Amphibion

The Amphibion was an aquatic assault vessel used by the Galactic Empire and later the New Republic against the reborn Emperor Palpatine's forces during the First Battle of Mon Calamari.

They were designed by SedriMotors Ltd. which excelled in aquatic combat craft. SendriMotors also incorporated unusual drive systems in their products.

The Amphibion as a surface hover vehicle utilized several small, quiet engines to create an air cushion that suspended the craft a few centimeters above the water surface. They could also propel the Amphibion up to 100 km per hour over either flat land or water. The engines were mounted between armored plates along the bottom and sides, while the drives were housed at the rear.

The Amphibion was designed as a troop carrier and carried up to 20 soldiers and their equipment, which was stored in lockers near the command cabin. They often worked in squads of 2 to 16 vehicles for protection. The command cabin was sealed with blast shielding protecting the two pilots. The Amphibion's anti-personnel gun turret was the only other part of the vehicle that was as well protected as the cabin. A gunner was stationed at the bottom of the gun turret though it could also be fired by the copilot.

The only other weapons were what the troops brought onboard. They were shielded by camouflaged partial armor which gave them limited protection, but heavy laser blasts could easily tear through the thin partial armor. The Amphibion had a reduced heat and energy profile, and its hover engines were far more quiet than the standard repulsorlifts, allowing them to slip past enemy forces without being noticed. This also meant that enemy scanners were less likely to register them.

During the Battle of Corellia, Amphibions deployed stormtroopers into the Corellian city while covering them from the beach. During the First Battle of Dac, the Amphibions served the New Republic by carrying Rebel sea commandos onto the World Devastators.

Appearances

 * Dark Empire
 * Star Wars: Rogue Squadron