Y-85 Titan dropship/Legends

The Y-85 Titan dropship, colliquially known as the Walker Dropship, was an important spaceship used to deploy AT-ATs and AT-STs onto planetary surfaces. The Y-85 was reluctantly used by Imperial forces because it was manufactured by the Incom Corporation, which also built the Rebel Alliance's X-wing starfighters. It could accommodate four AT-ATs in addition to four AT-STs. These walkers were held on cranes in battle-ready configuration, and could be quickly deployed via drop-down floor hatches. The Y-85 was armed with two forward twin laser cannons for defense. The Walker Dropship can also be used to deployed AT-AT Swimmers and TIE Fighter Boats straight into any body of water.

The Y-85 is credited with having delivered walkers to the Hoth surface before the assault on Echo Base.

AT-AT Barge
The AT-AT barge was another dropship used by the Empire.

Though it was similar in general shape to the Y-85, the AT-AT Barge was far smaller and had a dark blue color. The AT-AT barge could only carry a single AT-AT. Because of the barge's limited size, the walker had to be carried with its legs folded and unprepared for immediate combat. Only after being dropped off could the walker extend its legs and enter battle.

Because of the Y-85's size, it could only fit inside larger ships such as Executor-class Star Dreadnoughts. Standard Imperial-class Star Destroyers had to make due with the smaller single-walker barges.

Behind the Scenes
Early Expanded Universe sources claimed that an Imperial-class Star Destroyer carried 12 "landing barges" of unspecified class. It was stated that these barges were capable of holding 4 AT-ATs or 8 AT-STs, as well as 1,000 troops. Curtis Saxton found it doubtful that such a large craft could fit inside the hangar of a Star Destroyer. Saxton later served as a consultant during the writing of the book Inside the Worlds of the Star Wars Trilogy. This book was not only the first official source to fully depict and name the Y-85, but also confirmed that Imperial-class Star Destroyers only have hangars large enough for single-walker landing barges.

Appearances

 * Empire at War

External Link

 * Curtis Saxton's Star Wars Technical Commentaries on Imperial landing barges