus Prime) at TFU.info

Masterpiece

And the Bay Defense Mobile, which used to hang over Michael's crib.

• Rodimus Convoy (2011)
  • ID number: MP-9

Masterpiece Rodimus Convoy's trailer opens up into the Mobile Defense Bay for Rodimus to man. Rodimus Convoy is armed with his Photon Eliminator rifle, which can split into Hot Rod's two smaller Photon Laser weapons or be attached to the front of the Mobile Defense Bay's cannons. The trailer section itself has a new canopy to complete Rodimus Prime's vehicle mode when combined with the main figure.

• More information on the Masterpiece Mobile Defense Bay (with Rodimus Convoy) at TFU.info

War for Cybertron: Kingdom

And the Defense-Mobile Bay, which is where Defensor parks his car.

• Rodimus Prime (Commander Class, 2021)
  • TakaraTomy ID number: KD-12
  • TakaraTomy release date: August 1, 2021

Included with War for Cybertron: Kingdom Commander Class Rodimus Prime, the Mobile Defense Bay is again an integrated trailer that can fold out into an artillery platform, which Rodimus Prime can stand on and grasp the handles, plus an A.I.R. Lock System adapter on the front. The standing, twin-barreled cannon also detaches as its own unit, with sculpted tread detail. In trailer mode, the rear section features a moving ramp door with working metal pistons.

In a unique twist, the toy was revealed by TakaraTomy and set for pre-order in Japanese markets before Hasbro, which usually unveils upcoming toys before or simultaneously with TakaraTomy.

Much like most of the toyline, Rodimus Prime can come with one of four holographic Golden Disk cards for his wave, which reveals a possible destiny of a key character.

Merchandise

Transformers Gum

• Rodimus Convoy (1986)
  • Accessories: Photon Eliminator, left and right blast shields

Since Rodimus Prime had a presence in Kabaya's line of larger Transformers Gum model kits, so did his Mobile Defense Bay. Released as part of the line's fifth wave, the MDB is molded in red, silver and black plastic, lacking in paint applications but featuring stickers for detail. Like many other Transformers Gum model kits, Rodimus and the Defense Bay are very much downsized versions of the regular toy, featuring all its accessories, features and (lack of) articulation. As the name suggests, rather than chocolate, this set came with a stick of gum.

• Hot Rodimus (2011)
  • ID number: 1

Released in the fourth wave of the revived Transformers Gum series in 2011, The Defense Bay is assembled by collecting several additional parts available with the three different kits in the wave; its base comes with Inferno, its sides and Rodimus's Photon Eliminator come with Hot Rod himself, and its central turret comes with Victory Leo. The vehicle mode replicates the approach used by the Masterpiece figure, with Hot Rod slotting into the trailer backwards, and an alternate piece featuring Rodimus's shorter hood flips up from underneath the trailer and clips over the car's rear end.

• Rodimus Prime (Vehicle) (2025)

• Series: Defender Version 04 - Tyrant's Fury

This Blokees Defender kit of Rodimus Prime is molded in his futuristic truck mode. Like the first wave's Optimus Prime vehicle, the truck can convert into a Mobile Defense Bay, where the turret can be extended and wielded by other robot kits from the same line, allowing them to ride it.

Due to its single small peg and peg hole, the two halves of the Mobile Defense Bay will leave a slight gap after a few repeated transformations.

Notes

• Aside from the Commodore 64 game, the closest thing to a fictional appearance by the Mobile Defense Bay is in the episode "Only Human", in which Rodimus Prime transforms into robot mode and briefly leaves his trailer behind him.[1] Ultra Magnus also leaves his trailer behind him without appearing as his inner robot, so this might be an animation error.
  • Otherwise, the Mobile Defense Bay was completely ignored in fiction. It gets no mention in Rodimus Prime's bio or Universe profile. In fact, a Transformers 2010 story page published by TV Magazine in April, 1987, titled "Transformation Patterns Revealed! These Are the New Transformations!", made it a point to omit the Mobile Defense Bay entirely, having Rodimus's container impossibly transform into his legs, in the same fashion as his cartoon character model.
• Rodimus Prime's Titanium Series figure had his trailer integrated into his robot mode.
• The name "Mobile Defense Bay" comes from the toy's packaging and instructions. It is also called a "trailer" despite appearing to be fully integrated into his vehicle mode.