With the Advent of High Altitude sustained bombardment thanks to Airship bombers and long range aircraft, a new type of machine was needed, one that could severely cripple, if not, outright destroy these aircraft in a single shot. Gothaer Waggonfabrik proposed the Gotha G.XVa, a large, three engine biplane with provisions for a 70mm anti-aircraft cannon as well as 70 rounds. testing showed the Gotha G.XVa to be under powered, and unable to climb to an operational altitude, the design was further refined to the G.XVb model, a Triplane with vastly more powerful engines and an increase in ammo capacity from 70 to 100. The G.XVb features a crew of 3, 1 pilot in a gondola off to the left of the main fuselage. The main pod is an open canopy fighting compartment housing the Gun, Ammo, Gunner, and flight engineer. a proposed G.XVc variant planned, which reverted to a biplane model, and made use of the unoccupied engine gondola with a defensive gunner position, this variant was never built. in all a total 7 Gotha G.XV's were built, with 2 being G.XVa's and the remaining 5 being G.XVb's.